Clark County officials and federal lawmakers broke ground on 1 July on the Red Rock Legacy Trail, a long-planned, 19-mile paved route intended to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along State Route 159 west of Las Vegas. The first four-mile segment will run from the edge of Summerlin to the Red Rock Canyon Visitors Center before ultimately linking the conservation area with the village of Blue Diamond. The project, backed by more than $100 million in federal, state and county funding, was championed by the nonprofit Save Red Rock and secured grants through the Nevada Department of Transportation and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Representatives Dina Titus and Susie Lee, both longtime supporters, joined county commissioners at the ceremony. Local advocates began pressing for the trail after Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer Don Albietz was killed by a hit-and-run driver while cycling the corridor in 2005. Red Rock Canyon draws about 3.5 million visitors a year, and officials say the dedicated path will separate recreational users from fast-growing commuter traffic, reducing collisions while providing a new recreation amenity once all phases are complete.