Highway Eighty Five revisited

Prior to 1952, Grand Avenue was a 2 lane road, barely paved, with wide planting strips dense with trees, separating sidewalks from traffic. The Las Vegas Urban Highway project of that year transformed Highway 85 from a small town throughway to a modern highway. The improvements included new mercury vapor lights, wider lanes that eliminated the tree lined strips and added a median divider.

The latest project to enhance Grand Avenue has begun. Over the next six months, the orange barrels will be out between National and Tilden Avenues. At times the Museum may be a challenge to access, but we are not anticipating any reduction in public visiting hours. Parking will continue to be available along National Avenue and Fourth Street. On the positive side, the building will benefit directly from some of the intended improvements. The sidewalks along Grand Avenue will be widened, putting more distance between our historic building and traffic. Transitions between sidewalks, paths, and landings will be eased and repaired. Renovated storm inlets will make those rivers of runoff along the curb after a summer thunderstorm a thing of the past. The Museum will be easier to find with the proposed signage along Grand. And that middle median will be back.