Camino Miramonte-Palo Verde Bicycle Boulevard Project

I really like this whole idea but am still feeling a bit left out as someone who lives in the El Conquistador neighborhood on Calle Alarcon. Currently we are kind of trapped without a good way to get over into El Encanto and this bike route, nor a good way to get directly to El Con and then Reid Park area. We are left with crossing at Palo Verde without a hawk light, which nobody stops at and feels very dangerous when I ride my bike with my kids. I would like to see a path between Palo Verde and El Encanto that is bike-friendly so that our neighborhood can access it. In the long run, I would love for the city to plan out more small neighborhood parks for us to gather and socialize since we feel al little isolated. That's my main feedback.

The recently striped bike land through here, going north especially, is nearly unridable with how bumpy it is. Consider marking it as a pedestrian path since there is no sidewalk, and having bikes traveling next to it. The road is certainly wide enough to accommodate this :)

If the Howard route is implemented, consider doing something to minimize conflicts with the bus stop at Howard and Speedway. Biking south, it is currently safest to use the sidewalk and I frequently encounter people waiting for the bus making it difficult to pass.

Great news that a hawk light will be installed here. That should be a huge improvement and make crossing 5th much safer. It is a little funky since the route jogs east as we cross 5th here...the light will make a big difference but not sure if there are ways to make the offset crossing safer and less awkward, especially right after the light changes since drivers don't always stop as they should. I do think the planned road diet where 5th is one lane in each direction will further make this more bike friendly, including the crossing here. Thanks

To add to my previous comment. While the future for malls and shopping centers is unclear, new projects such as the Foothills Mall would indicate that they will begin to include more housing developments. El Con is ripe with potential for numerous housing development to be added to its unused parking lots. This recent article has already identified El Con specifically, link. Implementing an optional route that goes to/through El Con would be putting you ahead of the curve and has the potential to help instigate these types of needed developments.

Is it possible to change the speed hump design to allow for a gap for cyclist to pass through? Similar to these "bike friendly" speed humps in Portland, link. I'm often riding a cargo bike with my son and having an option to go through the hump would be a great benefit.

Putting this out there although I'm sure the answer is that there is not adequate funding. I am looking back through the Route Alternatives, specifically Phase 1 and I see that there was an early option to go directly through El Con Mall and would provide a new access point into the shopping center along the north side on Palo Verde. I'm not positive that this option is better than what was ultimately selected as they both have there pros and cons but I see how the early Palo Verde option would work great in conjunction with the route through Camino Miramonte. In my opinion, one major component that is missing with the current plan is a connection to El Con. I love that this route takes cyclists on safer and quieter streets, and delivers users to parks and schools, but it also needs to connect to various options for shopping. El Con is a one-stop shop for many people and it would be a great benefit to give cyclists a good way to get there. I think it would very interesting to see this early option brought back to some extent and could act as a split route for those who would like to go to El Con, versus though who would prefer to commute past El Con. This has the advantage of decreasing the amount of users on any one route which I am sure would make the neighbors pleased in El Encanto as well as help with potential congestion in the central plaza at El Con. Maybe you can source some additional funding from the shopping center as it would deliver more buyers to them. Thanks for your consideration.

I would prefer to see the alternative and more direct route implemented here. Making the two left turns going south that close to speedway could be challenging and a more dangerous for a cyclist than the alternate. Turning left onto Jones for northbound cyclist is a safer option as they will have good visibility of oncoming traffic along speedway.

My comment on this stretch was meant for Broadway and Miramonte but I can't figure out how to move it. Here I just wanted to comment that this is going to be a great addition to the bike network and reiterate my experience as a 2000+ miles per year cyclist that speed humps are ineffective for speed control. Chicanes/bumpouts work much better. They might dissuade drivers from using the road, but they do not effectively lower traffic speed.

I ride this stretch ALL THE TIME, at least once a week. The only way to get into El Con, since the neighborhood is walled off, is to ride the sidewalk. It is not wide enough to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, and it's frequently covered with sand/gravel. As long as you're improving the bike boulevard, connectivity to El Con would be fantastic (yes, I go up to Randolph Way sometimes but coming from campus that is not practical/logical/efficient)

I ride this stretch ALL THE TIME, at least once a week. The only way to get into El Con, since the neighborhood is walled off, is to ride the sidewalk. It is not wide enough to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, and it's frequently covered with sand/gravel. As long as you're improving the bike boulevard, connectivity to El Con would be fantastic (yes, I go up to Randolph Way sometimes but coming from campus that is not practical/logical/efficient)

I've already commented on the uselessness of speed humps, but I believe the residents in El Encanto are already lukewarm on the bikeway going through their neighborhood. I don't think speed humps are going to endear us (cyclists) to them. It's already a very low traffic neighborhood. I don't think speed humps are necessary and will stress again that chicanes actually work much better for speed control.

