| What is a "Bikeway?" |
| "Bikeway" is defined in highway administration manuals as "a generic term for any road, street, path, or way that in some manner is specifically designated for bicycle travel, regardless of whether such facilities are designated for the exclusive use of bicycles or are to be shared with other transportation modes. " |
| When will I be able to ride the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway? |
The Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway presently includes three open sections of bike trail:
Tahoe City to Truckee, which is partly paved trail and partly bike lane
Within Reno and Sparks, which is a combination of street and paved trail
The Pyramid Lake Reservation from Wadsworth to Pyramid Lake (mostly dirt and very remote--see Pyramid Reservation section for more details)
The remaining portions of the route, from Verdi to Truckee and from Sparks to Wadsworth, will take several years to develop, and progress will be posted on this website. Please do not ride on sections of the trail not yet open to the public because this could jeopardize our ability to acquire easements. |
| How difficult will the trail be and what kind of bike will be appropriate? |
| The Tahoe-Truckee and Verdi-Sparks portions of the trail are quite level and suitable for road bikes, but include many sections of on-street bike lanes. The rural sections (between Truckee and Verdi; also downstream from Sparks) will be dirt surfaces suitable for fat tire bikes, and will vary in difficulty. |
| How did this project get started? |
| Bikeway founder, Janet Phillips (at that time Carson), spent a year investigating the route for feasibility on the ground and then went public with the concept in November 2003. Thanks to immediate and enthusiastic support of both money and talent from many eager participants, the project was able to get off to a quick start with over 200 supporters and $30,000 in cash by year-end. In 2006 the Bikeway became a nonprofit organization. |
| Since some of the route is on private property, how do you intend to cross it? |
| It is our goal to obtain permanent easements across private property along the route. As a nonprofit organization, there are tax-deductions for donation of public easements, and there is also a "recreational use statute" in both California and Nevada which provides liability protection for private property owners who allow their land to be used for public recreation. |
| How can I buy a day use permit for the Pyramid Indian Reservation? |
| The Pyramid Lake Indian Tribe requires a day use permit for all recreational activity on their reservation, including bicycling or hiking on the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway. The cost is $6.50 per car, and the permit can be purchased at the I-80 Smokeshop in Wadsworth or the convenience store in Nixon. Be sure to ask the clerk where to put the permit, because regulations have changed recently from "on-the-dashboard" to "keep it with you". The ability to buy permits online is being developed. Check out www.plpt.nagfa.net/online
PLEASE DON'T IGNORE THE PERMIT REQUIREMENT--THESE FUNDS PAY FOR TRAIL MAINTENANCE!
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| Who is in charge of the Bikeway? |
The Bikeway was launched under the auspices of the Nevada Land Conservancy until establishing its own organization and nonprofit 501(c)3 status. The Bikeway leadership includes:
President, Janet Phillips
Vice President, Bill vonPhul
Treasurer, Terry McAfee
Board Member, Clif Usher
Board Member, Bob Rusk
In addition, an informal advisory group includes Jim Kidder, Debbie Leonard, Maddy Shipman, Craig Wesner, Sam Limerick and Chris Askin.
As each section of Bikeway is opened for public use, it is turned over to a local government entity to own and manage it.
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| How much will the Bikeway cost? Where does the money come from? |
| Our first project, the 2004-05 Mogul-Verdi Bike Link, cost $288,000 cash plus over $100,000 of donated services and was paid for by a combination of public and private money. Our second completed section, "The Rez" trail from Wadsworth to Pyramid Lake only cost about $100,000 because no paving or retaining walls were required. The eventual 116-mile trail is expected to cost $10-$20 million, although at this early stage there are many uncertainties in such an estimate.
Often it is possible to win grant funding for trail construction, but the planning and design work that is necessary before construction is not eligible. Grants also require match funds from other sources, ranging from 5% to 50%. That is why the Bikeway is continually trying to raise private donations. |
| How Can I Help? |
| This is a volunteer effort, with generous donations from supporters. We need people to do title research, signs, GPS mapping, route inspection, design, grant writing, permitting and public relations. We also need photocopying, meeting space, supplies and matching funds. Please contact us to get involved. |
