Cycling is a great option for your daily commute if you are seeking to reduce stress, improve your health, support travel reduction and clean air, or just enjoy the ride. In addition to helping to reduce congestion, choosing to commute via bicycle is another way to avoid vehicle idling as well.
One drawback to people when considering cycling, though, is riding on busy roadways to get to the office. In planning a safe ride, it is helpful to choose a route that uses available bike infrastructure and amenities to ease your bike commute.
To support multimodal transportation options, the 2006 voter-approved Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) plan included bike amenities funded by the RTA’s half-cent sales tax to help cyclists traverse the greater Tucson region efficiently and safely.
One such amenity is the bike boulevard developed by the City of Tucson. The bike boulevards wind through residential areas in proximity to arterial streets to provide pedestrians and cyclists a safer mobility option.
“Bike boulevards are meant to be alternate parallel routes where it’s less stress, less volume, and more comfort for both pedestrians and bicyclists to utilize,” said Pima Association of Governments Director of Transportation Services Rick Ellis. “It’s brilliant.”
In addition to bike boulevards, the RTA plan funded mobility improvements for cyclists including nearly 400 miles of new bike lanes, improvements to the Loop and other safety improvements to high traffic corridors throughout Pima County.
The RTA also funds transit service enhancements that allow for extended service hours, enhanced service frequency, additional routes, and options for the elderly and people with disabilities. The 20-year plan, which expires in mid-2026, also has improved mobility for pedestrians by funding miles of new sidewalks, pathways, and accessibility features.