The secret (bicycle) garden

November 14, 2012 • Posted by: Michael McKisson

Last week I was running a few errands and I had reason to use a little known piece of bicycle infrastructure near Campbell Avenue just south of Sixth Street.

The photos posted below are heading from east to west.

The entrance to the secret bicycle garden is at 7th Street and Norris Avenue.

There is free air, benches and what appear to be bike lockers for the apartments nearby.

Just off the circular area is a bike path that cuts between two buildings.

The short path ends at Campbell Avenue.

In the median at Campbell Avenue there is an area for bikes to wait for a clearing after crossing one side.

The area in the median is large enough to fit several bikes including a cargo bike and this cyclist.

When I crossed, traffic was light and it was quite easy, though during rush hour I could see it being more difficult.

I started wondering, are there other little secret bicycle gems that maybe we don’t know about or have forgotten? Post them in the comment section.

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10 comments

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Orvis

I use Jason Vista off of Campbell to get to that Sam Lena path from the west. Nice to no the PV part is getting built now.

StrawHousePig

Not a secret, but Stonehenge on the north side Rillito loop east of La Cholla blew my mind the first time I went by it.

Alan Solot

Does the air compressor have both presta and schrader valves?

hurri47

I just yesterday rode a new-to-me path that allows no-street travel from the Aviation path to Kino Stadium. The section from the Palo Verde overpass to Sam Lena Park was new to me. If someone could clear the huge sandpile in Rodeo Wash where it goes under Benson Highway, we could continue on to Park Ave (just a skip and a jump from the Rodeo Wash path after going around Veterans Hospital).

3wheeler

hurri47, the path from the PV overpass to the reservoir is brand new. The path from the reservoir to Park Ave, and the path by the Vets hospital are part of the same path but they haven't been connected together yet. The latter two bits are part of the Julien wash path that will make up a section of the Loop when it is all done. Go check out the new path construction along the Julien wash between Valencia and Rita. A couple sections have been in for quite a while, but they are currently working to fill in the gaps over there right now.

hurri47

I love that Julian Wash path by Rita Ranch - it means I never have to ride that part of the Valencia Road death trap ever again. (The Valencia Road death trap west of Kolb looks unavoidable for the foreseeable future.) I also found another mile of Julian path near Littletown that I'm looking forward to seeing hooked up.

hurri47

Oops - I said Rodeo, but I meant Julian Wash both places.

3wheeler

There are quite a few short bike/ped paths around town that don't connect to anything bigger. You wouldn't know of them unless you have a reason for going all over town. One path runs along Rodeo wash between S. 16th Ave. to just shy of S. 6th Ave.

Red Star

Red Star likes the median bike island/refuge (5th and 6th photos). It wouldn't work on every arterial, but could be a lower cost solution than full-blown signaled crossings for arterials where cycling is established but not super high volume. Enables cyclists to safely "work the gaps."

Ted Johnson

Imagine that you already live in a world were bike amenities like this are so commonplace that they don't merit merit mentioning. Back to reality. Whoever is responsible for this oasis, I hope they realize that, whatever opposition they may have encountered when they proposed it, it was worth it.