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PAGE 48Cyclists want car divertersBy EDWARD STILES IClUasa Suff Wriiex ‘Temporary traffic diverters on East 3rd Street may be 1unsightly, but they've made cycling safer and more conve- !nient, say bikeway planners and cyclists using the route.Some 3rd Street residents have complained about the 50- ,gallon drums that serve as temporary traffic diverters east of the University of Arizona, saying they’re unnecessary and an ;eyesore.But Pima Association of Governments (PAG) bikeway ! planners have statistical data that indicates the diverters have made the route safer for cyclists. The diverted portion of 3rd Street is eight blocks long.And the cyclists apparently agree. About 300 bike riders have signed a Southern Arizona Citizens Bicycle Council petition asking that the diverters be made permanent.Both the cyclists and planners said permanent diverters — if installed — would be more aesthetically pleasing, constructed of concrete and planted with native vegetation. The City Council must ultimately decide whether to make the barriers permanent.Survey takensRichard M. Adler, bikeway planning consultant for PAG, conducted a survey of cyclists using the route and found that it acts as a collector for much of the bicycle traffic traveling east-west through the city.The survey also shows that cyclists living as far north as River Road and as far south as 22nd Street are actually going out of their way to use the 3rd Street bikeway.Ot the 216 cyclists, 58 per cent were college students on their way to classes, but, unexpectedly, another 38 per cent of those questioned were on their way to work.Adler says the study shows that 42 per cent of those polled were over 25 years of age and four of the cyclists were over 60.Bike riders are citizens of the community and govern- 1 ment has the responsibility to provide reasonable facilities for going to work or shopping, says* Richard E. Corbett, principal planner for PAG’s transportation planning division.Bike routes benefit both cyclists and drivers by hopefully taking cyclists off the streets where they conflict with motorists, he adds.345,000 tripsAbout 345,000 bicycle trips have been made on 3rd Street tills year and som* of these cyclists would have been attracted to Speedway, Broadway and other major streets if the bike way didn’t exist, Corbett says.The traffic diverters are necessary because 3rd Street ' feeds into a traffic light at Campbell Avenue and is a through ! street — both major attractions that would draw large num- ! bers of automobiles, Corbett explains.With the diverters, the bicyclist can enjoy the benefits of a through street without competing with cars,” he adds.Despite an eight per cent increase in use of the 3rd Street route by cyclists this year, accidents have declined, he says.Corbett said there has been one accident reported to police on the route this year, compared to two last year and two the year before. In both of last year’s accidents the motorist was at fault, while this year’s was caused by the cyclist.Safety markThe route’s safety record compares favorably with other streets in the area which have much less bicycle traffic, he says. This year between Alvemon and Mountain there have been five bicycle accidents on Speedway, four on 6th Street and four on Broadway.Another major reason why the bikeway is safer is that the motorist has the expectation of seeing cyclists there,” Corbett adds.Many of the cyclists we surveyed said they would be lining their cars to make the trip if they hadn’t gone by bike,” he says. The bikeway has a direct influence on reducing air pollution, traffic congestion and noise pollution by offering a safe and convenient alternate means of travel.”
Newspaper Details
Tucson Daily Citizen
Tucson, Arizona, US
Wed, Dec 08, 1976
Page 28
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
AZ, USA 12 Jan 2021
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