^ I Support Local Community Journalism Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of the New Times clear. After local residents vigorously opposed a proposal to create bike paths along part of North Central Avenue, Phoenix traffic officials killed the project. In a memo posted at 4:00 p.m. Friday afternoon that was posted at 4:00 p.m. Friday afternoon, Kini Knudson said the agency is making its own proposal to reallocate Central Avenue between Bethany Home Road and the Arizona Canal strip and add bike lanes and a middle turning lane. The project would have reduced the four-lane road to three lanes to accommodate the new bike lanes and the turning lane. “Based on a detailed review of community contributions, the Road Traffic Department is no longer following the proposed lane changes on Central Avenue, between Bethany Home Road and the Arizona Canal, “wrote Knudson. “We will continue with the sidewalk treatments on Central Avenue and redesign the street with the existing lane configuration.” The decision was made about a month after road traffic officials held a virtual community meeting about the project, at which local residents said the proposal was dangerous . inconvenient and inefficient. One local resident who lives on Central Avenue complained that local residents had to stop to look for passing cyclists, while another claimed it was “awful” for children. Many argued that this would shift traffic to back roads. At the time, Road Transportation Department officials touted the proposal as a way to prevent car accidents, improve safety, and add bike lanes in line with the City’s 2050 Transportation Plan calling for 1,000 miles of new bike lanes in Phoenix. Research has shown that similar lane reduction projects, also known as “road diets,” can reduce vehicle collisions by up to 40 percent. Proponents of cycling and proponents of cycling infrastructure condemned Knudson’s decision to end the project. “It is sad that the Department of Roads has given in” to people in a more affluent area who could benefit from more convenient car journeys at the expense of a network that could allow people to use bicycles and other modes of transport, “said Ryan Boyd, a Spokesperson for the Urban Phoenix Project, an urbanist advocacy group, “We are not asking that I-10 become a cycle path corridor. We are calling for residential streets to have cycle paths and a turning lane.” “We are incredibly disappointed,” he added. “It is kind of cowardice, to be honest. “Dave Tapley, vice president of the nonprofit cycling advocate group Phoenix Spokes People, said city officials are unwilling to face” NIMBYism “said.” It’s pretty sad. “The councilor of Phoenix, Sal DiCiccio, who was an outspoken critic of the Central Avenue bike path project, celebrated the project’s death in a Friday afternoon release clear declaration. “We made it! As you know, I have come out resolutely against this stupid idea of bringing this ridiculous street diet onto Central Avenue, “he said. Ashley Patton, a road traffic bureau spokeswoman, denied that Knudson’s decision to accelerate the project had the broader goals The city’s road-building has undermined robust network of bicycle infrastructure, as outlined in Transportation 2050 and the Comprehensive Bicycle Master Plan. “The Road Transportation Department remains committed to adding and improving active transportation options, including bicycle lanes, across Phoenix,” she wrote in an email These plans are for the whole city and we are continuously working towards them across our entire transport network of nearly 5,000 kilometers of road. ” Keep Phoenix New Times free … Since we founded Phoenix New Times, it has been known as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we want it to stay that way: We offer our readers free access to concise coverage of local news, Food and culture. We produce stories about everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with bold reporting, stylish writing, and staff who have won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Sigma Delta Chi Feature Writing Award to the Casey- Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with the existence of local journalism under siege and setbacks in advertising revenues having a greater impact, it is now more important than ever for us to raise funds to fund our local journalism. You can help by joining our “I Support” membership program which allows us to continue to cover Phoenix without paywalls. Josh Kelety is a writer for Phoenix New Times. He previously worked as a reporter for Inlander and Seattle Weekly.
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