The center of any city is its downtown. Unfortunately for Las Vegas, that downtown is littered with tourists who really don’t care about the Vegas community.

UNLV is a prime target to start growing a more connected city.

The people at the university’s parking services department have been almost irreversibly stigmatized because the student newspaper, The Rebel Yell, attacks them  repeatedly for the of lack of parking spaces.

More parking spaces means more cars, more cars means more gas burning, and more gas burning means terrible air quality and longer, hotter, drier summers.

But let’s not focus on parking, let’s focus on buses.

What would happen then if students were to actually take the bus to school? What would happen if the apartments in the surrounding area were dominated by students? It would create a chain reaction.

More bus lanes, better access and even university run shuttles to neighborhoods within a 2 mile radius could ease up the need for parking, create a real downtown feel and, of course, make UNLV green.

Right now, RTC is conducting a corridor study of Maryland Parkway that could better serve the area by adding a bus-only lane. It’s a fantastic idea. Tracy Bower, public information officer for RTC, said they were working with the university on the study.

I am waiting for Tad McDowell at UNLV’s Parking Services to return a call so we can begin the discussion.

Related posts:

1. UNLV Transit Hub Study, Part 2 of 2
2. ACE coming to UNLV?
3. Stuff No One Really Advertises – UNLV Transit Study
4. Welcome to UNLV. Please visit one of our fine parking lots!
5. UNLV Transit Hub Study, Part 1 of 2 (potentially)