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Moving Forward Committee

An Organization such as the Coalition of AZ Bicyclists needs to develop from a grassroots part time all volunteer organization to a sustaining organization that can act on the various cycling issues on a 24/ 7 basis with paid staff that are working for the rights of all Arizona cyclists. The Coalition board has developed the Moving Forward Committee to achieve this goal.

We are working towards hiring an Executive Director in the next 2 to 4 years. Additional staff will follow. Please send your contributions to:

Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists
Post Office Box 54488
Phoenix, AZ 85078-4488
602.493.9222

For the latest advocacy information go to; www.cazbike.org
The Coalition is a non-profit 501-C-3 Organization

Tempe's Portion of Rail Construction Mostly Done

William Hermann
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 21, 2007 01:17 PM

The Metro light rail line in the Southeast Valley has in a few months gone from dirt and demolition to long, clean expanses of concrete and rail, tasteful landscaping and a pleasant plaza at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium.

Tempe deputy public works manager Jyme Sue McLaren said the mostly finished work stretches more than four of the line's 23 miles.

"We now have the civil work - curbs, gutters, sidewalks, utilities, traffic signals, pavement and the track bed or guideway - done from 56th Street and Washington to a little ways east of Rural Road," McLaren said. "So the heavy civil work is done, some landscaping is done, but we still have some landscaping to go."


The completed light rail work and the accompanying cityscape is most obvious at the base of Hayden Butte and adjoining Sun Devil Stadium. Where once there was a small parking lot there now is a plaza with pavers and mesquite trees.

Arizona State University architect Ron McCoy said that creating the plaza meant, "sacrificing some VIP parking" that was absorbed in the parking structure at the ASU Foundation building,' McCoy said.

Work on the plaza also meant rebuilding the trailhead at the east end of Hayden Butte. "When we worked on the butte we were very sensitive to the Native American presence, we understood the sensitivity of building at base of a mountain that was sacred to the native people," McLaren said. "In the whole trailhead area we used natural stones, used materials that complement the area."

The light rail line also is mostly completed on Third Street, west of Mill Avenue, though some landscaping work remains.

McLaren said that except where pedestrians will be able to cross the track, the landscaping will be "some sort of very dense bushes to discourage pedestrians from trying to cross there; it's a safety issue."

Tempe will spend about $364 million on its 5.5 mile portion of the light rail line. The cost of the nearly 23-mile line is about $1.4 billion. Of Tempe's $364 million, about half comes from the Federal Transit Administration and the other half has been generated by the 1996 Tempe sales tax initiative that set aside money for transit improvements, including bus service and bike paths.  For more info: Light Rail Transit Association

Wednesday November 7th, 2007
American Express Service Center
20022 N. 31st Avenue in Phoenix (31st Avenue and Beardsley)
9:30 am to 1 pm

The Coalition Participates in Rail Symposium

Published: 10-04-2007
Reported By:  Gene Holmrud
CAzB Rail Safety & Access Director

A rail symposium?  You may wonder what interest is a rail symposium to the Coalition and our members.  Well, here are some quick facts:  

Light Rail is coming - very soon!  

25% of New Mexico's Rail Runner ridership (Railrunner - very similar to our own light rail) arrive at the stations on bicycles. 

During the 12 months ending June 30, nearly 1.2 million bicycles were loaded on Valley buses leaving no doubt that bicyclists utilize mass transit as a primary mode of transportation.

Commuter rail is in the planning stages.

The Coalition is taking steps NOW to ensure we have the same access to newer alternative modes of transportation as they are developed including racks on trains and storage at the stations.  For more information about rail issues go to this link: Valley Metro.

Cycling Group Awards Tucson its Gold Rating

Published: 06.02.2006
GARRY DUFFY
Tucson Citizen

Tucson is as good as gold when it comes to being a bicycle-friendly city.
Officially, it's "Gold," according to the American League of Bicyclists.
The city was among three cities to receive "Gold" designations for the first time. San Francisco and Madison, Wis., were the others.
Organization director Andy Clarke today presented city officials with the award, given by the national cycling organization. It was to be presented this morning to Mayor Bob Walkup and Pima County Supervisor Ramón Valadez at the north side of the Diamondback Bridge, the award-winning bicycle and pedestrian crossing over Broadway west of Euclid Avenue.

Outreach Press Release [September, 2006]

The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists announces the formation of the Community Outreach Program. The Community Outreach Program will assist families of cyclists that have been killed or injured on Arizona roadways. Committee members will make contact with the family and offer what ever assistance the family needs or wants.We want to make sure that the families know the Arizona Cycling Community will stand behind them and they will not have to deal with this tragedy alone.

We are requesting that all Police Departments, Government officials, Hospitals, Schools, Insurance companies, News organizations contact the Coalition immediately when a cyclist is killed or injured on the roadways of Arizona.

Please call Community Outreach Program Director Rita Walter at 602.795.1711 or e-mail rita@cazbike.org .