CAzBike Blog

League announces Spring 2012 BFC

2012-05-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

League Announces Spring 2012 Bicycle Friendly Communities

Cottenwood joins the ranks of BFC cities at the bronze level, and Tucson maintained Gold.

Arizona communities currently enjoying BFC status are

Gold -- Tucson/East Pima Region, Scottsdale
Silver -- Tempe, and Flagstaff
Bronze -- Chandler, Cottenwood, Gilbert, Mesa and Sedona

Read the LAB press release here.

Bike Safety Class offered in Flagstaff

2012-05-24T14:26:00.002-07:00

Bike Safety Class

Wednesday, June 6, 2012
5:30 to 6:30 pm

Flagstaff Medical Center, McGee Auditorium
1200 North Beaver Street

Be a Savvy Cyclist! Please join us during Bike to Work Week for this interactive presentation on safe, legal, and smart cycling:

.. Learn to ride safely and legally

.. Bike with confidence in any traffic situation

.. Understand basic principles of on-street cycling

.. Discover tips and tools for bicycle commuting

This class is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 928-773-2080

Jim Thompson Spins Again

2012-05-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

The following letter was submitted for publication in the Ahwatukee Foothill News,
Jim Thompson “Spins” Again

Dear Editor,

In response to Jim Thompson’s letter of May 9, I have the following to say. In bicycling circles, “spin” has to do with high RPM training…with Jim Thompson it is just the political-type “change what someone else said to suit my argument” version:

Jim, do you expect people to take seriously a viewpoint based on totally misrepresenting what someone else says and believes? I never said that “ bicyclists own the highway” and I don’t advocate that position. If you want to debate a viewpoint, at least do it honestly without misrepresenting the other party.
The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists advocates sharing the road and simply wants all road users to exercise care. Asking drivers not to use GPS, cell phones, etc., while driving (which numerous studies show is equivalent or worse than even low level DUI/drug impairment) isn’t unreasonable, in my opinion. And, enacting laws that put unsafe behavior, whether created by alcohol or inattention, at the same standard and set equivalent punishment for equivalent results makes sense to me. What part of injuring or killing someone by driving unsafely seems OK to you?
If Jim was honest about his “wonderful world”, I suspect that he would admit that many more motorists aggravate him than bicyclists. I both drive and ride, and I don’t have selective memory. I notice violations and “failure to share the road” by both groups. In my “real world”, many more vehicle drivers violate laws and offend other motorists than bicyclists. The difference is that I am fact-based, while Jim just “spins” other people’s comments and exercises selective memory to create a foil for his anti-bike attitude.

When a guy like this takes a situation where three people simply exercising/training on their bikes and following the law are critically injured by an inattentive driver and tries to twist it into something it isn’t (referring to a totally different situation), it just shows us his stripes. The CAzB doesn’t defend riding three-abreast, Jim. In fact, we educate bicyclists (adults and kids), motorists, and law enforcement on AZ laws and safe cycling and driving.

If Jim did his homework (web site and/or Facebook) he would know what we stand for and advocate. He wouldn't have to mischaracterize. So, to make it easy for Jim: We advocate enforcing the laws for both drivers and bicyclists. And, we also (the main point of my commentary) advocate requiring a higher standard of care for motorists than currently exists, because a motor vehicle that weighs 2,000+ pounds combined with inattentive or impaired driving can be quite deadly to other car/truck drivers, motorcyclists (think Carefree Highway), bicyclists, pedestrians, and law enforcement officers at traffic stops (how many of those sad stories have we seen in the last ten years, Jim?). Technology allows many more distractions to be present in vehicles than ten years ago, but societal expectations and AZ laws, for the most part, have not kept up with this change.
Jim, I don’t expect to change your attitude toward bicycling as a legitimate form of transportation, athletic/exercise activity, health and wellness and good clean fun, but I’m not going to let you get away with mischaracterizing my views and that of the organization/community that we represent.

