A Ciclovia Comes To Nevada

Henderson is definitely hunting for that League of American Bicyclists bicycle-friendly designation with events like this -- putting on its own ciclovia on Saturday.The city of Henderson is staging an event what is called, "Henderson Stroll 'n Roll," from 10 am to 2 pm on Paseo Verde Parkway. The city is also having a street festival and free bicycle valet.

It's being billed as a "car-free way to bike, walk, skate and play."

It's just the latest pro-bicycle event put on by Henderson, which held its own bicycle swap meet and festival earlier this year. The city has gone out of its way to make Henderson bicycle-friendly.

I believe this is the first ciclovia in Nevada. Ciclovias have sprung up all over the world. There was one just a few months ago in Los Angeles, which was immensely successful.

When I lived in Tampa, I asked Mayor Bob Buckhorn and several city officials who run transportation and public works to simply do what the city of Henderson is doing: Close down a stretch of popular roadway to motorized vehicles (like Bayshore Blvd. in Tampa for a mile for several hours on a weekend day) and allow only human-powered transportation.

Never happened. In Tampa, the city wants people to do and pay for what many city governments provide. In contrast, the city Henderson put on a bicycle swap meet and festival earlier this year and it's putting on Saturday's ciclovia.