Spring construction widens and extends The Loop
by Pima County News on Feb. 05, 2013, under Parks & Recreation, Pima County, Regional Flood Control District, The Loop, Tourism, Transportation, Tucson
A runner goes along The Loop near Speedway Blvd along the Santa Cruz River.
Spring is a busy time for Loop construction. On the Santa Cruz portion of The Loop, workers are widening the path between Ina Road and the I-10 Frontage Road, with anticipated completion by the end of February. This section of The Loop is closed for construction on Monday through Thursday, but remains open for weekend use on Friday through Sunday. Portions of the path are dirt, so users should plan accordingly.
On the Rillito River Park, access to The Loop is closed on the northwest corner of La Cholla Boulevard and Curtis Road while the Curtis Park Indoor Basketball Court Facility is under construction. Access from Curtis Park remains open to The Loop just west of La Cholla.
Workers will also be resurfacing and restriping the path along the Rillito River. This week, watch for improvements to handrails and gates on the south bank from the Union Pacific Railroad underpass ramp to La Cholla. The week of Feb. 11, repaving will begin on the south bank, and users should use the north bank of the Rillito River Park between Camino de la Tierra and La Cholla.
Also in February, a dirt and cement portion of the south bank between Dodge Boulevard and Alvernon Way Bridge underpass will be paved and striped. Workers will also resurface and repave the path along the north bank between Alvernon Way and Craycroft Road.
Work continues on the newest section of The Loop along the Julian Wash. This month, new construction begins from I-10 west to Alvernon Way and Augie Acuña Los Niños Park. The underpass at Kolb Road is scheduled to be completed in late spring.
Finally, on the Cañada del Oro section of The Loop, a portion of the path at Magee Road will remain closed through March 2013. This closure is necessary so that crews can perform the installation of underground drainage and bridge construction activities in the area without jeopardizing the safety of bicycle and pedestrian traffic.
The Loop path encompasses both banks of four major river systems or waterways. Pima County residents and visitors can enjoy biking, walking, or running along the Rillito River, the Santa Cruz River, the Pantano Wash, the Julian Wash and the Harrison Greenway. The Loop also has path extensions along tributary washes. These include the Tanque Verde Wash and the Cañada del Oro Wash.
More than one third of the metropolitan population lives within a half mile of The Loop or Loop extended paths.
For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.
