New route, new title sponsor for Cyclovia Tucson
Tucson, AZ (February 19th, 2019) – After a brief hiatus Living Streets Alliance (LSA) is pleased to announce that Cyclovia Tucson is back and better than ever! On Sunday, April 7th from 9:00am to 3:00pm, 3 miles of car-free city streets will be open to people of all ages to walk, bike, skate, explore neighborhoods, participate in free activities, discover businesses, and connect with one another.
In lieu of hosting a Cyclovia event in fall of 2018, LSA focused its efforts on policy, funding, and infrastructure changes to make biking and walking in Tucson safer and more comfortable for everyone. This included the implementation of Tucson’s first tactical urbanism demonstration project at the intersection of North 6th Avenue and East 7th Street, passage of the City of Tucson’s Parks & Connectivity bond proposal, Proposition 407, and the adoption of a comprehensive Complete Streets policy for Tucson earlier this month.
With these big initiatives completed, LSA is refocused on its popular open streets program, Cyclovia Tucson, with a new partner and title sponsor, Banner—University Medicine.
Banner—University Medicine is preparing to open its new, nine-story, 670,000 square foot hospital tower later in April and will host a sneak preview for the public as part of its energy-packed activity hub at the northern end of the April 7th Cyclovia Tucson route, just west of North Campbell Avenue and north of East Elm Street. Start your day here with a free zip line, live music, bicycle-blended smoothies, food trucks, complimentary bike valet parking, Wilma & Wilbur Wildcat, and tour the interior of Banner—University Medicine’s state-of-the art facilities.
From Banner—University Medicine’s new tower, the route will head south to the University of Arizona’s Poetry Center on East Helen Street, just west of North Cherry Avenue. Here as well as throughout the entire route, Tucson-and Arizona-based poets and literacy organizations will host dozens of interactive and engaging ways for everyone who attends Cyclovia to experience poetry in a meaningful way in recognition of National Poetry Month (April). From poems chalked on sidewalks to live screen-printed poems on t-shirts, to poetry readings and audio recordings of spoken word, poetry will be plentiful throughout Cyclovia Tucson this spring.
After the Poetry Center, the route continues through the historic Jefferson Park and Feldman’s neighborhoods along Helen Street, then enters West University Neighborhood as the route crosses Speedway Boulevard at North 4th Avenue. From there the route turns west on East University Boulevard passing in front of the Historic YMCA, then south on North 6th Avenue before ending in a day-long block party and festival at the #CorbettPorch, the intersection of North 6th Avenue and East 7th Street, right in front of the soon-to-be temporary home of the Rialto Theatre.
There’s still time to join the fun as an activity partner. Businesses, organizations, community groups, clubs, and vendors are encouraged to contact Living Streets Alliance now to participate in or become a sponsor of the April 7th event, with an expected 40,000 participants. Visit cycloviatucson.org for more information and to see the new route.
Cyclovia Tucson is a program of Living Streets Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy organization that envisions streets as living public spaces connecting people to places and to each other. LSA’s mission is to advocate for a thriving Tucson by creating great streets for all of us. LSA is improving access to healthy, sustainable modes of transportation through outreach, education, advocacy and research.
Cyclovia Tucson is made possible with support from Banner—University Medicine, the City of Tucson, Pima County’s Clean Air Program, Cigna, the University of Arizona’s Poetry Center and dozens of other partners and sponsors.
For more information about Cyclovia Tucson visitwww.cycloviatucson.org
For more information on Living Streets Alliance visitwww.livingstreetsalliance.org
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