2nd annual Cyclovia Tucson 2011:

The Cyclovia Tucson Planning Committee is organizing Tucson’s second Cyclovia event on March 27, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cyclovia will give Tucson folks the chance to enjoy our great weather, see neighbors, friends and people from throughout the Tucson Metro Region, and get a little exercise – all on city streets that will be closed to car traffic and open to walkers, joggers, cyclists, skaters and all other forms of natural movement.

Motor vehicles will be detoured from the route allowing everyone the freedom to enjoy the outdoors safely and comfortably. Cyclovia isn’t a race, parade or competition. Instead, it’s a chance to enjoy Tucson from a new perspective (outside of the car). Walk your dog, roller skate, blow bubbles. Have fun because during Cyclovia, the world stops for you.

I believe the entire route is a 5 mile loop, from downtown’s Armory Park at S. 6th Avenue and E. 13th Street, into South Tucson.

To coincide this year with Solar Rock (www.solarrock.com) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Armory Park, see map of the Cyclovia Tucson route/events below. Lots more info at www.cycloviatucson.org. Also, Tucson Synergistic Water Festival from 10 to 4 p.m. simultaneously at Armory Park. Three environmentally-friendly events in one!

“Cyc˙lo˙via (siI kle‘ via) n.
A Spanish word meaning the temporary closure of a network of streets to cars, and open the streets to the people who bike, walk, skate and participate in fun, free activities. One of the first and largest cyclovias in the world was held in Bogotá, Colombia” (and held weekly since 1976).

My husband and I participated on our bikes last year, and enjoyed the activities and especially seeing hundreds of people biking, walking, skating, rollerblading, jogging, etc. in Tucson, without their vehicles. Read my blog from 2010, click here.

Cyclovia Tucson logo

A five mile loop in central Tucson will be blocked off Sunday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a first-time “walking, cycling and healthy street activities” event entitled Cyclovia (pronounced see-clo-via) Tucson. People are encouraged to walk, jog, skate, bicycle — all in non-motorized fashion along this route and participate in various family fun activities along the way. What a great way to safely enjoy leisure time and recreation, walk your dog, get your kids on their bikes or skates, all for more physical activity. Refer to website: cycloviatucson.org.

Cyclovia is a Spanish word meaning “temporary closure of a network of streets to cars, and open the streets to the people who bike, walk, skate and participate in fun, free activities.”

“One of the first and largest cyclovias in the world is held in Bogotá, Columbia. Every Sunday and holiday, every week of the year, the city closes down over 70 miles of roadways to cars and let people bike, walk, talk, exercise, picnic, sunbathe, etc.”

See map below for the Tucson route from E. Seneca Street (at 4th Avenue), south to Mountain Ave & then Highland Ave. to the UA Mall (University Blvd.) then west back to 4th Avenue, and either north and south along that avenue.

The Greater Arizona Bicycling Association (GABA) Bike Swap (see www.bikegaba.org) will be ongoing at the same day on 4th Avenue (6 a.m. to 1 p.m.), which is a fantastic place to find bicycle parts, equipment, clothing, etc.

The activities along this 5 mile loop (which correspond with the map below):

1. YMCA Healthy Kids Day at Mansfield Park, 2000 North 4th Avenue
2. Tucson-Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee at Catalina Park, Along 4th Avenue between 1st and 2nd Street
3. Main Gate Square – University of Arizona, Along University Boulevard between 4th Avenue and Park Avenue
4. University of Arizona Mall- Along University Boulevard on the U of A campus east of Park Avenue (this area is already blocked off from cars on weekdays from Cherry Ave. to west of Old Main).
5. Bike Swap Meet, Along 4th Avenue between 9th Street and 6th Street
6. Tucson Bike Beautiful
7. Starr Skates’ Pop-Up Skate Park

2010 Cyclovia Tucson map

Leave your motorized vehicles at home, get your family & friends together and walk/jog/skate/bike over to Cyclovia Tucson!