Officials won’t say if track will actually be built – even if the public favors it
The idea of the Center Street cycle track is suffering from whiplash. The long-favored location for a two-way bike lane made it to the 30% design phase before it was killed behind the scenes.
A months-long This Is Reno investigation found local officials conspiring behind the scenes with downtown ROW casinos to attempt to shift the bike lane to Virginia Street
Reno City Manager Doug Thornley admitted last year the project was “unlikely” to proceed. Washoe County RTC boss Bill Thomas told bike advocates he put the indefinite pause on the project.
And City of Reno Engineer Kerrie Koske recently told the Reno City Council the project was unsafe. That was in contradiction to a traffic consultant’s determination that Center Street was the best location for the cycle track.
Unexpectedly, Center Street – now known as University Way – is up again for public feedback on RTC’s Downtown Micromobility website.
RTC officials said the website, which is seeking public input through June 30, 2023, is to gather public input into how to spend $20 million in federal and fuel tax funds. RTC officials, despite multiple attempts, would not say why Center Street is back.
Thornley, however, did: The mayor and a councilmember wanted it.
“The City Council made clear that it wishes to see a comprehensive network of multimodal transportation options and asked to see how, if at all, the Center Street project would fit within that network,” he told This Is Reno.
Nobody will say whether it will actually be built.
“The engineering challenges presented by the Center Street cycletrack remain, but questions regarding its construction should be directed at the project’s probability when compared to other options versus whether it is possible,” Thornley said.
RTC was equally as noncommittal.
“As you have seen, the Downtown Reno Micromobility survey is about several downtown roadways, not just Center Street/University Way. What that looks like remains to be seen,” RTC’s Paul Nelson said.
Ky Plaskon with the Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance has been pushing for the track to be built on Center Street. He said he was taken by surprise by RTC’s new website and survey and added that the Center Street / University Way track should proceed – along with micromobility amenities throughout downtown.
“This project is at 30% design, it is supported by traffic studies and connects major hubs – UNR, downtown and midtown,” he said. “During the development of the midtown project, the City of Reno made a commitment to the micro modal community to install a safe route between UNR and midtown on University Way/Center Street as a concession for not installing bike paths in midtown.
“It was supposed to be completed last year, but the city has been stalling.”
