The city of Las Vegas and Ward 5 Councilman Ricki Y. Barlow will celebrate the completion of the Martin L. King Boulevard road widening and beautification project beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18. The rededication ceremony is scheduled to take place on the east side of Martin L. King Boulevard at Madison Avenue.

 “Completion of the Martin L. King Boulevard improvement project is cause for celebration,” Councilman Barlow said. “This newly improved corridor will only add to the business activity and growth on the Historic West Side.

“I am elated to see that the work is finished because now the community truly does have the most Beautiful Martin L. King Boulevard in the nation.”

 Following ceremonial remarks by several speakers, including Barlow and Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, festivities will continue until 4 p.m., with entertainment, games and a street fair. Local vendors plan to sell items along closed sections of Madison and N Street. The events are cosponsored by the city of Las Vegas, the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee and local businesses.

 There will also be pictorial and historic displays commemorating the rededication. Originally named Commerce Street, the street was changed to Highland Avenue and was eventually renamed Martin L. King Boulevard. In Las Vegas city limits, the newly-improved roadway extends from Charleston Boulevard to Carey Avenue.

 Work on the $45 million Martin L. King Boulevard improvement project started in February 2008. Some 2.5 miles of roadway was widened to three northbound and three southbound traffic lanes, extending from Symphony Park Avenue to Carey. The project also included extensive utility relocation and the installation of curb, gutter, sidewalk and sidewalk ramps, storm drainage facilities, landscaped median islands and street lighting. New traffic signals were built at the Martin L. King and Symphony Park intersection. Traffic signals at Bonanza Road, Washington Avenue, Vegas Drive, Lake Mead Boulevard and Carey were upgraded. Funding was provided by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and the city of Las Vegas.