LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — North Las Vegas Councilman Scott Black watches the city grow with every twist and turn from his bicycle, but neighbors will soon be following him on the newest bike trail—as he eyes the campaign trail.
Following a $58.4 million grant, the City of North Las Vegas unveiled a series of projects in the works: a 14-acre children’s science and nature park, a 20-acre expansion of Craig Ranch Regional Park, and a 1.5-mile trail extension along the 215 Beltway. The overall 6-mile route expansion is a project Black has pursued for nearly a decade.
“Unfortunately, it dead ends at North Las Vegas,” he said. “When I joined the Council in 2017, I said, ‘We’re going to change that.’”
Phase 1 and phase 2 of the Northern Beltway expansion are expected to link commuters and leisure cyclists to the broader parts of the community, according to Black.
“It will allow people to ride their bike for recreation, for exercise, but also to get to shops, or a lot of shopping at Decatur and 215,” he said. “It’ll connect students to school. They can ride their bike to school more safely. So really an asset to our community.”
Biking has been a passion for Black since he was a boy. An interest in tinkering with gears carries some similarity to his father’s work as a City of Las Vegas mechanic. His expertise turning into a tour at the age of 14 during his 4-day ride from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas.
“We went as a group up to Salt Lake City in a bus and rode our bikes down Highway 89 more of the scenic route,” he said. “I did it again in 2005 as an adult leader for that same group. So that’s really when I think I fell in love with cycling.”
Black has seen his home of North Las Vegas change rapidly with expansive growth. The new neighbors are met with plans for new homes like at Tule Springs—where the new bike trail seamlessly weaves in and out of the new neighborhood.
“Right now, we’re at just shy of 290,000 residents,” Black said. “We’re the third largest city in Nevada, next to Las Vegas and Henderson. But we have villages of Tule Springs right here has four villages.”
The growth in industrial areas, like Apex, has been matched with city utilities and amenities, according to Black who also sits on the Water Authority Board.
“We voted on three or four agenda items to the tune of $225 million in construction contracts to build the garnet Valley Water System and return sewer system. So all the water that’s used out of Apex can be treated and sent back to Lake Mead for return flow credit,” he said.
The support and planning from the city face a challenge, as most cities face a harder economic year of projected growth. Black said he is confident in the city’s financial approach.
“We have a balanced budget,” he said. “We didn’t make cuts. We’re being cautious. We’re being conservative. But North Las Vegas is in a great place because of all the hard work that’s been done over the last decade.”
By the end of the 12-mile ride, Black fielded questions about his own ambitions for city hall as his third term bid appeared in the works. He told 8 News Now he plans to run for mayor of North Las Vegas in 2026 but said he would be open to talking about the campaign trail once he was off the bike trail.
“I have one more term to go,” he said. “And I’m hopeful that I will be on the city council for one more term to keep the momentum going, because we have a lot of great things going on in our city that I’m proud of, that I want to stay a part of.”