Bob Beane,
President, Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists

Bob Beane is an economics graduate of the College of Wooster and an MBA accounting graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He is also a bicycling advocate and has been a resident of Ahwatukee since 1992

Traffic Skills 101 offered in Tempe May 24 and 26

2012-05-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

T.B.A.G. is offering TS101 at Landis Cyclery at their "north" Tempe location, in two parts: May 24 evening, and May 26 moring. Visit biketempe.org for full info and to register. The cost is $20.

Traffic Skills 101 is our nation's premiere street bicycling program taught by instructors certified by the League of American Bicyclists. Learn the basics of bicycle and helmet fit. Learn state bicycle laws. Learn how to predict and prevent crashes, and how to bail out as a last resort! Learn how to operate your bicycle in a skillful and confident manner, in any traffic -- any time!

Driving is not a right...it is a privilege AND a responsibility!

2012-04-27T20:23:00.001-07:00

The following letter was published last week in the Ahwatukee Foothill News,

Dear Editor,

Recently, three competitive bicyclists training in the far East Valley were run into and critically injured by a driver who was reportedly adjusting her GPS device. As a bicycling advocate, I’m very upset by this. But, this story and situation is much larger than cycling. It’s about attitudes and behavior behind the wheel.

Three good guys, competitive athletes and family members are possibly alive today only because another group riding behind them included four medically-trained bicyclists (a doctor, EMT and a couple of dentists was the story I heard…it’s probably mostly correct). It took more than 15 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.

But, the main point I want to make is that these guys were riding single file in a bike lane and/or at the far right of the road. They were “Sharing the Road” and respecting motor vehicle drivers’ space MORE THAN required by law (riders can ride two abreast, legally).

With all the technology moving into cars and cell phones, there are a multitude of distractions for drivers that didn’t exist five or ten years ago. Yet, our expectations of drivers, as codified in our laws and as reflected in societal behaviors, have not kept pace. It is inexcusable, in my opinion, that a driver is doing ANYTHING in a car (other than having an uncontrollable medical event) that causes them to drive off the road into a bike lane or shoulder where bicyclists are riding, a couple is walking their dog (narrowly missed in this particular incident, I am told) or young children are walking.

If you are “anti-bike”, think about having your child or grandchild in the same space that these cyclists were riding. Or, think about your parents or grandparents walking there…or you being there with your pet in front of you and being run over.

Again, this is not solely a bicycling issue. However, I will remind our readers that current law specifies penalties and fines for killing a bicyclist or pedestrian which are substantially less than marginally exceeding BAC limits for alcohol, but injuring nobody. I’m not suggesting any lowering of DUI limits, and I fully support what MADD has achieved. I’m simply suggesting that pedestrians and bicyclists don’t have the same “lobbying strength”, but common sense and humanity should provide our legislature and local communities the impetus to create penalties for such behavior at a comparable or higher level…so that drivers begin to get the message. It is beyond time to send a message that driving a potentially lethal vehicle is serious business.

It is not OK to treat driving as a casual endeavor. People’s lives, health, livelihoods and quality of life are in danger of a driver’s lax attitude and inattention. Let’s get people refocused on the concept that driving involves the responsibility of keeping other road users safe, be they other drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians or pets/animals. When you drive, you do not own the road…you share it with others.

Bob Beane,
President, Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists

Bob Beane is an economics graduate of the College of Wooster and an MBA accounting graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He is also a bicycling advocate and has been a resident of Ahwatukee since 1992

Cottonwood 2012 Bike Month Proclamation

2012-04-19T16:17:00.001-07:00

Members of Cottonwood Community Development and the Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition are presented with the Cottonwood City Council's 2012 proclamation of May as Bike Month. L-R: Nikki Arbeiter (Community Development), Randy Victory, Devin Dix, Deb Smith, Jim Smith, Mayor Diane Joens & City Councilman Tim Elinski

Federal Transportation Bill Update

2012-04-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

On April 4th, the U.S. Senate approved a two-year blueprint for transportation that gives states greater spending flexibility allows the federal government to set minimum safety standards for subway systems and buys time to find a solution for a funding system teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.

