The Arizona Business Coalition on Health has been awarded a nearly $50,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and United Health Foundation to improve health among Pima County residents through increased physical activity.

Through a program of the National Business Coalition on Health, the award will provide the Coalition and its partners with resources to engage employers, community organizations and local health systems in a community health and wellness summit this summer to develop a plan to increase physical activity.

“Our focus will be on how to engage all of Pima County – including employees, dependents, seniors, youth and neighborhoods – in increased physical activity,” said Larry Aldrich, executive director of the Coalition. “While Tucson is known for its healthy lifestyles and walkable communities, there is still great opportunity for improving health and reducing chronic disease through increased physical activity. This grant will help launch us into an even more active and healthy future for all residents.”

In collaboration with the Pima County Health Department, the Coalition will work with partner organizations to identify best practices for increasing physical activity leading up to a Health and Wellness Summit in August 2013. The goal of the summit is to produce a plan to improve health through increased physical activity while also developing a model that will connect ongoing health planning efforts throughout the County.

From the County’s perspective, the project builds on ongoing investments in providing opportunities for healthier lifestyles, from linear parks to the Urban Loop System, a 55-mile continuous path around metropolitan Tucson that draws walkers, joggers and cyclists. It also continues the work done from 2010- 2012 when the County and several partners received the fourth largest award in the United States, at $16 million, under the federal Communities Putting Prevention to Work program.

“The Pima County Health Department is eager to work with the business community and community partners on the launch and implementation of this important initiative that will involve employers, health care professionals, elected officials and other stakeholders in a collaborative effort to improve the health and wellness of all Pima County residents,” said Pima County Public Health Director Francisco García.

Reed Tuckson, MD, senior advisor for United Health Foundation, added, “Supporting and nurturing businesses to engage with their communities to identify and address priority local health issues is the first step in solving them. We believe that these partnerships, supported by the combined efforts of the United Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundations, will produce real, meaningful health enhancements.”

The Coalition will use information from existing health assessments to identify measures that will best evaluate progress towards achieving the community health planning objectives produced by the planning effort. In addition, participating members in the Summit will be asked to commit to a specific activity to encourage increased physical activity among their employees or in their communities.

“The road to better health for our towns, counties, states and the nation is paved with collaboration,” said Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, Team Director and Senior Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “We can make significant progress on the health problems we face if the business community and leaders in public health, government, education, philanthropy and other sectors work together. These new grants will help inspire the changes we know need to happen to improve health.”

About the Arizona Business Coalition on Health

The mission of the Arizona Business Coalition on Health is to empower our employer members to transform the delivery of health and health care services. This will lead to a better quality of life for our citizens and will provide a better business climate for all current and future employers (public and private) in our regions and State. For additional information visit www.azbch.org.

About the National Business Coalition on Health

NBCH is a national, non-profit, membership organization of purchaser-led business and health coalitions, representing over 7,000 employers and 25 million employees and their dependents across the United States. NBCH and its members are dedicated to value-based purchasing of health care services through the collective action of public and private purchasers. For additional information visit: www.nbch.org.

About The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, measurable, and timely change. For 40 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. Follow the Foundation on Twitter (www.rwjf.org/twitter) or Facebook (www.rwjf.org/facebook).

About the United Health Foundation

Guided by a passion to help people live healthier lives, United Health Foundation provides helpful information to support decisions that lead to better health outcomes and healthier communities.
The Foundation also supports activities that expand access to quality health care services for those in challenging circumstances and partners with others to improve the well-being of communities. After its establishment by UnitedHealth Group [NYSE: UNH] in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation, the Foundation has committed more than $200 million to improve health and health care. For additional information, please visitwww.unitedhealthfoundation.org.

Cyclists riding on the north side of the Rillito River on The Loop.

Advocate for all kinds of bicycle riders at the Tucson-Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC). Advise local policy makers on transportation, recreation, and safety issues for bicyclists. The County seeks volunteers who live in unincorporated Pima County to serve on the BAC.

 
The BAC advises City and County government staff and elected officials on bike projects throughout the region. Members attend a two-hour meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Typically, the BAC meets 10 months of the year. Volunteers can also join subcommittees that focus on specific issues like bike facilities, education, enforcement, and a few others.

