Community Development
Boulder Highway Corridor is
Undergoing a Transformation!“The City of Henderson is looking forward to a bright future for Boulder Highway. With the help of our community, we have established a new vision for the corridor through the Boulder Highway Investment Strategy. We worked closely with the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) to combine transportation and land use planning efforts to create a cohesive plan that will promote exciting development opportunities along Boulder Highway while enhancing the quality of life within the surrounding neighborhoods. Our staff has the tools in place to work with potential investors to transform this historic corridor into a new, vibrant amenity that will exemplify all that Henderson has to offer.” - Mayor Andy Hafen
The RTC has begun construction on the
Boulder
Highway Corridor project, which will provide express service between Henderson and the
Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas. When the route was originally
identified, Henderson partnered with the RTC to combine land use and
transportation planning to create a cohesive vision for the revitalization of
Boulder Highway. In December 2008, the City Council established a new vision
for the corridor with the adoption of the
Boulder Highway Corridor Investment Strategy.
Five Guiding Principles were developed to further support the Corridor Vision:
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The City will promote the revitalization and transformation of the Boulder Highway Corridor
The revitalization of the Boulder Highway Corridor will occur incrementally over time. The city will promote this revitalization using a range of tools, strategies, and public/private partnerships. -
The Boulder Highway Corridor will serve as a major multi-modal transportation corridor within our city and region
The importance of the Boulder Highway Corridor extends far beyond just the City of Henderson. Ultimately, it will serve as one “leg” of a much larger regional system allowing the city to remain independent while providing its residents with easy access to other activity and employment centers throughout the valley. -
The City and Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will establish a distinctive "look and feel" for the Boulder Highway Corridor that is unique to Henderson
Because the Boulder Highway Corridor extends far beyond the City of Henderson, it will be important to establish a distinctive image for the Henderson portion of the corridor that distinguishes it from its neighboring communities. -
Mixed-Use Activity Centers will be established at key nodes
The Boulder Highway Corridor covers a very large area and existing land use patterns in most areas are fairly low density. At identified key opportunity nodes, future development will need to occur at significantly higher densities and be concentrated within walking distance of transit stations. -
The Boulder Highway Corridor will be integrated with the surrounding community
In order to reach its full potential, the Boulder Highway Corridor must be well-connected to the surrounding community and the region and must offer residents, employees, and visitors a variety of transportation options (auto/pedestrian/bicycle/transit).
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New Standards to Promote Reinvestment
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In order to make this vision a reality, Henderson has completely overhauled the development standards along Boulder Highway for both public and private property. To attract new development and promote reinvestment, a new Corridor/Community Mixed Use (MC) Zoning District has been created. This new district maximizes the flexibility of uses, allows a higher percentage of developed square footage, and provides incentives for mixed use projects that are located near future rapid transit stops. Check out the overview of the MC Zoning District or all of the various requirements in the full text of the Henderson Development Code. The development standards for landscaping and other improvements within the right-of-way have also been overhauled. The Boulder Highway Landscape Design Manual carries forward the efforts from the last several years to beautify the corridor and has added important new elements to improve water conservation, reduce costs, and substantially increase the amount of shade. |
What Does Boulder Highway Have to Offer?
A full analysis of the
market characteristics and demographics of the corridor is available in the
Corridor Overview, but some of the key highlights are listed below:
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High Transit Ridership – The corridor already has some of the highest ridership in the region and is expected to increase by 107% by 2020.
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Regional
Hub - An estimated 12% of all vehicle trips in the Valley either
originate from or are headed to the corridor. In 2025, this could be an
estimated 1,299,832 daily trips.
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Upcoming Mobility Increases - Over 20,000 children and many of the 13.5% of corridor residents who are 65+ years have limited or no access to a personal vehicle. Additionally, 20% of corridor households rely on transit as their primary source of transportation.
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Better than Average Income - The corridor has an established base of households with incomes higher than the Valley overall.
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Trade Area Demand - Forecasts indicate that over the next 20 years the trade area for the corridor could generate new demand for more than 3.4 million square feet of commercial space, more than 3.5 million square feet of industrial employment space, ~1,640 single-family, and ~1,480 multi-family dwelling units.
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Catalyst Areas - Specific areas have been identified as providing near-term opportunities for development/redevelopment activity of a magnitude significant enough to possibly influence conditions throughout the corridor. See the Catalyst Areas Map for locations.
What is
Mixed-Use zoning?
Mixed-Use describes a
traditional pattern of pedestrian-friendly development where multiple uses are
located within the same building or development. Similar to a traditional main
street or downtown area, retail and restaurant spaces occupy the street level
and the floors above offer space for offices or residences. The pattern offers
convenience for residents and a nearby customer and employment base for businesses. Mixed-use
is especially effective near transit stations where riders can also enjoy the
variety of services offered within a
walk able distance from the station.
What
results are expected from the new Corridor / Community Mixed Use zoning
designation?
This district will show
that Boulder Highway is different from other areas of the City and that special
standards apply. It will also include incentives and opportunities for denser,
more pedestrian-friendly development. Through enhanced development standards
and improvements in the public right-of-way, the City hopes to preserve the
diverse array of services while promoting a cohesive image along the length of
the corridor and a safe environment for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles.
Some of the major changes that will be the most visible with new development
include buildings being placed closer to the street, more shade trees and
covered walkways to provide relief from the desert sun, multi-use buildings with
residential and retail/office space, and improvements at the intersections to
make them more pedestrian-friendly.
How can
I get more information?
Please
contact Greg Toth at (702) 267-1520 or
greg.toth@cityofhenderson.com
for general information or to discuss potential
development plans.