After four years and more than 150 posts about the streetcar on Tucson Velo, the day has finally arrived that the public can hitch a ride on the Sun Link Streetcar.
The majority of the posts on this site have been critical of the project pointing out issues that make it less safe for cyclists.
It’s clear the tracks are a hazard and the for the routes to truly be safe parking needs to be removed along narrow spaces like Fourth Avenue.
More can and needs to be done to make sure everyone can get where they want to easily and safely.
That said it only takes spending a Saturday night in downtown Tucson to see that the impact the streetcar has had on the region.
Downtown Tucson is once again a destination people want to go to and the streetcar has played a large role in that.
Bicycle advocates still have work to do to keep improving safety along the corridor, but I’m liking the new and improved Tucson.
Plus my kids sure are excited to ride it.
The Arizona Daily Star has a good resource page about how to ride. Also check out the interactive map one of my students put together.
I agree with the basic tenor of this post. I too, am in favor of the streetcar. I think it is a great addition to the city. That said, the bicycle community needs to keep pushing back when the bureaucrats make bad (unsafe) decisions about the implementation of the streetcar projects.
no 200+ mil of mis-spent borrowing did that …though china is most happy
Went to go for a ride on it, but could only get a seat on the city bus put into service to handle the street car over flow. Farley was right in his prediction that the street car would increase bus ridership.