 
Established in 1987, this committee is the oldest joint committee that includes representatives from the County, City of Tucson, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, University of Arizona, and the Towns of Marana, Oro Valley and Sahuarita. The BAC has been very successful in helping develop innovative bike projects and bike safety education programs.

 
Due in part to BAC’s efforts, the League of American Bicyclists awarded Gold to the eastern Pima County-Tucson region in 2008 and 2012; and Outside Magazine ranks Tucson as the top “bike town” in the United States.

 
Interested in taking action to keep Pima County and Tucson at the top of national bike lists? Please contact Matt Zoll at 243-BIKE (2453) or Matthew.Zoll@pima.gov.

 
For more information about Tucson-Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee, visit: http://biketucson.pima.gov/

Cyclovia Map, Sunday, April 28

Join thousands of walkers, strollers, dancers, skateboarders, and bicyclists at Cyclovia this Sunday, April 28, to celebrate car-free and care-free streets.  Bike Fest month in Tucson and Pima County wraps up with this family event that takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The east end of the festival is Dodge Boulevard, near Brandi Fenton Park, and Keeling Desert Park on Glenn Street marks the west end of the four-mile route.

County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry will lead a ride to Cyclovia from Kory Laos BMX track, part of the Flowing Wells Park, located at 5510 N. Shannon Road, at the Rillito River. The ride begins Sunday at 9:30 a.m., and will follow the Rillito River Park portion of The Loop for a ride of eight miles to Dodge Boulevard.

The attached map shows the location of “activity centers,” including DJs, food trucks, live music, pop-up skate and BMX spots, bike helmet give-aways and more. La Madera Park hosts a bike rodeo and also features jumping castles. Streets closed to cars are Dodge Boulevard, Blacklidge Avenue, Mountain Avenue and Glenn Street.

‪Bring your family and check out the urban wildlife display from Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation. Then walk or ride on wide-open streets to the rock-climbing wall, bike decoration station, and enjoy great food from local restaurants on the route. Cyclovia gives people from the greater Tucson region the chance to see neighbors, friends and other folks from throughout the area, and get a little exercise.

Building on the first Cyclovia on April 7 in downtown Tucson, Pima County will provide information and fun activities from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Air Program, the Health Department, Regional Wastewater and Reclamation Department, and the Office of Sustainability.

For more information about Cyclovia, visit: http://www.cycloviatucson.org/

For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.

The Tucson Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee presented two Staff Appreciation Awards to Pima County at the “Pedal the Pueblo” Kick-Off Breakfast today. Deputy County Administrator John Bernal and Bicycle Education Program Coordinator Ignacio Rivera de Rosales received awards.

“It’s an honor to receive this award on behalf of all the Public Works staff who work so hard on The Loop,” said Bernal. The Loop started as a Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) bank protection project with river parks built to mitigate project impacts. Staff from RFCD; Natural Resources, Parks, and Recreation; and the Department of Transportation worked together on the path and adjacent recreational facilities.

The Loop’s shared-use path encompasses both banks of four major river systems or waterways. Pima County residents and visitors can enjoy biking, walking, or horseback riding 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. This includes 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.

In addition to excellent infrastructure, Pima County has great bike education programs, too. “I love my job,” said Rivera de Rosales, “I get to play games with kids this morning, teaching them about bike safety, and this afternoon, I’ll be riding with kids at a pump track we built together.” He works with elementary and middle school students, teaching bike safety in fun ways that emphasize individual responsibility. He also works with adult refugees, teaching them how to bike safely on Tucson’s busy streets.

Other award recipients today were: Greg Yares, Bicycling Advocacy Award; Duncan Benning, Bicycling Advocacy Award; Elizabeth Crump, Bicycle Commuter Award; Joseph Suida, Bicycle Commuter Award; and Technicians for Sustainability, Bicycle-Friendly Business Award.

