Attendees hitting the new Prison Hill West Trail in east Carson City following a ribbon-cutting on June 14.
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According to the American Heart Association, every $1 invested in community trails saves $3 in medical bills, Carson City Trails Coordinator Gregg Berggren told a joint meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission and Open Space Advisory Committee on June 16.
Berggren gave an overview of the city’s trail program, arguing trails benefit people physically, emotionally and economically.
The item was for discussion only, and no formal action was taken.
“I think that everybody here recognizes the benefits of spending time outdoors,” he said.
Carson City has more than 100 miles of public trails. That includes more than 50 miles of singletrack trail of varying difficulty, more than 15 miles of doubletrack trail for all users as well as over 25 miles of paved multiuse paths that “are an integral part of Carson City’s transportation infrastructure,” according to Berggren.
The city also manages more than 25 miles of off-highway vehicle trail and 14 miles of aquatic trail on the Carson River.
Trails can improve infrastructure, remove pedestrians and cyclists from traffic and help eliminate trespassing, Berggren said.
“Multiple studies have found no evidence that trails contribute to crime,” he said. “And I know sometimes that’s a concern that people bring up.”
Planning trails in Carson City goes as far back as 1995 with the Eagle Valley Trail Plan. The 2006 Unified Pathways Master Plan is also crucial to planning efforts.
“Carson City was one of, if not the first, community in the state of Nevada to have a formalized trail plan, and it’s been so valuable to us in providing that conceptual roadmap for our trail development in preventing loss of access to public lands,” Berggren said. “A lot of other communities now are developing their own trails plans. They recognize the value in that.”
Federal sources have been significant for funding, Berggren explained, including from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act. Volunteers, like nonprofit Muscle Powered, build and maintain many of the trails in the city.
“I think Carson City has been successful in obtaining funding because we can demonstrate we have a volunteer network to maintain trails after they’re built,” Berggren said.
The Capital to Tahoe Trail, which connects the city’s network to the Tahoe Rim Trail and was completed in 2023, is a case study in community partnerships, Berggren said. Muscle Powered, Visit Carson City and state and federal partners as well as private landowners contributed to the project, which has drawn national attention.
“Bottom line, it takes a community to build trails, and trails to build community,” Berggren said.
Berggren did touch on e-bikes for the benefit of commissioners. Under state law, an e-bike can have a motor that does not produce more than 750 watts, he said. Nevada recognizes three classes of e-bike: motor-assisted (when pedaling) under 20 mph, motor-powered under 20 mph and motor-assisted under 28 mph.
“Where may e-bikes be ridden? So, Nevada law generally allows e-bikes to be ridden in places where bicycles are allowed,” Berggren said. “There are some exceptions. Federal law may override state law, and generally e-bikes are not allowed on trails that cross federal lands, but in many cases, the federal landowners are starting to approve trails for class 1 e-bikes.”
Berggren maintained technology and marketing are ahead of local regulations. Some vehicles sold as e-bikes look more like motorcycles, have up to 3,000 watts of power and can go over 40 mph.
“We need to kind of figure out how we want to manage them,” Berggren said.
OSAC member Keith Shaffer wondered if an e-bike ordinance would create an enforcement issue.
“E-bikes are here to stay, and I’m not advocating at all for not allowing them,” said Berggren. “I’m just saying that they probably need to be managed in some locations, and I think that anything we do would need to be a result of a lot of community input.”
Commenting at the end of the presentation, Supervisor Lisa Schuette, who sits on the Parks and Recreation Commission, said the city’s trail variety reflects collaboration at its best. She said what the city has been able to accomplish with trails is phenomenal.
For information, go to carson.org/government/departments-g-z/parks-recreation-open-space/parks-and-places/trails.