Southern Nevada Health District, City of North Las Vegas, RTC collaborate to make community safer and healthier
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 6, 2017
LAS VEGAS — Last month, the City of North Las Vegas became the first municipality in Clark County to adopt a comprehensive Complete Streets Policy that includes the 10 elements recommended by the National Complete Streets Coalition, and the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) adopted its Regional Bike and Pedestrian Plan. These accomplishments are part of an ongoing partnership with the Southern Nevada Health District to make Southern Nevada streets and roads more walkable, bike friendly and interconnected, and safer.
The City of North Las Vegas adopted its Complete Streets policy at its Wednesday, May 17 City Council meeting and the RTC adopted its Regional Bike and Pedestrian Plan at its Thursday, May 18 board meeting. Both policies meet public health goals to create opportunities to increase physical activity and active transportation. Communities that are pedestrian- and bike-friendly make it easier for people to walk or bike to work, school, and other destinations.
“We are very excited that these two partners are adopting measures to make our communities healthier and safer,” said Dr. Joe Iser, the Southern Nevada Health District Chief Health Officer. “By making our streets more walkable and bike-friendly, we are encouraging people in our community to live healthier lives and working together to reach our shared public health goals.”
Complete Streets are roadways that are designed to be safe for all users of a roadway including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and ability. For more information, visit National Complete Streets Coalition. Complete Streets improve equity, safety, and public health, while reducing transportation costs and traffic woes. Such programs meet public health goals to increase physical activity as communities create or redesign streets, transportation corridors, and public transportation systems, encouraging more active living.
The Health District’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (OCDPHP) provided assistance and funding for the City of North Las Vegas projects through its Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) grant as well as the addition of several bike lanes in three priority corridors in North Las Vegas. The National Complete Streets Coalition also provided technical assistance on the project.
The RTC’s Regional Bike and Pedestrian Plan was developed over an 18-month period that included significant efforts to engage the community and key stakeholders to identify regionally significant bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Clark County. The plan also includes recommendations to expand the bicycle network by 133 percent to 2,023 miles, and increasing from 46 percent to 73 percent the network of high-comfort bike facilities where riders of all levels feel safe and comfortable, as well as additional policies and programs to support biking and walking in Southern Nevada.
The RTC’s efforts to expand and provide safer transportation options for cyclists and pedestrians support the use of integrated systems of interconnected streets and communities to increase the use of public transit, walking, and other modes of transportation. Comprehensive infrastructure improvements have been shown to increase cycling with bike lanes and racks, bike paths and walking trails, and shared bike programs as methods to increase physical activity among residents of a community. The Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is funded in part by the Southern Nevada Health District through the PICH grant. For more information and to view the final plan, visit: www.rtcsnv.com/bikepedplan.
The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.