A soon-to-be released survey of Truckee Meadows bicycle riders indicates an appetite for safer bikeways across Reno and Sparks – and a lot more of them.
“I’ve had a lot of close calls (riding a bicycle) in Reno,” said Todd Clayton, 44, who sometimes rides from northwest Reno to his office in Midtown. “I love to ride, but I hate having to take my life in my hands doing it… This city is an obstacle course and some drivers make it a lot more dangerous by not respecting (cyclists’) right to use the roads.”
Clayton said installing protected bike lanes throughout the valley should be a priority for city planners. His opinion is echoed by a recent survey conducted by the Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance. The results of the first Safe Mobility for All Survey — which had more than 200 respondents, including both recreational riders and commuters — are scheduled to be released April 25.
The survey was done at the request of Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve and created in collaboration with the University of Nevada, Reno; the bicycle alliance; the Downtown Reno Partnership; and an independent traffic engineer. The survey was sent to more than 100 businesses in Midtown, UNR, and to 1,100 supporters of the Bicycle Alliance and the Downtown Reno Partnership.
Bike survey results
About 80% of the respondents use cars as their primary mode of transportation, so they aren’t die-hard cyclists. The survey also generated more than 100 comments being submitted to the Reno City Council regarding getting a path through downtown Reno through BuildABetterBikeNetwork.com, which is a direct method to email local officials developed by TMBA. The survey is open and will remain open indefinitely. The results will be reported annually prior to bike month.
The Reno News & Review got an early look at the survey results, which showed:
- 92% would like to be able to use their bicycles (or another alternative mode of transportation) more often and 43% of respondents would like to walk more.
Asked to list the biggest barriers to bike riding in the Truckee Meadows, “unsafe roads” topped the list. Other impediments to riding included the difficulty in finding comfortable routes, long distances to workplaces, the lack of bike racks and a reluctance to arrive at work in a sweat.
The survey also asked respondents about preferences among the types of bike lanes in use on roads where motor vehicles travel 30 miles per hour or faster. The lane types differ according to the kinds of barriers (or lack of them) between the bike riders and vehicular traffic. Not surprisingly, riders surveyed favored lanes that provide more distance between bikes and car traffic and barriers between the lanes used by cars and bicycles.
66% favored protected bike lanes. Those can include bulky obstacles, such as planters, between the car lanes and the bike track, or plastic poles, which are designed to alert drivers who stray too close to the cycle track.
43% feel safe on buffered lanes, which provide a greater distance between motor vehicle lanes and bicycle lanes.
24% responded that they feel safe in standard bike lanes, the most common type in the Truckee Meadows. Those lanes are painted along the sides of roadways.
5% of those surveyed said they feel safe in shared lanes, which combine bicycles and motor vehicles in single travel lanes. Shared lanes were part of the Regional Transportation District’s Midtown renovation project.
Safety a major concern
When asked which type of lane is safest when riding on a bike with a child, 63% preferred protected bike lanes, 13% preferred a buffered lane and 5% felt safe using standard bicycle lanes.
On roads where the speed limits are 15 miles per hour or less, 57% of respondents indicated they would feel safe using the shared bike lanes and 42% said they would not feel safe.
“My (commuter) route is convoluted as I take routes to avoid hazardous traffic, but I still encounter poor visibility areas where I feel traffic is 30+ and can’t see me well or is too close to me at high speeds. Another stretch sandwiches me in a bike lane but between fast traffic and lines of parked cars (I’m too close and can’t see if people getting out etc). Pavement issues, steep speed bumps or bike lane full of glass debris which pushed me back into traffic. Despite my effort to take the safest route I still grapple with the above each trip and I would not take my younger or new to cycling folks with me on this route.” – bicycle survey respondent.
Center Street Cycle Track
Questions about the City of Reno’s Center Street Cycle Track project, now delayed after downtown casinos wanted a study of a potential bike lane on Virginia Street, also were included in the survey. An update on the Center Street project is the topic of Reno News & Review companion piece to this story.
The Center Street project, which is now stalled at 30% of its design phase, is aimed at providing a safe, direct route between the University of Nevada, Reno and Midtown. When asked about the “most important aspect” of such a route, 82% of respondents said “directness” was their chief concern. Other respondents listed safety, reliability and lighting as major factors.
When asked if they already have a route that they feel comfortable and safe using when traveling between UNR, downtown Reno and Midtown, 49% said they didn’t have a safe route available, 39% said they have a route but would like to see improvements and 10% responded that they have a safe route.
“Traveling north or south on Evans Ave south of UNR (which has a painted bicycle lane), crossing Sixth Street is difficult and dangerous. There is a lack of connectivity between what little bicycle infrastructure exists in this area now, the safest/lowest traffic volume route requires several turns at intersections and some travel where no bicycle infrastructure exists.” – bicycle survey respondent.
The UNR to Midtown routes
Other survey questions concerning a route between UNR and Midtown included:
- Studies show a protected path on Center Street from Midtown to UNR is feasible. Do you think a protected, connected path is also feasible on Virginia Street? Yes, 67%. No, 33%
- Downtown Reno should have alternative transportation paths between UNR and Midtown on: Center Street only, 28%. Virginia Street only, 7%. Both Center and Virginia streets, 71%.
“We need more bikeways, and since the Virginia Street redesign effectively made bike, pedestrian, and car transport all more dangerous, we need that Center Stret bikeway. We also need more stable bike racks. People don’t bike if they’re not comfortable biking or locking up. Enough studies show increase in business in an area with sufficient bike access and increase in quality of living with sufficient and safe bike access.” – bike survey respondent.
The Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance is a collaboration between local governments, non-profits, businesses, and individuals. The group promotes bicycling as an alternative form of transportation that plays a key role in reducing air pollution, reducing traffic congestion, and promoting healthy, active lifestyles. From 2005 until 2018, TMBA organized Bike Week in Washoe County. Bike Week became so successful in the Truckee Meadows that in 2019 that the alliance expanded its activities to encourage community members to ride instead of drive during the entire month of May.
“I live in Northwest Reno and commute for work up to Truckee. I would love to drop driving as my primary mode of transportation for my commute, but there are not any alternate forms of transportation. I wish there was a train that had many accessible stops and frequent pick-up/drop off times between Sparks, Reno, and Truckee, like a commuter rail, but we need much more than that to complete the multi-modal system. We would need frequent bus connections to transfer stations/hubs and supporting bike infrastructure as well. Outside of the Midtown and university area, there isn’t much in the form of bike infrastructure. A painted white line on the side of a 50mph highway/beltway or a green narrow strip of asphalt is not bike infrastructure. To encourage more people to bike, we not only need to create connections between the many suburbs of Reno, but we also need to make those people feel safe.” – bicycle survey respondent.
It is totally amazing how many bike riders have come to this town since the influx of certain states have overtaken us. I would rather have our four lane roads back than all the bike lanes that I rarely see being used.
Hi Therese, Is it your impression that bike riders didn’t exist in Reno or Nevada before people started moving here from California decades ago? I’ve been here for 20 years. A famous bike rider who lived and trained here won the Tour de France even! Can you name that bike rider? Bike lanes don’t get used as often as they could because they often end right before an intersection which is the most dangerous spot for a cyclist. Would you drive a car if it wasn’t safe? The answer is likely no. So, if we make the roads safer, more people are like to ride bikes. Would you prefer to have four lanes, even if they arent necessary and make it unsafe for children, families and workers? My guess is no. I hope I have convinced you that there is more to this than people from “certain states.” If you would like more information, please go to BikeWashoe.org Thanks!!