How can Arizona get one of these?
I mean, maybe without the canal, but still.
Wouldn’t it be cool to have a several-hundred-mile bike highway, away from traffic, through the desert and connecting, say, Tucson, Globe, Phoenix, Prescott, and Flagstaff? Or along the White Mountains from Payson into New Mexico?
There is an awful lot of state and federal land that could be used to accommodate such a path.
Quebec, let’s remember has 2,500 miles of bike-only highway.
October 1st, 2008 at 6:41 pm
I hope bicyclists (in general) would prefer not to have any more land torn-up for the construction of roadways, even if these paths are built exclusively for bikes.
More is accomplished at less environmental cost by designating existing highways for bicycle/man-powered vehicle use only, vs. destroying more precious land to accommodate the selfish human need for transportation.
October 1st, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Yeah but Tony, that just ain’t gonna happen if you are talking about existing paved roads and highways. But there are thousands of miles of existing minor roads on public lands in Arizona. It seems like some tiny portion of those could be maintained for bicycle-only use with a minimum of construction to connect them and make them useful.
It would be cool if somebody has the time and inclination to put together a map of such roads and make it a bill we could submit to the legislature. Anyone???
EBR
October 1st, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I would love to discuss such a project. Who knows what might happen, anyway there is no reason not to at least try.
This project would probably require a bike tour of the greater AZ area, as well as parts of other states (maybe).
If only there were willing sponsor… I bet i could be done super cheap
I am always free.
(520) 624-5663
October 1st, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I would love to discuss such a project. Who knows what might happen, anyway there is no reason not to at least try.
This project would probably require a bike tour of the greater AZ area, as well as parts of other states (maybe).
If only there were willing sponsor… I bet it could be done super cheap
I am always free.
(520) 624-5663
October 1st, 2008 at 8:29 pm
For mountain bikers this more or less already exists:
The Arizona Trail.
OK, not exactly what you’re thinking. And as I found when I “rode” the trail, you end up hiking your bike quite a bit. The AZT is more a hiking trail than a bike trail.
Pima and Pinal counties have been planning on using the CAP canal as a bikeway for some years. I haven’t checked on progress lately, but it’ll be quite long, flat, and perfect for cycling.
I’m all for connecting backcountry roads into a bike network across the state. I’m happy to help with the mapping end of things.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I think we need a plan. Gazing at the rural map won’t cut it. Hook up with local cycling groups (Bisbee, SV, Maricopaland, Prescott, Flagstaff, anyone out there in Graham County(?), etc) and enlist…start local.
I would like a ride across Arizona or up Arizona or down Arizona. Something like RAGBRAI and with a truly competitive component built in for those so-inclined: El Tour de Arizona? It’s a touri$t/media splash/participant no-brainer especially for the small towns. It can be accomplished, though politically difficult.
Here’s RAGBRAI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAGBRAI
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:21 pm
After thinking through my initial enthusiasm, I have come back to my senses; a project like this is a waste of resources. Arizona already has roads, LOTS of roads, that would work perfectly for bike-only use.
The state of AZ would benefit more by banning motor-vehicle traffic on highways, then it would from improving roads that already function well-enough (maybe not well enough for the rice-cake-eating speed-demons, but well enough for the average nature-loving trail-riders).
As a cyclist, I would be pleased to see bike-only paths made of this states car-only roadways, not only because bike paths will wear much longer (require less maintenance) then motor-vehicle driven roads (look at fourth ave. for an example of how cars trash roads), but also (and mainly) for this reason: cars are going to be obsolete whenever people decide they are! I say treat them as obsolete now, because we (the people) really have no time to waste.
I also realized that the last motor-vehicles to run out of gas will be state owned, driven mostly by L.E.O.’s. I would hate to be out riding on a trail, to have the silence disturbed by the obnoxious whine of a cop driven motor-cycle. The police in AZ have state permission to break the law in order to enforce it (as I have been witness to more times then I can remember), and so the people of this state are safe in assuming that if we fix-up a network of bike only paths, the law enforcement officers will drive their motor-vehicles on these paths (like they do at the U of A, and the aviation path as I have often seen), causing greater noise, dust, erosion, etc. then bicyclists, and the officers responsible will not be held liable for these damages (because the damage occurs as a result of the performance of duty… blah, blah, blah…).
State of AZ law needs to be changed so that police officers can no longer get away with breaking the law (or in other words, no exceptions are made when a police officers knowingly or voluntarily breaks the law, even in the performance of duty), and roads need to be closed off from motor-vehicle traffic.
This way, the people of this state will have a safe and sturdy network of roads already 90% ready for bike only traffic, and there will be the added guarantee that bicyclists will not have to compete with ANY cars while they pedal around this beautiful state.
I might sound too radical for most of you ‘practical’ people, but the people of this state really need to step-up and do stuff like this before the whole state ends up a waste-land like Phoenix.
October 5th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Why not adjacent to the CAP canal?
We have hundreds of miles of rideable canal paths in Phoenix. Surely something similar could be done for the CAP.
October 17th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Why not combine new rail lines with bicycle paths off to the side?
I rode Pheonix to Tucson Getting to Eloy is a nightmare.
Then after I 10 has a frontage road you could easiyly put a bike path along this stretch. They recently laid the pipeline down this stretch. How about a Bike path next to I17? This is another nightmare ride.
I would go for wide bike shoulders first.
May 19th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
I am moving to Tucson in August at the latest to go to UA Optical Sciences. I am an avid cyclist and ride to work everyday. We are looking at houses on the west side of I-10, do any of you natives have a clue where the best place to cross I-10 is, especially with the amazing amount of construction?
May 20th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Probably the best place is in Nogales, Son., but otherwise Congress and St. Marys are not really _that_ bad . . . . Speedway involves going under the freeway and the railroad tracks, and using that crossing will likely reduce your life-expectancy significantly. That said, lots of people do it.
My understanding is that the Congress underpass is supposed to be quite bike friendly when they get it done in 2098.
EBR
May 20th, 2009 at 9:03 am
It is interesting, because Tucson is supposedly more bike friendly than Albuquerque, and it seems that they do have a lot more paths painted on the streets, but they have fewer MUPs and no freeway crossings. Here in ABQ, we have many Ped/Bike bridges over the freeway. It is strange that Tucson doesn’t even have one (as far as I can tell), especially since there is that nice river MUP that pretty much goes parallel to I-10, you would think there would be at least one bike crossing. I actually think I found where one used to be, at I-10 and 18th St. there appears to be a ped/bike only underpass, but it is blocked by the construction, which as you say will be finished sometime in my 80s, which is moot since I probably won’t be living in Tucson anymore