This bipartisan bill was approved 17 days before current transportation funding and authority to collect the federal gas tax that support it, will expire. During the 2012 Bike Summit, our marching orders were to request a clean extension of the current bill. And, we were to ask for approval of the Petri amendment that would have maintained all transportation enhancements. Ultimately, we wanted the Senate to approve the House Bill but the Arizona senators would not see us and furthermore, we learned from insiders that that was highly unlikely to happen.

Fulfilling that prophecy, the House transportation bill did indeed stall. The newly-approved Senate bill might hold the only chance for that legislation reaches the White House before the deadline. The new law pushed through largely by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif) won broad support, passing on a vote of 74 to 22.

Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md), played a central role in protecting funding for popular bike and pedestrian programs. Joining with Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss) Cardin crafted a successful amendment that created a competitive grant program for those projects, with the winners to be selected on the city and local level.

The senate bill carves more than 60 federal transportation programs from about 90 to less than 30. The tenets of the bill that are most attractive to conservatives is that it allows for local control of federal transportation money. It also funds projects to ease congestion and allay air pollution while increasing highway safety funding, cutting red tape that can delay projects and expands a federal program that provides loans and loan guarantees to encourage private investment.

Additionally, the law creates mandates for federal safety standards for transit systems. These mandates were urged by Maryland’s other senator Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md) since the 2009 Metrorail crash in which nine people died.

The $109 billion Senate bill bridges a funding gap by raising almost $10 billion with several moves that critics have denounced as gimmicks. One would transfer $3.7 billion from a trust fund established to pay for damage caused by leaking underground storage tanks. An additional almost $2.8 billion would be raised by ending a tax credit for paper manufacturers, and hundreds of millions more are projected to roll in by pursuing delinquent taxpayers.

Sheryl Keeme

http://girlsgoneriding.blogspot.com

http://www.examiner.com/cycling-in-gilbert/sheryl-keeme

Place that Pic contest!

2012-04-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

Be the first one to correctly identify the location of this picture -- and win a 1yr membership (or extension) to the Coalition. The Maricopa Association of Governments wants to use this photo on the new MAG map, but they need to know where it is.

There's a rumor that it's on AC/DC somewhere.... but you never know!?

Submit cross streets on facebook, or leave a comment here, or email cazbike@cazbike.org

Thanks!

Great Arizona Bike Festival; April 14

2012-03-27T13:45:00.003-07:00

The Great Arizona Bicycle Festival is a celebration of all things bike.
We are celebrating the return of the El Tour de Mesa to Downtown and combining it with a host of attractions from the Downtown Historic Bicycle Tour to the Great Arizona Bike Swap and live music .... full info at azbikefest.org

Ride of Silence; May 16, 2012

2012-03-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

It is not too early to put this on your calendar ---

The Santa Cruz Valley Area RIDE OF SILENCE will be held, along with 300+ other US locations, on Wednesday, May 16.

View all Arizona events on the national Ride of Silence web site

Flyer for this year's SC Valley ride .. http://scvbac.org/ros%202012/ros.2012.flyer.pdf

Santa Cruz Bicycle Advocate Committee

Crusin' with the Councilmen; Sat April 7

2012-03-23T15:18:00.001-07:00

crusin' with the Councilmen; Sat April 7, 2012, 8AM.

Join Phoenix District 3 Councilman Bill Gates and District 4 Tom Simplot for a bicycle cruise in central Phoenix!

Great AZ Bike Swap: April 14th

2012-03-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

GREAT ARIZONA BIKE SWAP

Downtown Mesa on Main St.
6AM to 3PM, April 14, 2012

-- FREE EVENT --

Sell, Show or just ride your bike through the streets of downtown Mesa during the Great Arizona Bike Swap meet. Vendors will be in the center of Main Street selling bicycles, bike parts and accessories.

Sponsored By CAzB and We-Cycle USA.