I live on a street with a speed hump. They are less than useless. People either speed over them, or they slow down and then gun it when they get over. Chicanes/bumpouts/any street NARROWING is more effective, and this is coming from someone who bikes 2000 miles a year in Tucson.

What is the best connection to El con mall from here? Would one have to take 5th from the bike path to go to El con?

I left this post-it note at your great event at Parkview Park, but it would be useful to have a traffic calming feature at 1st st (either a speed hump or a traffic circle). This will slow down traffic coming off/going onto speedway or in/out of Rancho Center.

Given the flood plain and budget constraints, what can be done to slow cars down and make this part of the bicycle boulevard actually safe and usable for cyclists? Thanks!

We are thrilled to have this route through our neighborhood! If some biking infrastructure can go in on speedway between the singaled crosswalk and Jones, then that route makes sense, otherwise backtracking to Howard on Speedway is generally lower stress (based on our experience) despite being a bit awkward. Bellevue is a great choice, especially with the traffic circle at Palo Verde.
Thanks!

Thank you for doing this incredible work. As a family, we are so excited about this bike path. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Doggie waste bags plus trash can along the route.
2. Small signs discussing each borough’s history.
3. Small signage picturing and discussing wild life along the route.
4. Paint the path white for a cooler experience.
5. Paint a mural along the path. Also along crossings for more visibility and awareness.
6. Encourage small local businesses to open shop along routes within neighborhoods to increase walkability and local economy.

My husband and I are excited about this project. We walk on the western edge of Catalina High School every day. I would like the green crossing marks at Palo Verde and Pima to help slow cars. Also, a lot of the sidewalk is completely bare of any cover. I am hoping this project includes some new trees for pedestrian shade in summer. Many trees along Catalina's western edge have been chopped down by the city, I think.

Kliendale at the end of the path shows no connection to The Loop. I may be missing something?

I take Kliendale to Dodge and Dodge is already built. I think taking Kliendale (or even Blacklidge) to Dodge would be generally safe and cheaper to build. Of course Dodge is a complete disaster, but I think it is on the list to be fixed.

Lastly the city limits are very close to Ft. Lowell. Are we working with the county for mutual endevours?

This is a horrible idea considering the narrow streets that don't allow two cars to pass, much less with bicyclist. A DEADLY combination.

Just putting this here to voice strong support for this.
It's already not very easy to get to El Con as a cyclist (my route typically takes me to El Con from Broadway), so I'm all for a new bike light near it. If there were further infrastructure (in the future) that would support a cyclist's ability to get from Broadway to El Con, or even get into El Con from the El Encanto neighborhood, I'd be very happy with that too.

I won't lie, I had no idea this was a bike boulevard and I cross by this road on Pima St all the time. Some signs on Pima at this intersection that highlight it as a bike boulevard would be Very Nice.
But other than that, I'm really excited for this project! God knows us cyclists could use some safer paths than my normal commute (straight down Stone).

Colonia Solana does have narrow street and the city is fully aware of this due a city email to the resident of Colonia Solana during the construction for widening of Broadway. The city was unable to place signs stating "Residents Only" during construction due to cut through traffic on Via Palos Verde which still continues. The residents have kept this email as proof the city has documented the street are too narrow. That said, and trying to move forward, Colonia Solana requested speed humps on both sides of the new proposed 4-way stop on Via Palos Verde which is NOT reflected in your rendering of the proposed path. Please keep the promise made that this would occur as for public safety reasons.

Also, the city has failed to enforce the " No Parking" signs that were placed throughout the neighborhood as requested by TFD. Due to the narrow street, parking on the streets within Colonia Solana for special events within Reid Park or Hi Corbett events, has restricted emergency vehicles to respond to fires or other emergency issues. As 911 operators have informed us when we do call to have TPD to respond to these parking concerns, the city has condoned parking on our street due to lack of parking capacity for these events, regardless of the public safety issue TFD addressed in the late 70"s.

I do have a question based on your photo. Is the city planning on placing bollards at the intersection of Via Palos Verde/Broadway? Again this is a concern as it places residents in danger when one is trying to ingress/egress the neighbor as this make this access point for the neighborhood extremely narrow which will cause head on accident if you push cars to one side of a very narrow street.
Thank you,
Bill Du Pont

Isn't there a redesign of the bike path around Reid Park in the works as part of the upgrades to the park. Shouldn't the Broadway crossing connect to the new route, and with some of the additional funding from the parks bond maybe a bridge over Broadway?

This section of Via Palos Verdes is so narrow now two cars can't pass; one has to pull over. Where on earth can you put a bike lane without exposing the riders to this too narrow street?

Both sides of the street are lined with No Parking signs due to the off site parking by the mini dorm on the corner of Broadway, where do those signs go?