LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada is taking steps to mitigate the urban heat island effect by expanding shade structures at bus stops throughout the valley.
With over 3,700 transit stops serving 52 million riders annually, many lack adequate shade, leaving commuters exposed to extreme temperatures.
David Swallow, Deputy CEO of the RTC, highlighted the challenges faced by residents in areas with fewer trees and parks. “When we look around the valley, some parts of town just don’t have as many trees, they don’t have as much grass, they don’t have as many parks, and so that creates this urban heat island where it heats up during the day and it holds the heat overnight and so it creates a lot of heat stress for everybody that lives and works around those areas,” said Swallow…