Vendor Instructions

Registration/Load in: 4am-6am
Enter on MacDonald from 1st Ave
NO VEHICLE IN-OUT AFTER 6am

BikeBUZZ Ahwatukee; April 7th

2012-03-15T13:50:00.001-07:00

Come out and join members of the CAzB for a BikeBUZZ on April 7, 2012 after a moderate 32-mile ride beginning/ending at Bagel Nosh (SE corner 48th and Warner) in the Ahwatukee Foothills. The ride begins at 7 AM and the coffee will commence after the ride, approximately 9:30 to 10 AM. Board members of the Coalition will be available to share the mission and all are welcome to join for either the ride AND the BikeBUZZ or just for coffee.

BikeBUZZ: to help spread awareness of the purpose and work of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, several coffees post-ride are being planned. It’s an easy way to connect. Join a recreational ride, stop for coffee afterwards and learn more about the Coalition from its board members.

You can check in at the event on Facebook (not required).

p.s. Bagel Nosh is right next door to Curbside Cyclery; one of our many participating local bike shops that offer Coalition members a discount.

Memorial Ride for Safety XIV; Mar 24, 2012

2012-03-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

Online Pre-reg now closed
Please register morning of event

The 2012 theme is Riding (Safely) With Friends.

Join the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists (CAzB) and many east valley cyclist, clubs and shops; and enjoy a supported ride through some of the East Valley foothills.

100K Route Description starting from Iron Gear Sports, we’ll travel south to Brown Road, then west to Country Club, to the Beeline Highway., then to the north and east. The route takes you past Fountain Hills, the Ft. McDowell Casino, then up a gentle 6 mile climb to the Bush Highway. Turning right or south, the route then travels into the Tonto National Forest past Saguaro Lake to the Lower Salt River where we make way to the 4-Way stop at the Salt River Recreation Center. Turning Left, this is the beginning of a more challenging 3.5 mile climb up Usery Pass. From the summit, riders decent down to University Drive where a right turn begins the final leg of this metric century ride. [100k route map]. Lunch is included in registration fee.

50 K route (30-mile) route leaves at the same location but cuts out the tour of Fountain Hills; traveling north to Gilbert Road, then south to McDowell Road and east towards the start/stop location. [50K route map]. Lunch is included in registration fee.

Family Fun Ride (5-mile) route tbd. The family fun ride is FREE, just register morning of event. All participants will be required to complete a waiver, see below. Lunch is available for purchase.

Experience the East Valley Come ride with many of the east valley riders, racers, and clubs. Play in their backyard for a fun morning of riding with friends; Iron Gear Sports, Adventure Bicycles, the Brumbies, DNA Cycling Club, Tempe Bicycle, Focus Cycles, Mike's Bike Chalet, Two-Wheel Jones/ Jetset Racing, Paragon Cycles/San Tan Racing, A-1 Bike Center , and many others. Come to their backyard and show them how it is done.

All courses begin/end at Iron Gear Sports, SW corner Power and McDowell in Mesa, AZ.

Printable 1-page brochure; or printable tri-fold brochure w/registration form.

Registration
ONLINE pre-registration now closed: Register day-of-ride. Registration begins at 7:30; rides begin at 8AM

$30: Members (PMBC / GABA / ABC / CAzbike) , day of ride
$35: non-member, day of ride

Origins of the ride
The Safety Ride grew out of a tragic accident that Winston Benson had approximately 13 years ago. Many accidents happen each year, like this. The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists is an organization dedicated to the continued education of bicyclists, motorists, and government officials on all issues concerning bicycling and in supporting safe cycling in Arizona.
Often you see a stronger cyclist helping another cyclist up a hill, with a hand on the back. The Hand is a symbol for those who help other cyclists. Winston Benson was known for his caring, helping persona.
We are honored to continue this tradition of this symbol. Come ride with us, your friends and have an excellent day!

