RTC says ride bicycles to work

Angela Soo

Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 | 8:23 a.m.

Riding a bicycle to work, instead of driving, can actually save time, a biking enthusiast said Tuesday.

"It's a time-saver, because I don't have to go to the gym," Kevin Eubanks, 47, who works for the Regional Flood Control District, said. "I was looking for a convenient way to exercise. I don't get up early enough to go to the gym before work and by the time I get off work, I don't want to go anymore. It's also a great stress reliever."

In a continued effort to get people out of their cars and into more environmentally friendly modes of transportation, the Regional Transportation Commission is promoting Bike to Work week, which ends Sunday with a Bike Fest, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Wet n' Wild at 2635 S. Paradise Road.

The event is designed to promote bicycle awareness and will include a drawing for a $1,400 electric bike. The bike week observation began Tuesday.

"In Asia, biking is a necessity," said Justin Schor of the RTC. "Here, biking is looked at as a recreational tool. We're trying to change that."

Fewer than 1 percent of Southern Nevadans ride a bike to work, said RTC General Manager Jacob Snow. The low percentage is partly attributed to a perception that Las Vegas doesn't provide a friendly environment for cyclists.

Brian Nix, vice chairman of the RTC board, said the RTC has installed additional signs to remind drivers to share the road.

"We're getting people to think it's safe to ride a bike," Nix said. "Cyclists have a right to be there."

The RTC is also working on a plan requiring that new road construction allows for bike and pedestrian lanes, Snow said. For a typical six-lane road, the 100-foot width requirement would be increased to 120 feet. But Snow doesn't expect to have those policies approved until early next year.

Encouraging the public to use alternative modes of transportation is part of the commission's effort to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. The valley must meet federal air-quality standards or risk losing millions of dollars in federal funding.