Complete a TOD study along one of the rtcs major transit corridors

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada received a $439,042 Project Grant award from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the Federal Transit Capital Investment Grants program (CFDA 20.500), effective August 15, 2025, with a completion date of December 31, 2026. This grant funds a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) study along the Charleston Boulevard corridor between Rainbow and Valley View Boulevard in Las Vegas, Nevada. The study will examine the feasibility and planning for a potential 16.9-mile fixed guideway light rail transit (LRT) or bus rapid transit (BRT) line that will serve highly trafficked RTC transit stations, two major redevelopment sites (50 and 10 acres), and key regional attractors including the College of Southern Nevada, Charleston Heights Arts Center, and Las Vegas Medical District.

Under this grant, RTC Southern Nevada will deliver comprehensive analytical and planning products including: intersecting analyses of housing and commercial real estate markets with projected TOD development and ridership growth scenarios; cost-benefit analyses of multimodal connectivity options (e-bikes, bicycles, pedestrian access) to support transit ridership; identification and analysis of optimal future transit hub locations; enhancement of the city's TOD zoning code development efforts for mixed-use development; cost-benefit analyses of transit-related infrastructure improvements including station design and streetscape enhancements; and targeted outreach strategies to private sector stakeholders including developers, business owners, and employers. These planning activities align with a broader RAISE Grant scope of work from the Department of Transportation and will support the preliminary development phase of the Charleston Corridor LRT/BRT project.

Purpose

The purpose of this grant is to complete a TOD study along one of the rtcs major transit corridors. The opportunity for the highest value intense and equitable TOD is identified as the segment of charleston boulevard between rainbow and valley view boulevard. This segment contains several highly trafficked RTC transit stations that serve important intersecting bus routes two large sites (50 and 10 acres) that are highly rated for redevelopment potential and potential multimodal access to several landmark attractors (college of southern nevada charleston heights arts center meadows mall LAS vegas medical district and downtown city of LAS vegas).

Activities

(a) perform intersecting analyses of housing and commercial real estate market priority redevelopment locations and scenarios of projected TOD development and ridership growth that will enhance economic development and affordable housing efforts.(b) perform cost/benefit analysis and projections of different scenarios for multimodal connectivity to support transit ridership growth including e-bikes bicycles and pedestrian access.(c) analysis of ideal locations for future transit hubs utilizing planned and existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities.(d) enhance the citys ongoing TOD zoning code development efforts which mandate mixed-use development.(e) perform cost/benefit analysis of transit-related infrastructure including bicycle/pedestrian station design and locations and streetscape improvements.(f) develop targeted outreach strategies to private sector stakeholders including developers business and property owners employers customers and riders.

Expected outcomes

Charleston boulevard will feature either a 16.9-mile fixed guideway LRT or BRT line. The project is in its preliminary stages; a scope of work is currently being developed in accordance with the raise grant from the united states department of transportation. The charleston corridor LRT and/or BRT is expected to open within 5-9 years.

Intended beneficiaries

The project will benefit a wide range of people including public transit riders commuters and local businesses and entities. Southern nevada residents businesses city planners and the environment will benefit from this project that aims to create walkable vibrant communities with access to transit promoting economic growth and reducing car dependency. There will be defined stations based on minimizing pedestrian walking distances and serving major trip generators and attractors. The project will have new or modified traffic signals and intelligent transportation systems (its) features that help improve reliability. Finally the complete streets features specifically bike lane/sidewalk improvements and landscaping in the pedestrian realm will spur TOD similarly seen along public transit stations.