Bicycle commuting in Tucson increased by more than 50 percent in one year. It went from 1.9 percent of total commuters in 2009 to 3 percent in 2010, according to data gathered from the American Community Survey, a follow up to the census. In Pima County, more than 7,000 people rode a bicycle to work. The survey counts workers ages 16 and older who commute on a bicycle three or more days per week. The survey does not include school or recreational trips, or bicyclists riding for health purposes, shopping or eating out.

Matthew Zoll, Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager for the Pima County Department of Transportation, attributes the significant increase to a number of factors including the regional bicycle education and safety program, in which over 1,000 adults and 3,000 children take part each year learning safe and legal riding practices.

“I think this increase is in large part due to a regional bicycle education program that is the largest of its kind in the nation,” he said, “Also, additional improvements to local bike routes and the bike boulevard system as well as the addition of miles of new shared use paths and bike lanes and construction of The Loop have made getting around on two wheels easier than ever.”

The Loop is a 55-mile path being developed around Tucson, with links to Marana and Oro Valley, that connects the Rillito River Park, the Santa Cruz River Park, the Julian Wash Greenway, the Harrison Greenway and the Pantano River Park. Visit www.pima.gov/TheLoop to learn more about The Loop.

He also attributes the increase to good community events, such as El Tour, BikeFest, Tour of the Tucson Mountains and Cyclovia, as well as advocacy and advisory entities, such as the Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Pima County Bike Ambassador Program, the Coalition of Arizona Cyclists, Greater Arizona Bicycling Association, TucsonVelo, the Santa Cruz Valley Bicycle Advocate Committee, the Living Streets Alliance and more.

“Pima County is a great place to ride a bike,” Zoll said. “I hope these results encourage more people to give bike commuting a try. For those who need a little guidance, the County’s free Bike Safety Classes are available to help them gain confidence on two wheels.”

For more information about the Pima County Bicycle & Pedestrian Program and the Bike Safety Classes, visit www.bikeped.pima.gov or call (520) 243-BIKE.

Tucson’s inaugural Youth Summer Bike Camp was a success thanks to a partnership among local cycling organizations and Pima County. More than 50 local children ages 8-13 gained bicycling skills, healthy lifestyle knowledge and confidence in a fun, peer-lead environment. The camp was so well received that co-coordinators are already planning for another camp next year.

“It was a huge success on all fronts,” said Daniela Diamente, El Grupo Youth Cycling Director and a co-coordinator of the camp. “We had an overwhelmingly positive response from everyone. The kids had a blast.”

Several Pima County departments, El Grupo and Bicycle Inter-Community Art & Salvage (BICAS) joined together to offer three weeklong summer camp sessions. Each session, which ran from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, used fun, hands-on activities to teach bicycle maintenance and safety as well as healthful living tips.

Pima County Department of Transportation (PCDOT) Bicycle & Pedestrian Program provided nationally certified bike safety instruction through the Bike Ambassadors program, and more than a dozen El Grupo members ages 14-18, who are part of a United Way Youth Health Leadership Team, served as youth instructors. Under their guidance, campers learned to pick safe cycling routes and took group rides ranging from 5-20 miles depending on ability level.

“We really focused on bikes as a form of transportation,” Diamente said. “We rode to different parks and did bike-handling activities there and explored local neighborhoods. We wanted to show that you can use your bike to get places and it can be fun to use your bike.”

The campers’ riding skills and confidence levels increased by leaps and bounds in just one week. One camper who didn’t know how to ride a bike on the first day went on to ride eight miles on the last day of the weeklong camp.

“It was amazing to see how much they learned,” Diamente said. “Every kid left with more skills.”

Campers learned that in addition to being fun, riding a bike can be part of a healthful and sustainable lifestyle – an important lesson in a county where childhood obesity rates are startlingly high due in large part to sedentary lifestyles and limited access to nutritional information.

Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW), a national grant to reduce obesity and related chronic diseases overseen by the Pima County Health Department, helped develop the Youth Summer Bike Camp curriculum and provided bilingual promotional support. The Community Food Bank with the El Grupo instructors shared information about nutrition and making healthful food choices. The County’s Department of Environmental Quality Clean Air Program added air pollution information and awareness to the mix and supplied funds for patch kits, tire tubes, safety lights, bike repair tools and other supplies used during the camp.

In addition to gaining bicycling skills and self-assurance, campers received certificates of achievement, camp T-shirts and goodie bags with helmets, bike maps, bumper stickers and Share the Road guides thanks to PCDOT. Bicycle company Specialized provided seat pouches and customized water bottles for all campers and scholarships for those who couldn’t afford the $150 camp fee.

The first bike camp was such a success that the co-coordinators are already planning to offer an even bigger camp next summer, Diamente said.

“The kids were so excited about it,” she said. “We will definitely do it again. You better bet there will be Summer Bike Camp 2012.”

For more information about the organizations involved in the Youth Summer Bike Camp, please visit:

Pima County Department of Transportation – http://bikeped.pima.gov
Pima County Health Department Communities Putting Prevention to Work – www.healthypima.org
Pima County Department of Environmental Quality Clean Air Program – www.deq.pima.gov/air/CAP.html
El Grupo Youth Cycling – http://elgrupocycling.org
BICAS – http://bicas.org

The program includes local leaders, including Dist. 3 Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson, County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry, Pima County Transportation Director Priscilla Cornelio and the president of the Flowing Wells Coalition, Ellie Towne.

The La Cholla Boulevard Improvement Project was approved in 2006 by Pima County voters as part of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) transportation plan.
The Pima County Department of Transportation, along with Eagle Rock Excavating and the design team of HDR, Engineering Inc., completed this project in July 2011. The cost of construction was $19 million.

The project includes expansion of  the roadway to six lanes, paved shoulders for bicycles, and sidewalks which have been connected to the Rillito River Park Path.
Drainage improvements include installation of a large storm drain from Ruthrauff Road to the Rillito River as well as curbs and storm drains for the roadway.

Also, at the Rillito River, a 360-foot long six-lane bridge was constructed featuring art designed by Vicki Scuri Siteworks.

The project includes intersection improvements at La Cholla/Curtis Road and at La Cholla/Ruthrauff Road, including dual left-turn lanes for southbound traffic on La Cholla Boulevard. And, transit was improved with the construction of five bus pullouts.