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<option value="non-member pre-registration">non-member pre-registration $30.00 USD</option>
<option value="PMBC/GABA/ABC/CAzB members pre-reg">PMBC/GABA/ABC/CAzB members pre-reg $25.00 USD</option>
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By completing the information and paying the registration fee I acknowledge that the registration process is not complete until the morning of the Event when I complete and sign the "Release and Waiver Form". Anyone under the age of 18 wishing to participate must have a parent or guardian present to sign the Release and Waiver Form.<br />
<br />

BikeBUZZ at Joe's Farm Grill, Gilbert

2012-03-08T07:12:00.003-07:00

Come out and join members of the CAzB for the first BikeBUZZ on March 10, 2012 after a ride from Joe's Farm Grill to Usery and back. The ride begins at 7 AM and the coffee will be at 10 AM.

Help spread awareness of the purpose and work of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, several coffees post-ride are being planned. It’s an easy way to connect. Join a recreational ride, stop for coffee afterwards and learn more about the Coalition from its board members.

The first BikeBUZZ is scheduled for Saturday, March 10, 2012. A ride will leave from Joe’s Farm Grill at 7 AM for 32 miles of moderate riding and will conclude with coffee at Joe’s Farm Grill at 10 AM and some discussion about bicycling in Arizona. Bring your suggestions and concerns.

Chandler Centennial Family Bike Ride; Volunteers Needed

2012-02-07T18:24:00.001-07:00

We’ll be needing some volunteers to chaperon the 7.4 mile family ride that starts at 9:00AM. It’s a great opportunity for some in the East Valley to ride to the ride, volunteer, and ride home. Linda and Bob B will be working the SAG stop at the turnaround point so you can come by and make them jealous that you are riding and that aren’t! Contact Bob B if you can help: bobb@cazbike.org

Check out the Chandler Century jerseys with the CAzB logo on the back left pocket. These will be available, but in very limited quantities, so they will likely be gone very quickly if not before ride date. I understand there may be a re-order if there is large demand, so ask about that if you want one and get aced out. Our logo will also be on the t-shirts.

Full Details on the Chandler Centennial Family Bike Ride being held 3/31/2012

Meet Bob Beane

2012-01-26T14:30:00.001-07:00

Bob Beane

Bob is the Coalition's President.
My first memories of riding were on a green tricycle when I was two or three years old. Next, I was riding a 20” J C Penny bike when the training wheels came off at about age 5. Before long, my mother was giving me a quarter to ride to a local grocery in our Indiana small town to pick up a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread (I had a basket on the front, so this was as easy as it was fun).
In my later grade school years, my brother and I went everywhere by bike. We also did the equivalent of mountain biking over construction-related dirt piles on our fatter-tire 26” Sears bikes. I broke an axle doing that, so I think that qualifies as serious MTB-ing (for kids).

My first “bicycle advocacy” decision was made when summer-working for the owner of a picture frame shop in Richmond, IN. I bartered for his red Columbia 10-speed (which he had lost interest in after graduating from college and entering the working world) in exchange for two week’s wages (about $235). I wanted to ride to work rather than relying on getting access to the family car, and this was the perfect solution. That bike went with me to prep school in Massachusetts, and it was my source of escape and exploration for two years in the foothills of the Berkshires.

For most of my early adult life, bicycling was forgotten. Then, I moved to Arizona. In the process of recovery from a five-year illness and life-saving surgery, I rediscovered the bike. A neighbor, Winston Benson, was a quite serious and accomplished cyclist. And, a friend at work, Kerr Spencer, sold me a Trek mountain bike to help fund his purchase of a road Kestrel. It all came together and the bike bug bit…big time.

I began to ride a new Trek 1200 on the road for distance and time, very slow and short at first. But, the challenge of metric centuries and the newly discovered El Tour de Tucson were magnetic. Somehow, in the space of two years, I lowered my El Tour 75 mile time from 6:30 to 4:59.

Then, Winston died in a cycling accident in Scottsdale. My friend, cycling hero (Senior Olympics National Silver Medalist) and mentor was gone. I didn’t sleep for a week. That is when my bicycling advocacy passion began.

