Why the Central Avenue Road Diet is a Big Deal

New bike lanes are in on Central between Camelback and Bethany Home as part of the planned road diet for the area!

I rode this newly slimmed down stretch of Central on Sunday with a group of bikers in celebration of this move towards making Phoenix a more bike-friendly place.

Someone said to me on the ride, there are people in Arizona that don’t like bicyclists, that don’t think they should be on the road. And for too long, these people have had all the say in the transportation planning of our city.

 

the road diet is a symbol that bicyclists and pedestrians have finally entered the collective consciousness of Phoenix

 

Finally, perhaps due to regional and national pressure, and not to mention some bicycle-friendly City of Phoenix staff like Joseph Perez and Kerry Wilcoxon, bicyclists are finally getting the right to share the road with cars.

You may think that this is a very small gesture by the City. But I think it’s a very big deal to add bike lanes and put a part of Central on a road diet. Central is our main street, it symbolizes who we are as a city. It is the place where you can take the pulse of what’s important to the city, and the road diet is a symbol that bicyclists and pedestrians have finally entered the collective consciousness of Phoenix and cars are finding their new place as just one of several modes of transportation.

So my dear Phoenicians, let’s embrace this step towards bike-ability and walkability and support the road diet with our words and our actions. If you’re planning a visit to the various businesses on Central between Camelback and Bethany Home, such as the Smeeks complex, St. Francis, Windsor/Churn, Postino’s, Practical Art, or other businesses in the area, consider biking or walking there, and become a part of the emerging Phoenix experience outside of your car.

Tags: bicycling, central avenue road diet, phoenix, sustainability, transportation, urbanism