During these challenging times, everyone can use some good news, which is why the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition would like to announce its 2021 Bicycle Achievement Awards. Each year, the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition honors those that have made significant advancements in promoting safer bicycling and walking opportunities for the Lake Tahoe-Truckee area. Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition received 13 nominations for the 2021 awards and is pleased to announce the following Bike Achievement Awardees:

• Public Agency: Contributors to Phases 1b and 2 of the South Tahoe Greenway

Earlier this month, two new phases of the South Tahoe Greenway Trail opened in South Lake Tahoe, filling in critically important bike path connections over Trout Creek and through Bijou Meadow. The new trail now links the Sierra Tract neighborhood, Lake Tahoe Community College, and the Pioneer Village and Bijou Park neighborhoods with 1.5 miles of fully accessible paved trail and boardwalk.

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Constructing the trail required unprecedented collaboration among local, regional, and state public agencies. Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition would like to recognize all of the agencies involved. Here are the agencies that contributed to this historic trail:

• Lake Tahoe Community College

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• El Dorado County

• City of South Lake Tahoe

• California Tahoe Conservancy

• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

• South Tahoe Public Utility District

• Caltrans

Business: Sierra Ski and Cycle Works

For over 40 years Sierra Ski and Cycle Works has catered to the cycling needs of Lake Tahoe’s visitors and residents alike. The shop’s owner, Gary Bell, and his staff are as well as known for their generosity and patience as they are for their knowledge and ability to fix up a well-loved bike – all of which has made the shop a community institution for local cyclists on two wheels, year-round.

Individual: Kira Smith

Working behind the scenes to organize the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Challenge, update the Basin’s Active Transportation Plan, and coordinate the Pathway Partnership, Kira Smith is one of the Basin’s most impactful bicycle transportation planners. Kira’s dedication and deep knowledge of the Basin’s bicycle and pedestrian needs, combined with her role as a senior transportation planner at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, has resulted in true benefits for people biking the Basin’s bicycle network.

Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition would like to recognize all of the nominations it received for the 2021 awards as many organizations, businesses, and individuals deserve credit for making Lake Tahoe more bicycle friendly:

• Individual: Bill Champion, Chris McNamara, Brooks McMullin, Gary Bell

• Organization: Tahoe Fund, El Dorado County, Town of Truckee

About Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition

The Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization with a mission to make Tahoe more bicycle friendly. Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition promotes opportunities for more people to ride bikes in Tahoe, produces the most comprehensive printed and online bicycle maps for the Tahoe region, co-hosts the annual Lake Tahoe Bicycle Challenge each June, and advocates for bicycle safety. Learn more at tahoebike.org.