Be sure to check out other great events during Pedal the Pueblo week, including Bike to Work and School Commuter Stations on Wednesday, April 10. The stations will be open 7 to 9 a.m. with free snacks at Jácome Plaza downtown, Himmel Park Library, and Mountain Avenue and Ft. Lowell Road.

For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.

For more information about bicycle education programs, visit: http://bikeped.pima.gov/index.html.

Starting Monday, April 1, the Swan Road parking lot on the south side of the Rillito River will be closed 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The parking lot will be closed during these construction work hours for approximately one month. A nearby parking lot is located on the west side of Swan Road, just north of the Rillito River.

Loop users can continue to enjoy the paths, but should watch for trucks in this area. Drivers should also be prepared for additional truck traffic on Swan Road.

Pima County Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) is in the process of removing sediment from the Rillito River east of Swan Road. RFCD will remove excess sediment in order to improve the flood-carrying capacity of the channel.

The contractor, Ashton Company, intends to route approximately 60 to 70 trucks with sediment daily from the channel through the dirt parking lot located at the southeast corner of Swan Road and the Rillito River.

Ashton will post a flagger/spotter for traffic control at The Loop shared use path crossing location east of the Swan Road Bridge.  Bicyclists and pedestrians can expect minor delays at the location of the truck crossing.  Other than the truck traffic, all sediment-removal activities will occur in the bottom of the wash area.

For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.

Beginning on Wednesday, March 20, Pima County Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) will begin the process of removing sediment from the Rillito River east of Swan Road. RFCD will remove excess sediment in order to improve the flood-carrying capacity of the channel.  Loop users should continue to enjoy the paths, but should watch for trucks in this area. Drivers should also be prepared for additional truck traffic on Swan Road.

The contractor, Ashton Company, intends to route approximately 60 to 70 trucks with sediment daily from the channel to the dirt parking lot located at the southeast corner of Swan Road and the Rillito River. The trucks then will travel southbound on Swan Road to a destination south of the Tucson International Airport. Operations will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Ashton will post a flagger/spotter for traffic control at The Loop shared use path crossing location east of the Swan Road Bridge.  Bicyclists and pedestrians can expect minor delays at the location of the truck crossing.  Other than the truck traffic, all sediment-removal activities will occur in the bottom of the wash area.

RFCD anticipates the project will last approximately one month.

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 or extensions. 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.

Organizers expect more than 500 people at the Beat Cancer Boot Camp Challenge on Saturday, March 16, at Brandi Fenton Park.  The race, a 5K obstacle course run that takes place along the Rillito River Park, and associated festivities will take place between 6 a.m. and noon.

Bicyclists, walkers, and other Loop users should be cautious in this area and yield to people participating in the Challenge event.

Athletes race as individuals or in  five-person teams. They will walk, run, climb or crawl through mud pits, climbing stations and other obstacles built by local members of the Army, Navy, ROTC, Fire Stations, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and SWAT. The military-style 5K obstacle course runs along the Rillito River dirt trail and the adjacent wash.

Pima County Natural Resources, Parks, and Recreation Department is a sponsor of this event. All proceeds from the event will support Beat Cancer Boot Camp, a local non-profit exercise and support group for cancer patients, cancer survivors and anyone whose life is affected by cancer.

The Loop shared use path encompasses both banks of four major river systems or waterways. Pima County residents and visitors can enjoy biking, walking, or horseback riding 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 or extensions. This includes 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 Challenge, visit: http://beatcancerbootcamp.com/?page_id=259

For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.

Pima County Board of Supervisors approved a new path standard for River Parks and Greenways on Tuesday, March 5. The new standard is 12 to16 feet wide for paved paths, and 8 to 10 feet wide for soft paths. The former standard was 12 feet for paved paths and 8 feet for soft paths.

The Board amended the Regional Trail System Master Plan to include the new standard.

“The Loop is a popular place for bicycling, dog-walking, running, and horseback riding,” said Steve Anderson, Planning Division Manager for Natural Resources, Parks, and Recreation. “Wider paths increase the enjoyment everyone on The Loop.  Wider paths make it easier to maneuver around other users when necessary.”

He emphasized that in some places, The Loop will remain narrow where the County does not have a wide easement. New sections of The Loop will be built to the new standard.

