LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – As heads turn in Henderson, city officials are defending their roundabouts—while the rarest one is being removed.
In Dec. 2023, Stations Casinos published an impact report of their next planned property, the Inspirada Casino & Resort, noting the area, which included a “dogbone” roundabout, would see an uptick of 1,685 trips at peak evening hours to and from the site.
Residents told 8 New Now they were concerned about what the development and growth in the area would do to the already problematic intersection in their neighborhood. City of Henderson officials defended the use of traffic circles, citing a U.S. Department of Transportation source.
However, on Monday construction workers started the job of removing the “dogbone” roundabout at Via Inspirada and Bicentennial Parkway.
“There’s nothing really bad about roundabouts,” Jeremy Peters, a Henderson resident, said. “But this one specifically, of all the ones in this area, is a bad one.”
Seated on his bicycle, Peters pointed out the consistent problems he sees with the “dogbone” roundabout, which he commutes through often. The lack of interactive pedestrian crossing signs, yield lights, and brighter lighting were among Peters’ concerns.
“There’s no lighting by the crosswalks here,” he said. “There’s nowhere for even pedestrians to go.”
Proof of Peters’ points were punctuated by the police-taped pole placed along the path–the most recent evidence of an accident at the traffic circle.
“You need the streetlights more than just this pole here,” he said. “There’s like six streetlights here. That’s not enough lighting for cars.”
Roundabout education was another concern for some residents, according to an online post from the Inspirada Neighborhood Facebook page.
Garner Miller made a public service announcement on the page in writing, “If you want to go straight and continue on Via Inspirada South, you need to be in the right lane.”
The City of Henderson has placed lane indicators at each entrance of the roundabout, but drivers still appeared to have difficulties while 8 News Now reporters observed the intersection on Tuesday.
City officials explained roundabouts are still considered a safer alternative, but noted the traffic circle in Inspirada would need to go amid development.
“When analyzing an intersection, a roundabout option is always considered first before other alternatives, which is why they have become more common throughout the city,” a city spokesperson wrote. “With the anticipated growth in West Henderson and the expected increase of traffic volume, that intersection will be better served with a signalized traffic signal.”
