College Parkway in Carson City gets bike lanes

Along with its fresh asphalt and shiny new stripes, College Parkway now has bike lanes.

The lanes are part of Carson City's bicycle plan, and the College Parkway/Graves Lane/Edmonds Drive route is designated as a potential route for pedal-pushing commuters.

"The freeway is the spine of the bike plan, and College Parkway is one of the major ribs going east and west," Parks and Recreation Director Steve Kastens said. "We're happy they're striping the lanes. I believe there are a lot of (cyclists) who use the street because it is a major arterial going east to west."

The 5-foot lanes, on both sides of the street, were striped from Highway 395 east to Hot Springs Road as part of the street's overlay project. Construction on College Parkway should wrap up the early part of next week.

Scott Magruder, Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman, said to accommodate the bike lanes, the width of the four travel lanes and center turn lane were reduced.

The two outside lanes are now both 11 feet wide. Travel lanes are generally 12 feet wide. The interior travel lanes are 10.5 feet wide, and the center turn lane was reduced from 14 feet to 11 feet.

"The state bicycle plan says to stripe lanes on new roads where appropriate," Magruder said. "College Parkway is a prime candidate for bike lanes. It's wide enough, for one. This is just one of our efforts to accommodate both bikes and cars."

Magruder said the rest of College Parkway from Hot Springs to Airport Road will be striped during future overlays. The state has a $1.7 million overlay of that portion of College Parkway slated for next summer.

The city has plans for about 27 miles of bike lanes and has already striped on Saliman Road, Roop Street and Goni Road, plus several other off-street bike paths.

Since the bike plan was implemented in 1994, the state has striped about two miles of lanes on King and East Fifth streets and College Parkway.