In subsequent years I helped put on the “Memorial Ride for Safety” for the CAzB. Rich Rumer and Bill Lazenby were mentors and friends. It was a given that we would work together on this ride each year. One year, we also had a “summit meeting” between Rich, myself (a PMBC officer at the time) and the president of ABC, and agreed that clubs would put on rides and help fund the CAzB out of our proceeds. The CAzB would be the advocacy organization and the clubs would focus on rides and channeling some money their way.

I eventually joined the board of the CAzB and was later encouraged to run for president. I have simply taken on this role out of a sense of duty to Winston and other cyclists who have been injured or killed. Also, I do it because of a desire to make Arizona a safer place for all bicyclists. Jean Gorman, Richard DeBernardis, Rich Rumer, Bill Lazenby, Reed Kempton, Matt Zoll, Mike Sanders, Sterling Baer, Daniel Paduchowski, Randy Victory and many others have been my inspiration. I am far from being the complete bicycling expert, but I have read, studied and ridden since the late 1980’s (with only one PBAA platinum medal and no USCF wins, so I never really excelled on the bike), and I serve the cycling community with no agenda other than to make Arizona a better, safer and more fun place to ride. If things go as planned, I will turn over CAzB leadership to an inspired and more capable leader by early 2013. We have some significant programs to accomplish in 2012, and then the torch should be passed. That’s my plan, and I’m sticking to it…

Hearing on Arizona Stop-as-yield bill scheduled

2012-01-24T20:12:00.003-07:00

50th 2nd regular session (2012) HB2211; this bill would allow cyclists (16 years and older) to treat stop signs as yield, similar to the law in Idaho.

HEARING SCHEDULED Thursday 1/26/2012 at 9AM (NOT 9 pm as was erroneously stated... sorry) PM by the House Transportation committee. All video is archived, in case you miss it live -- simply go to that link and look for House Trans committee for 1/26.

UPDATE: BILL PASSES out of the Transportation Committee 1/26/2012, on an 6-2 vote. It was passed "DP" (do pass. i.e. passed without any amendment). If you didn't see it live, you can catch it on archived, but it looks like there is a day or two delay...

Lots of background info at azbikelaw.org/blog/tag/stop/

CAzB Member Discount

2012-01-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to CAzB Member's Discount Program.
The Coalition is pleased to announce a new benefit, exclusively for our members; we're teaming up with area bike shops across Arizona to bring you discounts. Simply show your current CAzB membership card and receive special discounts. Not a member? Join the Coalition now.

Thanks to Domenic's, Adventure Bicycle Company, Round Trip Bike Shop, Bicycle Vibe, Two-Wheel Jones, Junction Bicycle, Paragon Cycling, Ajo Bike, and Fairwheel Bikes for being on board with the initial rollout, and supporting the Coalition in its goal of improving conditions for cyclists across Arizona.

Is your favorite shop not listed? Have them contact Chris at cazbike@cazbike.org .... and get on board! All Arizona shops are eligible, and signup is easy and FREE.

We're adding shops all the time, so check back often.

CLICK HERE to see the current shop list.

Phoenix places SLMs and BMUFL signs 48th and Guadalupe

2012-01-18T11:16:00.001-07:00

In very late 2011/ very early 2012, the city of Phoenix has placed some SLM (Shared Lane Marking, a.k.a. "Sharrow") and BMUFL signs (Bikes May Use Full Lane; technically called R4-11) along 48th Street North of Piedmont; this then turns into Guadalupe Road which bends due east and continues over I-10. This is perhaps a bit more than 1/2 mile.

Because of some peculiar geography, the road represents one of the only ways to enter/exit the Ahwatukee (section of Phoenix) and get to e.g. Greater Phoenix, or Tempe. It is the ONLY connection that does not involve I-10. See http://azbikelaw.org/blog/48th-street-piedmont-to-guadalupe/ for more background and pictures.

As of right now, the signs are all up. The markings, however, have not been placed/painted yet on the southern part of the project, and the markings that were placed on the northern half were erroneously painted too far to the right.

