The City of Tucson recently upgraded the Third Street and Tucson Boulevard intersection to improve detection of bicycles.

The city added two “bike pucks” — circular black devices placed in the ground that detect the metal in bicycle wheels and send a signal to the light to change.

The city’s outgoing bike and pedestrian coordinator, Tom Thivener said he received a lot of complaints about the light not detecting cyclists waiting at the intersection.

“If you go through there at night, detection is kind of spotty,” he said. “The cameras aren’t picking you up very well. Bikes get frustrated and they just ride through.”

Any regular Third Street bike riders out there? Does it help?

The Mt. Lemmon Hill Climb is scheduled for this Friday morning, but for a brief time it looked like it might not happen at all.

Pima County officials and the Sheriff’s office  placed new demands on Greater Arizona Bicycling Association, the ride organizers who have put on the ride for the last 28 years.

The demands included raising the amount of insurance from $1 million to $3 million.

GABA president Jim Harms said the increase in insurance would have cost the group an extra $1,000, essentially meaning they would lose money on the ride.

Harms said the county and GABA compromised on $2 million of insurance, an earlier start time and slightly new route to avoid conflicts between cyclists and students driving to Sabino High School.

In an email from GABA, the group warned that they expect Pima County Sheriff’s Department to have several officers along the route ensuring cyclists are obeying traffic laws including stopping at stop signs.

The ride starts between 5:30 and 7 a.m. depending on your expected speed up the mountain and costs between $10 and $20.

Check out all the ride details on their website.

The ride is a great way to make it to the top of Mt. Lemmon if you’ve never done it before. Not having to worry about the logistics of water and snacks makes it much easier.

Last year, I rode my Xtracycle up the hill. Check out the report here. This year, unfortunately, I won’t make the ride because I have a graduation ceremony to attend on the same day.

Ian Abbot created the park after becoming frustrated with the city and it's lack of BMX parks.

The indoor BMX park that grew out of frustration with the city’s lack of parks for BMX riders is being forced to move.

Ian Abbot, the creator of Premises Park — a non-profit organization, said there are certificate of occupancy and zoning issues with the old space. He said he hasn’t been able to get a clear answer from the ciyt about what needs to be done to fix the issues.

For that reason and the fact that the park has outgrown the current building, Abbot said they decided to invest in a new, larger space in downtown Tucson.

Premises Park will relocate next to Rocks and Ropes at 330 South Toole Avenue.

Abbot said they will close the original park after Saturday’s session and hope to reopen in the new space around June 1.

Jim Grabill, owner of Craycroft Cycles, opened a second shop in the lobby area of Premises Park and has been thrilled with the way it has been going so far.

He said he is a little concerned about the lack of foot traffic at the new space, but is hoping some bike riders going to Rocks and Ropes will stop in for parts.

Craycroft will remain open at the old location until the new Premises Park is open.

Check out the images from the old location:

Starting today the Tucson Police Department will begin increased enforcement of bicycle and pedestrian safety violations.

Last week TPD was awarded a grant to pay for the increased enforcement, which will run through Friday, May 18.

According to a release from TPD, officers will focus on high bicycle and pedestrian areas paying special attention to signalized crosswalks.

Here’s a part of the release:

“The primary goal of this additional enforcement is to reduce the number of collisions that involve pedestrians and bicycles as well as to lower the injuries and deaths associated with these types of collisions. In addition to the increased enforcement, officers will be distributing a safety pamphlet provided by the City of Tucson Department of Transportation. The pamphlet provides tips for pedestrians and motorists, as well as explanations of the various types of signalized crossings utilized by the City of Tucson. Motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are encouraged to obey the traffic control devices that provide for our community’s safety.”

TPD has received similar awards recently and at the urging have focused more on riding bikes on the sidewalk, wrong-way riding and motorists failing to stop at crosswalks.

Judging from the release it seems the focus this time around has more to do with pedestrian safety.

This update is for the week of May 7, 2012.

Please note: Roadway closures indicate areas where roads are closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic. Pedestrian access adjacent to these closures will be maintained at all times.

I-10 and West End of Line

This area of the project includes the west side of Interstate 10, Cushing Street under I-10 to Granada Avenue and Granada Avenue to Congress Street. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• No traffic control associated with the Modern Streetcar project is scheduled in the west side of I-10 area for the week of May 7, 2012.

