The opening of Interstate 11 near Boulder City should come as some welcome relief to Arizona commuters.
But does Boulder City have the same welcoming attitude toward the new route? Many shop owners fear the road, which will now bypass downtown, will hurt business.
Boulder City Mayor Rod Woodbury told KNPR's State of Nevada that studies have been done about the potential impact but it is a bit of a guessing game.
The city is doing what it can to mitigate any impact on businesses. Mayor Woodbury said the main thoroughfare will probably suffer the most. So, the city is working to make it more bike and pedestrian friendly. But that is not the end of the plans.
“We’ve got a complete streets project we’re doing with the RTC in conjunction with that we’re looking at a linear park along the railroad behind many of those businesses,” he said.
There is also a new railroad museum going in at the intersection of Buchanan Boulevard and U.S. 93. The area will be renamed Boulder City Parkway. Woodbury also said there was a new housing project going in along with more business development.
“I think you’re going to see great changes along that whole area in the next few years so all of that will hopefully counteract what is happening with the bypass,” he said.
Like just about every other city in Nevada, Boulder City is struggling with affordable housing. However, Boulder City's problem is actually made worse by the growth control ordinance that limits the number of houses that can be built in the city.
The city recently asked residents where they wanted a new housing development to go. Woodbury said overwhelmingly people wanted the new development to go near the main thoroughfare.
“Hopefully, we’ll find ways to get low income and medium income families into there and not just these very high-priced houses that there is no choice,” Woodbury said.
Some neighborhoods in other cities have pushed back against the idea of affordable housing in their area, but Woodbury believes people in Boulder City understand the importance of building housing that younger people can afford.
“I think in general most people want to see housing that at least their kids can come back to that families can afford, starter-type homes,” he said.
Woodbury said he wants Boulder City to be a family-oriented town. He said his big priority for 2018 is to continue to move forward.
"I think once we set in on reality on what I-11 really means later this year I think some of the fears will go away and we'll be able to re-focus on making sure that Boulder City stays strong and vibrant economically as well as this quaint little town that everybody not only wants to live in but come to visit,"
Rod Woodbury, mayor, Boulder City