The second annual Bicycle Summit of Phoenix met Saturday at the Burton Barr Central Library in downtown to discuss issues, ideas and solutions in the biking community.
Among the 20 or so people in attendance was Kerry Wilcoxon, a traffic engineer for the city of Phoenix, who presented a new plan to extend bike lanes in downtown Phoenix.
Last year, buffered bike lanes were built on Central Avenue from Camelback to Bethany Home roads. There have been requests to extend these bikes lanes three miles north to the Arizona Canal, Wilcoxon said.
“A lot of things could happen and it’s being pushed,” Wilcoxon said. “We had three council members tell us a few weeks ago, ‘We will do this.’”
The project would have some possible traffic impact because it involves subtracting one lane going each direction on Central Avenue, Wilcoxon said. The project is also estimated to cost $100,000, he said, but it has a lot of community support.
“The more of you that get behind the idea, the louder the voice is,” Wilcoxon said. “Community matters.”
The summit focused heavily on community, asking the attendees to identify problems and brainstorm solutions. They focused on increased bicycle safety, access and ridership — goals outlined in a draft of the 2012 Bicycle Plan for the City of Phoenix.
Architect and blogger Taz Loomans said she feels uncomfortable riding down Central Avenue because of car traffic. Loomans said she has been honked at several times while on her bike, once by a city bus.
“We need to bring in new bikers,” said downtown resident Julie Baier, 56. “Downtown is so bike-able.”
Contact the reporter at cydney.mcfarland@asu.edu
