Category: News

was “Uncategorized”. All blog posts should have this category

ADOT 5-Year Program available online for review and comment

With limited funding and a need to identify the state’s top transportation priorities, the Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking public input on the Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program, a work plan outlining highway, transit and aeronautic projects from 2012 to 2016.
Transportation is funded by ALL OF US, so let our voice be heard!

Visit www.azdot.gov/Headlines/index_031111.asp to review and comment on the Tentative Program, along with information about how to read the program document, and a special video message from ADOT Director John Halikowski.
ADOT needs your voice, Arizona, and thanks you for participating. Please provide your comments by June 3.
Three public hearings also are scheduled to help community members comment before the program is finalized:

9 a.m., Friday, March 18 in Sahuarita
Town of Sahuarita Council Chambers
375 W. Sahuarita Center Way
Sahuarita, Ariz. 85629

9 a.m., Friday, April 15 in Phoenix
Arizona Department of Transportation Auditorium
206 S. 17th Avenue
Phoenix, Ariz. 85007

9 a.m., Friday, May 20 in Flagstaff
City of Flagstaff Council Chambers
211 W. Aspen Ave.
Flagstaff, Ariz. 86001

The State Transportation Board will consider all public comments before adopting the final Five-Year Program, which is expected to occur as part of its June 17 meeting. Transportation affects all of us. Don’t miss these opportunities to share your views

Sedona Fat Tire Festival: April 23, 24

Hosted by the Verde Valley Cyclist’s Coalition. There are many types of bicycling to be experienced here, one of the most beautiful places in the country.
This grassroots event is focused on Mountain Biking. Many trails are found just off the city streets. The trail system here is world class, deserving care and thoughtful development, as many long time residents and many visitors experience daily. This is an event for the community to say in celebration that Mountain Biking belongs here. You need at least three days to get an idea of what Sedona offers in riding. Meet local and visiting riders to learn about bikes, places to ride, and the many types of riding opportunities found here. Meet the local riding club and riders who are passionate about what we do here. Chat with the US Forest Service about the future of MTB riding locally…. get all the details…

ADOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program is now Active Transportation

[update: as of 2021, azbikeped.org is now activetransportation.az.gov ]

Be sure to check out the web pages of the ADOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, azbikeped.org . It contains an extensive array of information about bicycling (and walking, of course) in Arizona. Laws, tips, touring, maps, educational materials for young and old — it’s all there. Bicyclist advocates can find load of info in the Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan section including grant information, implementation plans.

[ update: As of 2021, Bicycling Street Smarts is now longer available from the ADOT website, but can be viewed in its entirety via this link at archive.org ] Special mention should be made of the pamphlet Arizona Bicycling Street Smarts — which explains both the laws and how to ride. It is in such great demand that supplies of the printed version, sometimes available at bikes shops, and libraries, etc. can be hard to find, but is always available on the website in its entirety.

 

Operation Lifesaver – The Rail Industry Public Safety Program

We strive for safety while cycling, but there is another area of safety that is important to the general public in general and cyclists in particular. That is safety in and around trains. I have been including a portion of the Operation Lifesaver program into each of the Traffic Skills 101 classes for a few years now. I am also a member of the Board of the AZ organization.

AZOL is conducting a presenter class on Tuesday, March 8 in downtown Phoenix. I hope you will consider enrolling. The class is from 7:30AM to 5PM at the AZ Corporation Commission offices, 220 N Central Ave. After the class, your commitment will be four presentations per year, the first of which is a proof your learning. There are a few other benefits as well. Please send me an email and I will get you connected.

Gene

Hit and Run alert: Silver Kia w/missing mirror

Be on the lookout for a Silver Kia, probably with a missing mirror. From the video the mirror that is missing appears to be the driver’s-side. The vehicle was involved in a collision with a cyclist in Central Phoenix near 29th Place and Oak Street. The collision occurred Friday (i think, the report is short on details).

News report from ABC15.

The Phoenix Police response, according to the story, seems lackluster and inappropriate. The Coalition will continue to monitor this situation and will be in touch with the department as soon as possible.

Important City of Phx meeting tomorrow (Thursday)

Please attend an important meeting this week to show your support for an important bicycle/pedestrian overpass which is on the chopping block. A plan to build a bridge over 19th Avenue, just south of Greenway Road is in jeopardy. The City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department is scheduled to present options for the proposed 19th Avenue Bikeway/Pedestrian Bridge and Multiuse Path project at 10:00 AM Thursday January 6, 2011, to the Transportation, Sustainability, and Infrastructure (TS&I) Subcommittee for their consideration and possible action. This public hearing will be held in the Assembly Rooms in City Hall., 200 W. Washington Street. There is a potential of a change in meeting location, please check the here for additional information on this item and potential changes in location. (scroll down and click on 1/6/2011, 10:00 AM “TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY SUBCOMMITTEE”).