The Board also approved funds to acquire the final piece of property on the Paseo de las Iglesias section of The Loop. Archeologists recently completed study of this section, and planning is under way. The shared use path will follow the Santa Cruz River between Silverlake Road and Ajo Way.

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 or extensions. These include the Tanque Verde Wash, the Cañada del Oro Wash, and north and south of the Santa Cruz River.

More than one third of the metropolitan population lives within a half mile of the Loop or Loop extended paths.

Pima County’s partners in The Loop are: City of Tucson, Town of Marana, Town of Oro Valley, City of South Tucson, Regional Transportation Authority, and the Arizona Department of Transportation.

For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.

Pima County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ramón Valadez, Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, and Ward 4 Council Member Shirley Scott will come together to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of the Atterbury Wash Greenway at a dedication ceremony on Friday, March 1, at 10:30 a.m. The greenway is an integrated network of multi-use facilities for recreation and transportation across the community.

This three-quarter-mile path runs through Lincoln Park, linking the Fred Enke Golf Course, Pima College East Campus, Clements Center, the Children’s Outdoor Performance Area, the Lincoln Park softball complex, Lower Lincoln Park, and the Michael Lyman -Wash Animal and Bird Sanctuary. A central plaza is located along the path at the junction near the Children’s Outdoor Performance Area and the softball complex.

Pima County Bonds from 2004 funded the $1.2 million project. Construction began May 14, 2012, and Phase 1 completes the initial segment from Escalante Road to Fred Enke Drive. Atterbury Wash Greenway will eventually connect the future Irvington Road Greenway to the Pantano River Park section of The Loop.

The greenway dedication will take place at the central plaza, just north the Children’s Outdoor Performance Area. Parking is available at the main parking lot of Clements Regional Center, 8155 E. Poinciana Drive. Golf cart transportation will be available for those who need assistance.

The design for this project follows the City/County adopted Greenway cross section, which includes a 12-foot-wide paved multi-use path as well as a separate 8-foot-wide decomposed granite path and native landscaping. Pima College provided support and cooperation throughout the planning, design, and construction of this project.

Artist Jason Butler created several pieces of public art integrated with the design of the greenway. These pieces include: benches, picnic tables, park identification sculptures, native bee habitats, whimsical birdhouses, and a bird nest inspired sculpture. Guests are welcome to bring bikes to the event and enjoy a fun ride following the dedication.

For more information about the event, contact Liz Baechler, City of Tucson, 837-8103 or Liz.Baechler@tucsonaz.gov

For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.

Slide 1 of 6.
Widening and repaving The Loop near Flowing Wells Park.
Source: Pima County RFCDSlide 2 of 6.
Widening and repaving The Loop near Flowing Wells Park.
Source: Pima County RFCDSlide 3 of 6.
Widening and repaving The Loop near Flowing Wells Park.
Source: Pima County RFCDSlide 4 of 6.
Widening and repaving The Loop near Flowing Wells Park.
Source: Pima County RFCDSlide 5 of 6.
Widening and repaving The Loop near Flowing Wells Park.
Source: Pima County RFCDSlide 6 of 6.
Widening and repaving The Loop near Flowing Wells Park.
Source: Pima County RFCD

Pima County and its subcontractor will complete paving today on the south bank of the Rillito River between Camino de la Tierra and La Cholla Boulevard. Earlier this month, handrails and gates were adjusted for easier navigation on this section of The Loop. Center and edge striping will be added in the near future.

The 16-foot-wide path will make it easier to walk, run, push a stroller, ride a bike or rollerblade on this section. Path users can enjoy unobstructed views of the Catalina Mountains, the Tucson Mountains and the Rincon Mountains.

This section of The Loop is a great way to access ball fields at Curtis Park and Flowing Wells Park. Thrill-seeking bicyclists can check out the pump track at Kory Laos BMX Park.

Starting Feb. 18, on the north bank of the Rillito River between Alvernon Way and Craycroft Road, Pima County and its subcontractor will move sections of handrail and remove gate protrusions. Next, this north bank path will be widened and repaved.

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.

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. 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.