TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson planners are looking to expand the Arroyo Chico Greenway into a continuous trail connecting Reid Park with downtown, creating a low-stress route for people walking and biking through Midtown.
The proposed project would fill gaps between existing portions of the Arroyo Chico Greenway and create a roughly 3-mile off-street connection along the Arroyo Chico and Citation washes. The city says the project would also strengthen connections to other walking and biking routes, including the Aviation Bikeway, David Bell Multi-Use Path at Reid Park, Camino Miramonte Bike Boulevard and Treat Avenue Bike Boulevard.
The project is being funded through the voter-approved Proposition 407 Tucson Delivers bond program. The city’s project materials describe plans for an asphalt shared-use path with landscaping, shade trees, lighting and benches.
Alizabeth Potucek, a planning project manager with the city’s Department of Transportation and Mobility, said the goal is to make it easier for people to travel through the area while connecting them with destinations that matter to them.
“We’re trying to make it easier and safer for people to get around and connect to things that are important to them,” Potucek said.
The city already has several sections of the Arroyo Chico Greenway, including paths around Reid Park and along other portions of the Midtown corridor. The city describes the existing greenway as a collection of four main segments with paths for walking, running, bicycling and walking dogs.
The proposed expansion is intended to provide a more comfortable alternative to riding or walking alongside busy streets.
“Anyone from the age of 8 to 80 would feel comfortable riding on it,” Potucek said. “It’s not a bike lane next to busy traffic.”
City officials are emphasizing community input because the project remains in its early design phase. Residents will have opportunities to weigh in on potential routes and identify concerns before a final design is established.
“We’re in the very early stages of the design,” Potucek said. “So this is a really good time for people to share their ideas and concerns. We are problem solving with the design team where exactly the route will go.”
The city held a public meeting Thursday, Oct. 1, at Robison Elementary School. Another meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3, from 8 to 10 a.m. at East 12th Street and South Santa Rita Avenue.
City officials say residents can meet with staff, ask questions and provide feedback at the meetings. Free food and bike repair also will be available.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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