The Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance has created this petition to show RTC and the cities of Reno and Sparks that people in the Truckee Meadows area want a cycling network that allows for safe travel by bicycle for people of all ages and abilities. Read on to see how such a network would benefit our community!

Creating a protected, connected, and equitable bicycle network in the Truckee Meadows will:

• Reduce greenhouse gases,
• Create a safer transportation system for all users,
• Improve local air quality,
• Enhance quality of life and access to jobs,
• Reduce transportation network maintenance costs, and
• Provide an affordable alternative to the personal vehicle.

The existing bicycle network in Reno & Sparks is disjointed and feels unsafe to the majority of residents which is why bicycling rates have not increased in recent years. 

Bike lanes identified only by paint have become the go to solution in many communities, but they are insufficient. Continuing to construct bike lanes which provide no physical separation between bicyclists and vehicles other than a stripe of paint will not help our community become more sustainable or reduce greenhouse gases in any meaningful way.  Furthermore, our community has experienced a dramatic increase in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities in the past few years which has included a total of 25 children being hit by drivers while on their way to school between September 2019 and January 2020. Creating a connected and protected bicycle network will help reduce vehicle speeds, make cyclists and pedestrians more visible to drivers, and help save lives.

In order to combat climate change, reduce pedestrian & bicyclist fatalities, improve quality of life, reduce transportation network costs, and compete with other mid-sized cities in attracting the next generation of workers, we must construct bicycle facilities which are appropriate for people of All Ages & Abilities, from 8 to 80 years of age. We are asking the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County and the Cities of Reno & Sparks to plan and construct a connected and protected network of bicycle facilities following the NACTO All Ages & Abilities design guidance.