RTA votes to fund $6.5 million in bicycle and pedestrian projects

November 9, 2012 • Posted by: Michael McKisson

The Regional Transportation Authority board voted unamiously to fund fund all the bicycle and pedestrian projects submitted to the RTA for funding.

Before the vote last month, the RTA made $2.7 million available for bike and pedestrian projects, but RTA’s Gabe Thum said it was clear the jurisdictions had good projects that deserved funding.

“We had about $6.5 million in requests and $2.7 million on the table available,” Thum said.

The board voted to increase the amount of money available to fund all the requests from the regional jurisdictions.

Thum said it has been two years since the RTA has funded any bicycle or pedestrian projects.

With the $6.5 million the board voted to spend on new projects, the RTA has spent about 50 percent of the $60 million earmarked for bicycle and pedestrian projects six years into the 20 year plan.

“We are six-and-half years into the 20-year plan and we are already at 50 percent of the spending,” Thum said. “If a HAWK light goes in today and it saves someone’s life it is even more useful than if we wait another 10 years and then put that HAWK light in. There is still a decade of safety benefit between now and then. It’s better to get these projects out there sooner rather than later.

Check out the list of projects that will be funded below and look for detailed stories about the projects in the coming weeks.

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5 comments

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Red Star

What puzzles Red Star is the Fifth (5th) Street Bike Boulevard...5th Street between Wilmot and Country Club is too narrow to fit a proper bike boulevard unless they close a car lane each direction (which would be really nice, idyllic indeed, but politically impossible) and it would be redundant to the 3rd Street/Rosewood bike boulevard which is in sore need of basic repair. What exactly are we talking about with this 5th Street Bike Boulevard? Perhaps Ann C can enlighten the people...

Edward

Never mind, I was thinking 5th Ave… thus my comment edited…

Martha Retallick

Okay, fellow bicycle peeps, here's what to do. If you live anywhere near any of these newly funded bicycle boulevards, you go to every public meeting and make your voices heard. You don't have to be snippy and nasty about it, just firm. What we need to avoid are things like the 4th Avenue Bicycle Boulevard, where the speeders are back in force. Matter of fact, one of them almost nailed me at the corner of 4th and Helen yesterday. (Dude, your hot Mustang has brakes. Just like any other car.)

Ryan Fagan

Many of these are close to home and I'd like to participate in making them better. I haven't ridden the 4th avenue bike boulevard recently and I don't know why car traffic has become such a problem there. What specifically do you think we should be working for in these public meetings?

Ann C

There is another 1.1 million in projects funded under the RTA category of Elderly and Pedestrian Safety improvements including 4 HAWK lights in Tucson. That brings it up to 7.5 million. Thanks RTA!