Tucson is a great place to be a cyclist. In 2015, The Tucson & East Pima Region was one of only 25 cities in the US that received the Gold or Platinum recognition by the League of American Bicyclists. The League ranked 350 communities from all 50 states, and of those communities, 21 were designated as gold-level and 4 as platinum-level. Several communities that did not qualify for a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum ranking received honorable mention. Tucson ranked second only behind Portland when compared to western urban areas. (See the About section of the MAP Dashboard for a list of the areas.) In addition to the Gold level ranking by the League of American Bicyclists, Tucson was ranked by USA Today (in 2014) as a top 10 cycling city in the U.S. To learn more about bicycling in Tucson visit the Bicycling Capacity indicator.
*San Diego did not receive a ranking.
The League of American Bicyclists evaluates communities that participate in the application process through a set of criteria that are considered key attributes to making a city great for bicycling. These attributes are referred to as The Five E’s: Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation/Planning. Engineering includes creating a safe and convenient place to ride and park. Education is giving people of all ages and abilities the skills and confidence to ride. Encouragement is about creating a strong bike culture that welcomes and celebrates bicycling. Enforcement is ensuring roads are safe for all users. The last E, Evaluation & Planning, includes planning for bicycling as a safe and viable transportation option. More details on the Five E’s can be found at www.bikeleague.org/content/communities.
The city of Tucson and Pima County are both proactive in developing and maintaining a network of bike paths and walkways. Tucson’s Department of Transportation believes that bicycling and walking are important modes of transportation. The city works to facilitate biking and walking by supporting key projects and events; educating motorists, cyclists and pedestrians; identifying barriers to biking and walking; and planning, implementing, and maintaining a network of bikeways and walkways. Pima County currently is developing “The Loop” around metro Tucson with links to Marana, Oro Valley, and South Tucson. The Loop will total 131 miles of shared use paths upon completion. To date more than 100 miles have been completed. With nearly 750,000 visitors a year, “The Loop” is one of the most used parks in Arizona (Loop Annual Report). To learn more about the city of Tucson’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Program visit http://www.tucsonaz.gov/bicycle and to read more about “The Loop” visit the Pima County website at http://webcms.pima.gov/government/the_loop.
To stay informed on news, events, and advocacy issues related to Tucson’s Cycling Community visit http://www.bicycletucson.com/about
