Biking Vegas? Are you crazy?
ECOVORE: http://www.theurbn.com/category/feature/ecovore-feature/
Bikes welcome in Fabulous Las Vegas. Photo by Robin Tierney
Urbane Renewal Chapter 3: Betting on bicycles
See Part 1: Hail, Caesars! Casinos Go Green and Part 2: Vegas Redefines “Central Location”
“You can’t be serious.” “That’s nuts!” “Are you crazy?!?” That’s a sampling of reactions to my plan to bicycle in and around Las Vegas. Not surprising given the number of cars, and preoccupied drivers, jamming the casino-rimmed Strip and nearby streets nearly 24 hours a day.
Bike racks inside new Vegas buses. Photo by Robin Tierney
But I figured bicycling would offer sightseeing from a new perspective while burning some calories and maintain a modicum of muscle tone during my short visit. Plus 2011 was a huge year for bike-related advances in the city, so I wanted to explore them first-hand.
My first stop: Bonneville Transit Center, which houses the RTC (Regional Transportation Commission) Bike Center. It’s located north of the Strip on East Bonneville Avenue downtown in a striking 25,000 square-foot building that’s awaiting Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy an Environmental Design) certification.
Gleaming buses, some double-decker, and all outfitted with exterior or interior bike racks, glided in and out as I enter the bike center. Inside, you can rent a bike or park your own bike. And what a deal: RTC Bicycle and Community Outreach Coordinator Ron Floth says $60 gets you a full year’s unlimited use of the center’s showers, lockers and even bike tune-ups at the on-site bike shop.
Bonneville Transit Station's RTC Bike Center. Photo by Robin Tierney
Other signs of bike-friendliness: New bicycle lanes, repaved streets and bus racks that hold three bikes. Plans call for 200 miles of additional bike lanes. Regional statistics to date: 690 miles of striped bike lanes, 390 miles of designated bike routes, 760 miles of shared use paths.
To get the big picture, I spoke with Jacob Snow, citizen-cyclist and general manager of the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada. The organization’s mission is to reduce traffic congestion, clean the air and improve quality of life. Snow puts it another way: “The more we get out of our cars the happier we are.”
“When I started here nearly 13 years ago, we averaged 25,000 bicycles a month on our bus system,” said Snow. “Now it’s 52,000 a month.” In June, Snow’s department inaugurated the City of Las Vegas E-Bike program. Now 50 electric bikes, funded largely through a federal grant, are available to government employees for zipping to meetings, an environmentally friendly and healthy alternative to driving motor pool vehicles. The gasoline savings is estimated at $100,000.
“We put our money where our mouth is and feet on the pedals,” Snow says of the organizational culture. The general manager embodies that culture, participating in events such as the Mayor’s Martini Mile (mocktails only for this ride) and the annual Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo, which features rides of 103, 60 and 17 miles. All three routes include a roll on the Las Vegas Strip, which is closed to traffic for one amazing hour. Did casino operators object? No, said Snow, they realize the event draws residents and tourists. “It’s really exciting…jamming the Strip with 2,000 bikes.” The rides continue through the valley, which is rich in nature backdrops. This year, Viva Bike Vegas takes place September 22, right after the city hosts the Interbike International Trade Expo.
Viva Bike Vegas. Image courtesy of RTCSNV.
“We are making a big investment in bicycle lanes,” explains Snow. “Our funding efforts are based on the Complete Streets program” – all streets for all modes of mobility and all ages; it’s no longer just about the automobile. This means wider sidewalks for pedestrians, protected lanes for bicyclists, dedicated public transit lanes. Another coming attraction: a bike-share program projected to launch by spring 2013.
So where can Ecovores pedal in Vegas? Tour the revitalized neighborhoods downtown. Visit nature areas such as Red Rock Canyon, reachable along an urban trail from downtown, or put your bike on a bus rack and take the bus to nearby Red Rock Resort, then hop in the saddle for road and mountain trails. Roll out for locals’ favorite eco-eats; recommendations include Pura Vida Bakery & Bystro on downtown’s west side (breakfast and lunch until 4 p.m.), Veggie Delight in Chinatown, Mint Indian Bistro and the east and westside locations of Go Raw Café.
Red Rock Canyon sign. Photo by Robin Tierney.
Locals advise against bicycling the Strip. I mapped out a route using side streets (sometimes taking refuge on sidewalks, legal where not prohibited by signs, locals told me) to reach swanky resorts like the Tropicana, where there’s an intriguing Mob memorabilia exhibit. Speaking of mobs, yes, the Strip is too thick with pedestrians and motorists for bicycling. But north of the Stratosphere, especially downtown and along Alta Drive, there’s plenty to see, hear and taste while touring on two wheels. I’ll reveal some brilliant finds in a future article.
Next week: Urbane Renewal Part 4: Class Transit.
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