Residents trying to kill bike path improvements

November 30, 2010 • Posted by: Michael McKisson

This sign popped up along the south bank of the Rillito River path between Mountain Avenue and Campbell Avenue.

A story on Tucson Velo documented the county’s plan and the neighborhoods’ objections to the proposed improvement. The plan would pave the portion of the Rillito between Mountain and Campbell, which would allow cyclists to cross the Rillito at the Mountain Avenue pedestrian bridge instead of the more dangerous Campbell Avenue bridge.

The meeting organizers are trying to gather opposition to the plan to prevent the county from proceeding. The meeting will be attended by Nanette Slusser, the assistant county administrator, and someone from Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson’s office.

Cyclists are being encouraged to attend to the meeting and voice their support for the project.

If you can’t attend, you can also send support letters to Sharon Bronson’s office at district3@pima.gov.

The meeting will be held at the community pool at 5 p.m. Click here for directions to Rillito Creek Pl.

Editor’s note: This is my neighborhood and I will be attending the meeting as a resident to voice my support for the project.

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13 comments

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Ritamontgomery

It is frustrating to ride a bike on the River Trail because people with dogs block the trail and refuse to allow a bicycle to pass; in addition, I like to use the Mountain Avenue Bridge because there is no safe way to cross at Cambell Avenue. The bike path is there for everyone and we all need to share.

Paul Smeeton

I would say if you choose certain important bike parts and replace them with higher quality parts in collaboration with the your needs. You will get the desired results. Before upgrading your bike with different bike accessories, it is important to analyze the purpose of upgrade.

Daniel Stolte

As an avid bike rider, I want bike paths as much as the next person, but if large trees have to be killed for it, I'm totally against this kind of "improvement."

Mc_solar_99

I run on that path often, and saw the signs yesterday. The sign fits a disturbing trend, where fear-mongering is used to argue against a change. Opinion (about increasing danger) is spun as fact, and fear about tree killing and property taking is used to incite. These are not the practices of good neighbors striving for some common solution, they are the acts of self-centered children.

Erik R

Mike, I don't think that's the right way to look at it. I actually don't know much about this particular place, but I can understand people's desires to have a pedestrian-only path. Bikers can be really rude at times, and there is a recent case in Texas where a pedestrian was killed on a bike/ped path. Saying that pedestrians get to use both sides so we should too does not take into account the fact that pedestrians pose only the slightest annoyance to bikers, but bikers can be a severe annoyance to pedestrians. We should respect that. All that said, I have a hunch that what is behind this meeting is more about trees and bike-hatred than it is about pedestrian concerns. But still.

Azdirtydozen

What idiots for opposing. This opens the neighborhoods and area up to accessibility for all types of non-motorized traffic. People are often too selfish and shortsighted to see the true benefits of an improvement like this. Maybe I should ride my mountain bike more on the south side to agitate the residents after the decision is made.

ChrisR

There definitely needs to be some solution for connecting bicyclists coming East from Dodge over to Mountain without A) riding over eroding dirt stretches, or B) riding over someone and their dog. The current situation between Campbell and Mountain is pretty unreasonable, and it's forced me to ride in unsafe conditions every time I bike to and from work. I think paving the southern side is reasonable, but I also think it should be done without removal of the trees that are currently there.

3wheeler

The land between the townhouses and the wash edge, that is the land with the path, is owned by the townhouse homeowners' association. It is registered as a common area and as a linear park. The property valuation is at $500 and the tax on it is $50 per year. That piece of land is the only one that is privately held along the south river bank between First and Campbell. It is clear that the county is giving the HOA a big break on the taxes. It is also clear that the townhouses would be in jeapordy w/out the soil-cement wall that the county installed to keep the wash from eroding the bank. I think the county should purchase the land under imminent domaine for the use of the general public as determined by the citizens of Pima County.

Boy, this just seems real similar to the Catalina trailhead smackdown. HOA in this corner....citizens of Pima County in the other. My money's on the HOA.

Colby

Two observations: 1. Many angry people have poor grammar/writing skills. 2. It seems they (the against crowd) view that section of the path as their own private path/park. I'm not sure if just removing the sign or leaving trees etc would make them happy. I bet they just don't want anyone else using 'their' path.

miguel

I like it the way it is and am against the 'improvements.' They should just remove the no bike signs and replace them with "go slow for safety/pedestrians" or something of that nature

ljl

I love biking the Rillito, but they have a point. It's a lovely, quiet section. I believe all of the south side from Campbell to the east is unpaved. I suggest a better alternative: pave the short section north of the Rillito between the Tucson Racquet Club and St. Philips Plaza, virtually eliminating the need for bike traffic between Mountain and Campbell's south side. Riders on the north side could be on pavement from Craycroft to at least Chula Vista; walkers and riders could have an unpaved path from Campbell east.