Future of V&T bike path looks promising

A bike path on Carson City's west side may be finished this fall, despite a threat of losing its funding.

Problems with obtaining an easement from a neighboring subdivision had threatened the project's $200,000 state grant.

The V&T bike path runs between Kings Canyon Road and Combs Canyon Road along a combination of bike lanes and bike paths.

Because the $200,000 grant is federal money, the path has to be built with a 14-foot easement. The city had half that, and recently worked out a deal with the Wellington Crescent Homeowners Association for the other half.

Parks and Recreation Director Steve Kastens said members of the homeowners' association weren't willing to grant an easement within their subdivision because it is private property. Kastens spent over a year working with the association, convincing them of the benefit of a jogging and biking path in their neighborhood.

"The path is very important in my mind," he said. "The real important factor is it will link the houses around Carson Middle School to the community college. I think enough of (the homeowners' association) understood the value of the path."

The city will create some sort of a separation barrier between the path and the subdivision, Kastens said.

However, Kastens said he is working on getting one more 10-foot easement from a nearby property owner for the project to go forward.

The city has $50,000 set aside for the path. Anxious city leaders recently recommended putting the money towards another project if the path didn't move forward.

If Kastens is successful gaining the final easement, the design on the path could be finished in August and construction could be finished this fall.

The V&T bike path project from Kings Canyon Road to Combs Canyon Road follows the following route:

-- Through the Highlands Subdivision from Kings Canyon to Washington Street.

-- The path will travel north from there on Longview Drive to Ash Canyon as a bike lane

-- From Ash Canyon the route will follow as closely as possible the old V&T railroad grade along the eastern edge of Wellington Crescent.

-- From there the path will go behind WNCC as bike lanes on Murphy Drive to Combs Canyon Road.