Public asks for safer Paradise Road design as city outlines $13 million bike‑ped plan

Resident Dwight Desmond addressed the council during public comment, asking for clarity about the Paradise Road bike and pedestrian improvements and asking three specific questions: “Why 4 years? Why not 2 10 foot paths? And will there be speed tables?”

The project shown in the draft capital improvement program is a conceptual, multi‑year corridor improvement with an order‑of‑magnitude estimate “on the order of magnitude of $13,000,000,” according to a staff engineer who spoke to council. The designer’s concept in the packet called for a 10‑foot‑wide multi‑use path on the west side and a 6‑foot sidewalk on the east side; staff noted the corridor includes intersections such as Paradise Road at Shangri‑La that may require right‑of‑way acquisition if the council selects a roundabout or other intersection control.

The engineer told council that projects of this size “don’t happen overnight” and that phasing is common: pedestrian elements could be built earlier while intersection changes requiring property acquisitions would take longer. On the question of speed tables, the engineer said they “would be a component of this project” and that their placement would depend on crosswalk locations and the project’s final geometry. Council members noted safety concerns about mixing e‑bikes and pedestrians on a single multi‑use path and suggested alternative layouts; the designer American StructurePoint was identified in the packet as the contracted consultant for the project.

Staff said the project will include public outreach and that message boards and public workshops are expected so the community can comment on design and phasing before the council makes a decision.