The gridlock on Fillmore Street may finally meet its match as Phoenix transportation officials push for changes that promise a friendlier journey for cyclists. With the downtown area seeing an uptick in residents, cries for safer, more accessible pathways have spurred the Phoenix Street Transportation Department into action. According to a report by Cronkite News, Fillmore Street may soon be the beneficiary of dedicated bike lanes or a two-way protected bikeway stretching from Seventh to Central avenues, a plan pushed along by an online survey that closed on March 3.
“When we think about bike infrastructure, we really think about who will be interested in using the infrastructure and who will feel most comfortable," Marielle Brown, the Phoenix Street Transportation project manager, articulated in a statement obtained by Cronkite News. Engaging with the public via a virtual meeting and survey, the city found most attendees fancied the protected bike lane on the south side. Depending on community feedback, on-street parking might be scrapped on one or both sides between Central and Seventh avenues, reshaping traffic flow and altering signal times.
Already, Fillmore Street has seen traffic lanes traded for buffered and protected bike lanes on one segment. This ongoing shift, part of a broader vision for the city's streets, seeks to provide a secure corridor for bicyclists and further, as Brown stated, to "enhance the walking experience." The proposed project ties into adjustments made last year and other recent enhancements aimed at boosting downtown Phoenix's livability. Among them, is the completion of the Third and Fifth Avenues improvement project, which included Phoenix's first two-way protected bike lane, as detailed on Phoenix's government website.
Regular biker Richard Hauck, who navigates the downtown area frequently, voiced his safety concerns at the public meeting, telling Cronkite News, "I have been threatened by drivers, I have been almost hit by drivers on that stretch. We desperately need a bike lane.” His sentiments echo a priority that emerged from the community's inputs: prioritizing safety and comfort for all who traverse the city's streets. The anticipated timeline carries the project past a planned report completion by summer and into a design phase come fall.
On the horizon, further proposed projects, such as the Garfield-Edison Park bike improvements, loom, promising to extend the network of bike-friendly routes through Phoenix
