Carson City officials and organizers held a public meeting Wednesday to discuss details and address any concerns about the upcoming Epic Rides bike race.
Last year’s event, the inaugural race, created access and parking problems for some downtown businesses and churches near the course.
“We realized there were some things we could do better,” said Patrick Pittenger, Carson City transportation manager, at the meeting held at First Presbyterian Church and attended by about a dozen members of the public and a dozen city and event employees.
The main change has been to the short Criterium Course run through downtown.
“We’ve shrunken the footprint. There is less of an area impacted,” said Pittenger.
The .9-mile course, which is ridden by the professional riders late Friday and by kids on Sunday morning, starts in front of the statehouse, turns up 2nd Street, continues north on Nevada Street to Telegraph Street, right on Elizabeth Street, right on Robinson Street and south on Nevada Street, where the cyclists will be riding in both directions.
Nick Marano, city manager, said at the meeting the city would post “church only” parking signs early Sunday morning in the parking lot it shares with the Presbyterian church at Nevada and Proctor streets, which can be accessed from Proctor Street during the event.
Churchgoers to the First United Methodist Church will be able to access the parking lot across from the church on Musser Street and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church attendees can use street parking behind and south of the church.
Joel Dunn, executive director, Carson City Visitors Bureau, promised to provide fliers and a large poster board for the downtown farmers market to inform people who shop there how to get to the market the Saturday of the event.
Mountain Street won’t be used and riders will only cross it at Robinson Street on the last leg of the races.
Carson City Off-Road consists of three courses — 15, 35 and 50 miles each — to be run by amateur riders on Saturday and by professional cyclists on Sunday.
So far, 878 riders have signed up for the event, said Kurt Meyer, event manager.
Those courses have changed this year, too, due to the wet winter and damage to some trails.
The 15-mile course starts at the Capitol, goes up Kings Canyon Road to trails leading to Winnie Lane and back down Ash Canyon Road to Ormsby Boulevard to Richmond Avenue to Robinson Street, where riders will cross Mountain Street, and back downtown.
The two longer courses will ride the same course but continue on the return downtown to Curry Street to ride up C Hill. The 35-mile course does two laps while the 50-mile course is three laps.
Carson Street from Proctor to 5th streets will be closed from 5 a.m. June 16 to 5 p.m. June 18.
On that stretch will be a bike and gear expo, registration tent, a main stage for entertainment and the Four Peaks beer garden.
The event starts at noon June 16. An event guide with schedule and other information can be found online at epicrides.com/events/carson-city-off-road/event-guide.
