Bike Wars: Help as Reno struggles to install path
 

We were on our way to creating the first bike path through downtown on University Way in Reno for UNR students to connect to the popular midtown bar/shopping district safely. It was supported by the traffic studies as shown in the news story. But then, worldwide casino giant Caesars Entertainment stepped in and said they wanted the path in front of their casinos instead on Virginia Street which is parallel to University Way. Their Virginia Street path would funnel students to the casino's front doors and boost the economically depressed downtown to support storefront shops that are yet to exist. So, the City started on a plan to delay the University Way bike path which was already underway and at 30 percent design. First, the City Engineer increased the cost of the 1.3-mile University Way protected path from $4 million to a prohibitively expensive $11 million. But that plan wasn't enough to stop it because the studies still supported the University Way path. So the city hatched a new plan: Do another study that would only focus on opinion instead of traffic and look at the street in front of the casino. The study last year called "placemaking" asked people if they like the idea of bike paths. The answer was unequivocally 'yes', and so City Staff tied that opinion result to only the street in front of the casino and declared that this is where the public wants a bike path, so this is where it should be and only be . . . not on University Way. The Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance (BikeWashoe.org) supports bike paths on both streets as well as other parallel streets through downtown which was mentioned as doable in studies because Reno's streets are really wide and underutilized by traffic. This has been a rallying cry for the Reno bicycle and environmental community and led to major investigations by local journalists. It is pushing local officials to try to change the way they think about bikes from the network perspective, cost, and expediency, but progress is slow. Any thoughts on what we should do? Here is today's story news https://renonr.com/2023/06/01/bike-w...-with-midtown/
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4ff2a52adf.jpg
Center/University Way where studies show a protected bike path is the most feasible and needed to protect students coming from UNR to the popular Midtown District
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...57e287c70f.jpg
In 2022 - the city did a pilot project on Virginia street, parallel to University Way with the hope that the public would want a bike path here instead of on University Way as desired by casinos. The City Engineer concluded from her experiment that two-way bike paths on one-way streets don't work. The public ovewhealmingly supports bike paths, but the city has been unable to permanently install paths on any north-south streets through the heart of downtown, despite studies showing the need.

I don't have any idea how I can help from here in NY. However somethings has a strong odor of sewer gas.

I can't imagine why Ceasars, or any case a single would want a bike path crossing in front, where it would be an added complication for auto traffic entering or leaving.

I don't imagine that they'd consider x cyclists as prime gaming clients.

So, it might simply be how we think here, but I'd be looking for a hidden agenda, then either exposing it to keep the original plan on track, or making sure the bike path isn't being used as a cats paw, to get improvements, and ending up with a plan that benefits everyone but cyclists.

I think it's better to consider the potential benefits of the bike path. I like it 'cause it promotes alternative transportation, reduce congestion (that is a "huge" advantage for me), enhance safety, and attract visitors to benefit local businesses. So I mind some people assume a hidden agenda. Therefore, the proposed bike path connecting UNR students to the vibrant midtown district faced opposition from Caesars Entertainment, who wanted it redirected to boost their casinos' business. The city employed tactics like inflated costs and biased studies to prioritize casino interests over student safety. I opt always for paypal casino instant withdrawal because I trust online casinos only after researching that there are trustful ways of instant withdrawal like PayPal. So be aware of ypur choice among so numerous proposals.

A decision that has been made by several communities with a tourist financial base is to close these type areas to motor vehicles entirely.

I think they should close Virginia St to auto traffic from 6th St to 2nd St. Make it all ped/cycling.