Downtown

This area of the project includes Congress Street and Broadway through downtown from Granada Avenue to 5th Avenue. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• On Sunday, May 6, the contractor will begin restriping Broadway and removing traffic islands between Granada and Fifth Avenues. Underground utility work will begin as soon as the removals and restriping are complete. With the exception of the work on Sunday, May 6, which will occur between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., the majority of the work along Broadway will be performed overnight between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

• Turn movements from Broadway will not be affected.
• Two lanes of traffic on Broadway will be maintained during morning and afternoon peak hours. During off-peak traffic hours, Broadway may be reduced to one lane of traffic.

• On-street parking will not be permitted along Broadway between Granada and Fifth Avenues.

• ONGOING: 6th Avenue has been converted to two-way traffic between Broadway and 6th Street, including the 6th Avenue underpass. This traffic control change will help facilitate traffic flow during the closure of Congress Street.
• ONGOING: Congress Street is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between Toole Avenue and Stone Avenue. This curb to curb construction will require 24 hour closures and is expected to be in place for four months.
• ONGOING: Toole Avenue between Congress Street and 5th Avenue is one-way northbound travel only.
• ONGOING: Motorist and cyclists traveling southbound on Toole Avenue must exit at 5th Avenue. Local business access to the Historic Depot will be maintained.
• ONGOING: During Congress Street work, there will be intermittent closures of 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue at Congress Street.
• ONGOING: Scott Avenue is closed at Congress Street for approximately four months. Access to businesses north and south of the intersection, as well as access to street parking and garages off Scott Avenue, will be maintained.
• Construction on Congress Street includes curb to curb removal of asphalt and major excavation for utility relocations before the roadway is reconstructed with rail. The extensive nature of this work requires full closures 24 hours per day.

Click the image to see a larger version of the map.

Fourth Avenue and University Boulevard

This area of the project includes 4th Avenue from the 4th Avenue underpass to University Boulevard, University Boulevard to Main Gate Square, and Park Avenue to 2nd Street. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• On Sunday, May 6 at 6 a.m., the contractor will begin underground utility work in the intersection of Sixth Street at Fourth Avenue. The work is expected to be complete by May 11, 2012.

• The intersection of Sixth Street at Fourth Avenue will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction.
• As work progresses through the intersection, traffic will be switched back and forth to accommodate workers and equipment in the area.
• Turn movements from Sixth Street to Fourth Avenue may be affected by this work.

• Fourth Avenue north of Sixth Street is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic.

• ADVANCE NOTICE: On May 14 through May 16, the contractor will transport welded rail segments to the work area along Fourth Avenue north of Sixth Street. The rail will be moved from an area near Tenth Street, north on Third Avenue to Seventh Street, west to Fourth Avenue and north through the intersection of Sixth Street. Several segments of rail will be transported each day.

• Officers will be on site to direct traffic as the rail is moved along the roadway.

• Parking along Third Street between Tenth and Seventh Streets and along Seventh Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues will not be permitted during this operation.

• ONGOING: University Boulevard is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between Third Avenue and Euclid Avenue. This closure will be in place for approximately four months while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Conductor System.

• The intersections of University Boulevard with Bean Avenue, Second Avenue, Jacobus Avenue and First Avenue will be closed to through traffic.
• Traffic along Euclid Avenue will not be affected during this work.
• Third Avenue will remain open during this work.
• Sidewalk access will be maintained at all times.

• ONGOING: 4th Avenue is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between 6th Street and University Boulevard. This closure will be in place for approximately four months.
• Pedestrian access along 4th Avenue will be maintained at all times.

U of A and Health Sciences Center

This area of the project includes 2nd Street to Warren Avenue, the Warren Avenue underpass and a section of Helen Street that connects to the Health Science Center. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• ONGOING: Second Street is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between Park Avenue and Palm Drive and between Highland and Cherry Avenues. This closure will be in place while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Conductor System.

• First Street has been converted to two-way traffic between Mountain and Cherry Avenues. This conversion helps facilitate traffic flow during the Second Street construction activities.
• Access to the Second Street garage will be maintained.
• Pedestrian access across Second Street near Highland Avenue will be maintained.

• Palm Drive access at 2nd Street remains open, with easy access from Speedway Boulevard by taking Mountain Avenue to 2nd Street and heading west to Palm Drive.
• ONGOING: Detours may be in place along 2nd Street from Park Avenue to Mountain Avenue for underground utility work. Please observe all signage when driving or cycling through the work zone.