Is Reno Becoming Friendlier to Cyclists?

From Projects to Advocacy Bike Nights

While road construction is seemingly never-ending here in Reno, does any of it benefit cyclists or is Reno still an automobile centric town? As the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) keeps saying it is addressing cycling safety and expansion through a handful of projects, some in the works and others recently completed, it begs the question, is Reno becoming more bicycle friendly?

“I commute to work every now and then,” says Reno resident, Perry Healey, 26, adding “we have bike night.” Healey has been riding bicycles his whole life and as a commuter for almost seven years. He enjoys all types of cycling, from commuting to bike-packing, a type of traveling where you travel from point A to point B exclusively with a bicycle. He once rode a bike from Reno to San Francisco as well as riding around New Zealand for five weeks from a bike seat. 

Healy is the co-funder of Reno Bike Night, an informal gathering dedicated to getting people together for a bike ride and to “make some kind of positive impact on the community.” They meet every Wednesday night at the Reno City Plaza and complete an eight to thirteen mile bike ride on mostly flat terrain. They have future goals of advocating for more bike safety and creating a donation stream for organizations like the Reno Bike Project, a local non-profit community run bike shop. 

“It’s definitely doing better,” says Healey in regards to bicycle safety, “it [has] become much more safer.” He loves to go on weeks long bike rides, also know as bike touring.

More Bike Lanes, Paths and Connectivity

Reno has grown over the past several years and bicycling is on the rise. Recently completed construction along Virginia street in midtown highlights the growing infrastructure for bicyclists. Between California Avenue and Mt. Rose street, cyclists can now utilize the entire lane. This makes it safer for bicycle commuters and virtually eliminates the chances of running into an opening car door, a real threat to bicycle commuters.

RTC has a project in the works to construct a cycle path, a lane physically separated from automobiles, through downtown along Center street. The goal is to effectively connect the University with the midtown district with completion expected sometime during 2023.

“I like the Veterans Memorial path,” Healey says. It is “good for recreating and it’s good for commuting.” This is an example of a cycle path and the construction project boosted connectivity for cyclists here in Reno. The lack of connectivity is a large problem for bicycle commuters and the community would like to see more, specifically infrastructure that connects the North Valleys to Reno. Overall the ongoing and planned projects do hint at Reno becoming safer for cyclists. 

While infrastructure promoting cycling in Reno has been slow to come about, the recent upgrades to Virginia Street include a shared use lane, suitable for both bicycles and cars.

Unfriendly Drivers and Lack of Political Will Among Challenges

While Healey has not been hit by a car he is aware of the risks associated with riding bikes. “I think the drivers in Reno are okay at recognizing cyclists,” he said. However, he does see a lot of drivers who get frustrated when a bike is on the road. “They will either drive by way too close or yell at you,” Healey says, highlighting the concern of many bicycle riders here in Reno.

Healey does know people who have been hit by a car and cites the most common reason being cars pulling out of a business entrance and not seeing people on bikes. Other risks cyclists have to contend with is riding with the sun at their back. This makes them nearly invisible to drivers and more likely to have a collision.  What he views as a lack of local political will is also a problem.

“I don’t feel it’s a focus of theirs,” Healey says of cyclists and the Reno City Council. “I don’t think they’re doing much to promote biking or bike safety.”

Still, Healey feels safe when he rides his bike and is hopeful that more people in Reno will start to ride more often. Ultimately, he believes, more bikes on the road raises awareness, and in turn, overall safety for cyclists.

His vision for Reno is to create a greater community where people feel comfortable to get on a bike and ride around town. He wants to see more bike lanes and more public awareness about why bikes are important and how they help the community.

Reporting by Richard Bednarski for Our Town Reno