The Coalition will continue to monitor the situation, and would like to thank the City of Phoenix and staff engineers Kerry Wilcoxon and (bike coordinator) Joe Perez for the project, and wish for a speedy completion; which is currently being held up while thermoplastic markings are procured... see update

Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 2:35 PM
Ed,
We are in the process of purchasing thermo plastic sharrow markings. These are expensive but should wear like leather and will last longer than the asphalt they are being installed on. When the thermo symbols come in we will have them applied in the center of the curb lane in both directions and will black out the painted sharrows on the right side of the road now. There is also a portion of Guadalupe between 48th Street and the end of City Right of Way near the bridge over I-10 that is scheduled to be repaved in the next year or so. When we install the thermo markings on 48th Street we will correct the markings on Guadalupe in paint and then once the overlay is complete we will install new thermo markings on Guadalupe up to the bridge. On a curvy road like 48th Street and Guadalupe I would much rather have a dedicated bike lane but that would require dropping a thru lane which is not something we have authorization to do at this point.
I hope this helps.
Thanks.
Kerry Wilcoxon,
P.E. City of Phoenix Street Transportation Dept Safety and Neighborhood Traffic Section
Ph.: 602-262-4613
e-mail: kerry.wilcoxon@phoenix.gov

Central Ave Phoenix gets a Road Diet

2012-01-09T13:17:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend, the City of Phoenix successfully completed the addition of bike lanes along Central Avenue from Camelback Road to Bethany Home Road as part of a "Road Diet".
Sunday afternoon, January 8th, there were many bicyclists already enjoying the addition. The Coalition commends and appreciates the efforts of the city of Phoenix and all authorities that continue to work to make forward progress in providing better, safer routes for bicyclists all over Arizona.

The roadway formerly had 3 lanes in each direction, and no specific bicyclist facility; after the "diet" there are 2 lanes in each direction plus a buffer-separated bike lane. There is detailed information from city staff linked at azbikelaw.org including specific engineering data, traffic counts, etc.

Meet Robert Jenson

2012-01-08T16:09:00.001-07:00

Bob Jenson

Bob is the Coalition's Vice-President.
Robert started riding a bicycle about ten years of age, and was inseparable from it through grade school and even University.
He volunteered for several years in the Phoenix Recycles Bicycles program rebuilding bicycles for homeless, schools, job transportation and special needs until the program was shut down by the city as being too expensive. He rode for several years for the MS Society in the Parker Dam Ride, and commuted to work for over thirty years. He was involved in the last two bike maps that were published by Wide World of Maps, and has since been involved in the updating of the MAG bike maps.
Along with Peter Mather, he has been the driving force behind the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists swap meet for the past twelve years, and is now turning over the reins to another group. He has been active in attempting to get more cyclist involvement in the design and building of new facilities that would have previously been designed strictly for motorized travel with no cycling facilities. An active cyclist, heʼs out on the road usually three days a week now since retirement instead of the ﬁve while gainfully employed.
He joined the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists many years ago because of a desire to improve conditions for cyclists and to help cyclists learn how to behave on our roadways. We have too many injuries and fatalities, and the CAzB organization is here to help curb these issues.

Flagstaff modernizes their city bike codes

2012-01-07T08:23:00.004-07:00

The Flagstaff City Council gave final approval to Ordinance No. 2011-26, which makes a number of revisions to Title 9, Chapter 5 of the Flagstaff City Code, which regulates the operation of bicycles.
The changes include the following…

Modifies definitions and regulations to (for the most part) match Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS)
Modifies the language of the “ride right” rule to match ARS; adds exceptions for situations when cyclists should leave the right side of the roadway for safety
Removes requirement for bicyclists to ride in a bike lane and replaces it with the “ride right” rule
Removes the “sidepath law” which requires bicyclists to ride on a path adjacent to the road when one is provided
Eliminates mandatory bicycle registration; adds a provision requiring the Police Department to provide for voluntary registration
Requires bicyclists on sidewalks and paths to yield to pedestrians and provide an audible warning when overtaking pedestrians
Removes several sections that were confusing, contradicted the normal rules of the road, and discriminated against bicyclists

