73°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

Cycling allowed on most state roads

Updated December 16, 2020 - 4:42 pm

Despite the high speed limit set on many state roads, cycling is allowed on the majority of them under Nevada law.

This includes the stretch of U.S. Highway 95 near Searchlight where five cyclists were killed Dec. 10. The speed limit there is up to 75 mph, according to Tony Illia, Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman.

“(State) law calls for providing three feet of space for cyclists and/or moving over one lane on multi-lane roads,” Illia said in an email.

There are only a handful of state roads in Nevada that bicycles are not allowed on.

The restricted roads in Southern Nevada are:

■ Interstate 15 between Jean to the south and Lamb Boulevard to the north.

■ U.S. 95 between Wagonwheel Drive in Henderson and Kyle Canyon Road in the northwest.

■ 215 Beltway on its entire route.

Before Dec. 10’s multiple fatal crash, cyclist deaths in Clark County were down 50 percent year-over-year through November with three fatal incidents, state data showed. That is despite fatal crashes overall in the county being up 7 percent through the first 11 months of 2020.

Ride with the flow

Cyclists are allowed to travel on roadways with motor vehicles, but should use bike lanes or shoulders whenever possible. Those riding bikes with traffic are required to travel with the flow of traffic, not against it.

Although not engineered for bicycle travel, road shoulders that are 4 feet or more in width can provide added safety for bicyclists while allowing for vehicle traffic flow, NDOT’s Cycling Factbook says. When a bicyclist must share a mixed travel lane with vehicles, the bicyclist needs to ride as far to the right as is practicable within the travel lanes, unless making a turn or going at a comparable rate of speed.

All roadway users should use every opportunity to share the road with others, the factbook reads.

“Whether it’s a state road or a regular ol’ road, the law is very clear that obligation is on the motorist to give wide berth to the cyclist,” said avid cyclist and Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones.

If five or more vehicles are lined up behind a cyclist, he or she is required to move to the side of the road when it’s safe to allow those vehicles to pass.

Cyclists are not required to wear a helmet while riding, although state officials highly recommend the use of them to potentially prevent a serious or fatal injury in the event of a crash.

Motor vehicles are not allowed to travel in bike lanes except under special circumstances, including avoiding a conflict with traffic, an emergency, under the order of a law enforcement officer and entering an alley or driveway, according state law.

State law also requires cyclists to have a white headlight, a red rear reflector and reflectors on each side of a bike for night riding. Having a rear tail light does not exclude a rider from also having a rear red reflector.

State law does not prohibit cyclists from riding on sidewalks, but riders are encouraged to check with the local jurisdiction’s regulations.

Close calls

Jones often rides on state Routes 159 and 160, popular rides for area enthusiasts that includes Red Rock Canyon, where he’s had near-misses with vehicles.

“I have had my close calls but I’ve been fortunate not to have been in a serious incident,” Jones said.

The Dec. 10. fatal crash, he said, “gives me pause on whether I’ll be back there on my bike right now, because it’s just too close to home.”

Jones believes many in the cycling community could be having second thoughts about road riding.

“One of my good friends is bike lead for Life Time (Fitness) and he told me this morning he’s maybe selling his road bike and sticking to mountains,” Jones said. “He’s just too concerned. He had been hit by a motorist a year or so ago. I do think it’s going to have an effect. It will give a lot of us a pause before we’re confident on getting out there on the road again.”

Contact Mick Akers at makers@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.

MOST READ
LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
THE LATEST
Toll Brothers gets split decision

The development of the area near Boulder Creek Golf Course known as Tract 350 (the sale of which is slated to pay for the majority of the planned replacement for the aging municipal pool) may have hit a snag last week as the planning commission voted 5-1 to deny the developers’ request to build houses closer to the street than is allowed under current law.

Council gives nod to 185 new hangars

There is at least one part of Boulder City that is set to see growth in the coming years. A lot of growth.

Boulder City ready to celebrate America

Boulder City resident James Cracolici may have put it best when he called the annual July 4 Damboree, “The crown jewel of all events held in Boulder City.”

BC can ban backyard breeders

Although there is nothing on any city agenda yet, the resolution of the issue of whether pet breeding will be allowed in Boulder City took a huge step forward last week as Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford released an official opinion on the intent and limitations of state law that had been requested by city staff last year.

Completion dates for two road projects pushed back

Mayor Joe Hardy tacitly acknowledged that Boulder City gets, perhaps, more than its fair share of funding from the Regional Transportation Commission, given the city’s size.

Businesses recognized at Chamber awards night

The Boulder City Chamber of Commerce’s annual installation and awards night featured many business owners in town and even had an appearance, albeit an A.I.-generated one, by Audrey Hepburn.

Parallel parking approved

Like so many other things in the world of Boulder City government, the issue of reconfiguring parking in the historic downtown area along Nevada Way, which generated enough heat to cause council members to delay a decision up until the last possible moment, ended with more of a whimper than a bang.

Ways to reduce summer power bills

Now that the thermometer is on the rise outdoors, the cost to cool homes and businesses on the inside is doing the same.