The Cave Creek Wash Trail (CCWT) currently runs from Union Hills Drive, south for 7 miles. At its south end at Dunlap Avenue, the CCWT meets the Arizona Canal multi-use path, in the Metrocenter area. The Arizona Canal path which is part of the nearly 70 mile Sun Circle Trail, established in the 1960’s, should probably be considered the crown jewel among the area’s multi-use trails. With it’s miles of paved surface and dozens of underpasses beneath busy roads, the Arizona Canal path is one of the most popular trails in the area. The CCWT also intersects the Greenway Parkway multi-use path. The Greenway Parkway trail provides a connection to the Phoenix Sonoran Bikeway’s 50 miles which run from South Mountain Park to the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve just south of Carefree Highway. At the north end of the CCWT, Union Hills Drive features 6 miles of designated bike lane to the west, all the way to the Arrowhead area, and 6 miles to the east, to Tatum Boulevard.

Unfortunately, today, the Cave Creek Wash Trail is not continuous. Even though it sits at a crux in the middle of the Metropolitian Phoenix area, two gaps, totaling a mere few thousand feet, stand in the way of connecting literally hundreds of miles of bike paths and bike lanes into a functional network. The CCWT provides access to the Rose Mofford Sports Complex but not for the thousands who live north of Greeway Road. Without completing the CCWT, the substantial investment we have made in our Multi-modal transportation network falls well short of its potential. Anyone who doesn’t see the critical importance of this bridge simply isn’t looking at the big picture.

here is some previous info: blog.cazbike.org/2010/11/19th-av-greenway-multi-use-bridge.html about the project.

Mesa Mayor and Police Chief join forces to promote bike safety

The City of Mesa is a League of American Bicyclist “Bike Friendly Community.” While bicycling in Mesa is generally safe we can always do a better job educating motorist and bicyclists about traveling safely. Mayor Scott Smith and Police Chief Frank Milstead are putting City of Mesa resources into action to make streets as safe as possible for bicyclists. The timing is just right with the weather cooling down, days getting shorter and lots of new bikes on the road after the holidays.
“The City of Mesa is committed to making streets safe for bicyclists. This is a matter of life and death,” Mayor Smith said. “We will use whatever resources we have at our disposal to educate both motorists and bicyclists about how to safely share the road.”
The City of Mesa, several local Mesa bike shops, the Not One More Foundation and Mesa Brumbys cycling club are a part of the new campaign called MesaRides!
“The Mesa Police Department recently developed a training bulletin on State bicycle laws to keep our officers up-to-date on what is required of both motorists and bicyclists,” Chief Milstead said. “The bulletin included special focus on the three foot rule, which states that motorists must maintain a three foot separation from bicyclists while passing. This is law and our officers are trained to enforce it.”
MesaRides! is a multi-pronged education campaign that includes:

        Multiple Public Service Announcements running on Mesa Channel 11 and YouTube about the three foot rule and cycling safety equipment Articles in City newsletters including OpenLine, which goes out to 155,000 Mesa residents and 10,000 businesses Partnerships with local bike shops and non-profits to distribute safety information Participation in community events including City Hall at the Mall, Building Strong Neighborhoods and City Council Pancake Breakfast Growing Mesa’s Bike4Life and Bike2Work community bike events during Valley Bike Month in April

To emphasize the importance of bike safety, accident victim Dara Schulenberg shared her heroic story of being hit by a car while riding and how she overcame the physical, emotional and financial impacts of her recovery. Her experience led to her co-founding the Not One More Foundation with her friend and founder of the Mesa Brumbys Sterling Baer. The goal of Not One More is to have not one more cyclist killed or injured on Arizona roads.
“I was hit while riding midday less than five miles from my home in East Mesa,” Schulenberg said. “My inexpensive cycling helmet proved to be my life-saver, along with the amazing care of the City of Mesa Fire Department medics of Station 214.”
MesaRides! is a grassroots effort using existing resources and building community partnerships across the City. The safety of bicyclists is a City of Mesa priority and part of a successful, safe and livable community. For more information about cycling in Mesa visit http://www.notonemorecyclist.com , http://www.azbrumbys.com/index.php and http://mesaaz.gov/Transportation. Current State bicycle laws can be viewed at http://azbikelaw.org/excerpts.html

Office of the Mayor

For Immediate Release: November 29, 2010
Contact: Melissa Randazzo
Public Information and Communications Specialist
480.644.3219

melissa.randazzo@mesaaz.gov