These revisions were discussed by the City’s Bicycle Advisory Committee for several years, and are a significant step forward for bicyclists in Flagstaff

You can view the actual ordinace mark-ups at the link above; The Flagstaff city bike page has some more details about the proposals. There's a really great document the Martin prepared that shows side-by-side in colors the old code, new code, and explanation. FlagstaffCityCodeBicyclesRevisions.pdf

You can view Flagstaff's City Code in full online. Bicycle-related codes are in Title 9 Traffic; then 9-05 Bicycles. It usually takes some time until the updates get reflected there.

Here, for posterity, is a copy of the bad codes; all seem to have been passed in 1973 (Ord. 903, 11-9-73), and includes mandatory bike lane use as well as mandatory sidepath use (9-05-001-0005 and 9-05-001-0016 which prohibits leaving a bike lane), plus the "right-hooking cyclists in bike lanes is okay" rule 9-05-001-0015.

Progress in the Santa Cruz Valley

2011-12-23T21:06:00.003-07:00

The Santa Cruz Valley Bicycle Advocate Committee (SCVBAC) has had another successful year. This year's Highlights and Objectives for next year are shown below. We appreciate the continued support and encouragement of Pima County, Sahuarita, ADOT, and the Green Valley Council to make all this happen. For updates to our "Master Plan" and "Projects Completed and Underway" since 2004, pls refer to our website, www.scvbac.org.
Thanks for continuing to make our region a real paradise to live and bike.
-Bill Adamson, Co-Chair SCVBAC

SCVBAC 2011 HIGHLIGHTS
1. FOUR BIKE LANE PROJECTS COMPLETED

SAHUARITA RD (I-19 – LA VILLITA)
I-19 EFR (CONTINENTAL RD – CANOA EXIT)
CONTINENTAL RD (LA CANADA – ABREGO)
WHITEHOUSE CANYON RD (OLD NOGALES HWY – CONTINENTAL SCHOOL)

2. TWO SHARED-USE PATHS COMPLETED

LA VILLITA (SAHUARITA RD – RANCHO SAHUARITA BLVD)
WHITEHOUSE CANYON RD (MADERA RESERVE – CONTINENTAL SCHOOL)

3. ANZA TRAIL

CONNECTED TO ABREGO TRAIL HEAD THRU TORRES BLANCAS GOLF CLUB
ALIGNMENT DEFINED THRU SAHUARITA

4. RIDE OF SILENCE – HELD 6TH ANNUAL RIDE

5. SANTA CRUZ VALLEY BIKE MAP UPDATED & 12,000 COPIES PRINTED

6. INCREASE RIDERSHIP – PLAN DEVELOPED AND INITIATED

7. CONTINUED COORDINATION, PLANNING, AND ADVOCACIES WITH:

PCDOT, SAHUARITA, ADOT, PAG
RTA BIKE/PED WORKING GROUP, TUCSON-PIMA COUNTY BAC
PC BOND ADVISORY COMM, PC CONSERVATION ACQUISITION COMMISSION
PC SHERIFF OFFICE - GREEN VALLEY SUBSTATION
GREEN VALLEY COUNCIL

Cottonwood Gets Sharrows

2011-12-16T22:17:00.001-07:00

Cottonwood, AZ – December 16th, 2011, 12:00 – Bike shop owner Aaron Ruda was the first cyclist to use the sharrows painted on 12th Street in Cottonwood on Friday. The Public Works crew that had just painted the new roadway markings and can be seen driving away. Shared-use lane markings, or "sharrows", are used on roadways which are too narrow for bike lanes. They help remind motorists to share the road with bicycles, and indicate to cyclists the lawful direction of travel. Sharrows were adopted into the Federal Highway Administration's Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) December 16th, 2009 – two years ago. The new shared-use lane markings in Cottonwood are the first to be installed in the Verde Valley. More info on sharrows can be found here.

photo/text Randy Victory