Consultants present draft 2050 Regional Transportation Plan; downtown and SR95 corridor studies rise to top

Consultants from Kimley‑Horn presented an update on the Lake Havasu area’s draft 2050 Regional Transportation Plan at the MPO Executive Board meeting on April 14, outlining the planning process, public engagement and initial prioritization results that will feed a draft RTP due for review in July and final approval in August.

Chris, a Kimley‑Horn planner, told the board that the RTP is a federally required long‑range plan with a 25‑year horizon that must be fiscally constrained. Kristen, also with Kimley‑Horn, summarized the analysis of existing and future conditions: the region is expected to grow and age, employment will remain concentrated in existing shopping centers, and land‑use patterns leave significant gaps between where people live and where they work or shop, complicating non‑motorized trips.

Kristen highlighted safety data: "most fatal crashes are concentrated on SR95 and also McCullik Boulevard," and active‑transportation crashes (pedestrians and bicyclists) are disproportionately likely to produce serious or fatal injuries. She said crashes are rising faster than population growth, which informed a prioritization that emphasizes safety and multimodal integration.

The consultant team described a project list of 45 items, including roadway projects, active‑transportation improvements and corridor studies. Many previously proposed capacity projects were converted to corridor or study projects after a project refinement workshop, the consultants said, so that competing corridor needs (bike facilities, parking, capacity) can be reconciled before definitive design or construction. Early prioritization scores put downtown Lake Havasu, State Route 95 and Lake Havasu Avenue corridor studies near the top of the list.

Board members asked about specific projects and funding. Council Member Campbell pressed on the long‑discussed second bridge; staff said the city has a state appropriation (cited in the meeting as $35 million) and a 60% design review was under way. The consultants also said London Bridge Road pavement improvements are being coordinated with county efforts, and they acknowledged pushback from constituents about the Swanson–McCullik–Mesquite corridor where recent active‑transportation investments removed a center turn lane and raised future turn‑lane concerns.

Next steps: Kimley‑Horn will finalize the prioritization in May, move into project scoping and grant‑assistance phases, deliver a draft RTP in July (30‑day comment period) and return to the Executive Board for approval in August.

Source: Kimley‑Horn presentation and board discussion at the Lake Havasu MPO Executive Board meeting, April 14, 2026.