Clark BPAC reviews draft 20‑year transportation plan, staff cite 121 miles of bicycle gaps and 400,000 feet of missing sidewalk

Clark County staff presented draft findings from the county's 20‑year transportation capital facilities plan to the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee on May 26, saying the active‑transportation network requires significant investment and asking the committee for feedback on evaluation criteria before a June recommendation to county council.

Why it matters: Harrison, the county staff lead on the CFP update, told BPAC the preliminary needs analysis identified about 121 miles of roadway that would require bicycle facility improvements under the county's proposed multimodal standards and over 400,000 linear feet of missing sidewalk. Staff provided a working unit cost for sidewalk of about $311 per linear foot and said estimates are preliminary and will be refined as project specifics and storm‑water constraints are evaluated.

Harrison said the county is building a prioritized project list for the CFP (staff estimated roughly 160–200 projects overall) and a new evaluation framework that scores projects against comprehensive‑plan goals, including equity, safety, and network connectivity. "We're trying to develop something to serve as an anchor to help with discussions moving forward," Harrison said, adding the county will return in June with a draft prioritized list and in July to discuss funding with council.

Committee members pressed staff on design and cost assumptions. BPAC member John Vanderberg urged the county to evaluate alternative lane layouts and more durable physical separation — noting plastic vertical delineators have been knocked over — and suggested concrete curb protection could be more effective though potentially more costly to install. Harrison replied that the unit costs used for planning assume "ideal conditions" and that additional pavement, storm‑water, and right‑of‑way needs will add to project costs; he agreed to follow up with more detailed pricing, including concrete‑curb options.

Jay Glassman asked whether waivers to proposed multimodal level‑of‑service (MMLOS) standards would be publicly reported; staff said MMLOS remains a proposed policy, acknowledged the importance of transparency, and recommended developing a reporting/data approach outside the meeting.

On prioritization, staff clarified the CFP evaluation criteria are for the 20‑year plan rather than the six‑year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), but said the intent is to create a link so CFP high‑priority projects can be considered first in future TIP updates. Chair David Zilly and other members discussed seeking set‑aside funds for active‑transportation projects; staff noted the county currently holds about $450,000 annually earmarked for sidewalks and said the new CFP framework could support broader, more strategic set‑asides.

What happens next: Staff will finish the needs analysis for the council‑approved preferred alternative, finalize the CFP project list and unit costs, and return to BPAC on June 24 to request a formal recommendation on the active‑transportation network and evaluation criteria. The county plans to present funding discussions to council on July 15 and anticipates submitting the plan for the state 60‑day review period in late July.

Authorities referenced in the presentation included the county's pedestrian crossing treatment policy (staff cited a 2022 policy) and state/federal funding programs that staff and RTC are pursuing for specific projects.