Clark County Turns On New Traffic Light at Busy Intersection Near Desert Oasis High School

A new traffic signal has been turned on at Cactus Avenue and Torrey Pines Drive in southwest Las Vegas, just before the start of the school year, and will improve safety for the students in the area. More than 13,000 vehicles pass through the intersection every day, and it is an important part of the route to Desert Oasis High School for many students and families daily.

The new signal was a continuation of the community advocacy, with lots of documentation showing the safety concerns from neighbor Kimberly Brock whose child had an accident in the intersection. Clark County officials had received continual safety concerns in the area from the public so they decided to install the new signal and it was finished just in time for the start of the fall semester.

"We have to make sure that we go through a traffic study, and make sure we have the funding and design for a project like this," Jones said. "It takes a little bit longer than any of us would like, but the important thing is that today students, teachers, and parents are able to safely travel through this intersection."

The project was celebrated in a Clark County news release, where Commissioner Justin Jones emphasized the broader significance of the signal beyond infrastructure. 

"This traffic signal is more than steel and wires — it's a promise kept to families," said Commissioner Jones. "For every parent dropping off a student at Desert Oasis High School, for every neighbor who's had to dodge speeding cars, today we're saying: No more close calls. My deepest thanks to constituents like Kim Brock for advocating for change, to our Clark County Public Works team for their swift action, and to all who recognize that lives are at stake on our roadways."

For Kimberly Brock, the moment was deeply personal. "Just knowing the community is safer is a good feeling," she said.

Clark County Youth Mayor RJ Gourrier-Lopez was among the attendees at the activation ceremony, underscoring the role of youth leadership in public safety matters. The new traffic signal is expected to improve traffic flow and enhance safety in all directions at the high-traffic intersection.