Cyclists riding to Tucson International Airport will soon have an easier time locating bike racks.
According to Jordan Feld, TIA’s planning director, the airport had a few bike racks but they were hard to find and not secure.
Feld and Tom Thivener, the city’s bike and pedestrian program manager, worked together to purchase several new racks that will provide parking for both employees and the public.
TIA officials are placing the racks in six locations around the airport. Several of the locations will be used primarily by employees but at least two of the racks will be located out front for visitors.
“Tucson Airport Authority has a handful of employees that currently ride their bicycles to work,” Feld said. “Maybe not every day, but on a semi-regular basis.”
They are hoping the parking will encourage more people to ride their bikes more often.
“To some degree it is a chicken and egg kind of thing,” Feld said. “Once employees here start seeing that there are more opportunities to park their bicycles, they might decide that it is a viable mode for them.”
Edward Cantrell rode to the airport, but couldn’t find a place to park when he wanted to fill his water bottle. He said it will be useful for cyclists who live in the area or want to greet people at the airport, to have parking out front.
Feld said having the bike racks out front will show visitors to Tucson that cycling is a part of the community.
“It is really nice that for the tourists in Tucson one of the first things they see when they leave the airport and they go out into the city will be these nice upscale bike racks in and around our campus,” Feld said. “I think that it projects Tucson’s identity when it comes to the bicycle community and what a big part of Tucson that is. I think the airport provides a good gateway into that aspect of our culture here.”
Do you know when they will install as I would like to ride bike to that location and watch them install as well as take pictures.
There's been a rack in the parking garage for years, but you wouldn't know it. I had to ask the Airport Authority to draw me a map.
Yeah, I went there on my bike ride from Mt Ave Bikeway to 4th Ave then Liberty – 10th Ave Bikeway then Bilby Rd then Tucson Blvd to Airport then go back the same way. Anyway, when I arrived there, I tried to find the bike rack on lower level where baggage claim area are, I couldn't. So, I found few table and chairs outside near the entrance on left side so I went there to sit down and relax, I can't leave my bike out there unlocked but I saw a TIA employee so I catch up to him and asked him if he knows where the bike rack are, he doesn't know so he called someone in TIA and gave me the direction that I go inside and turn left go up the ramp that go to parking garage ( you know in the direction of rental cars area), once outside again, turn right on sidewalk to parking lot which is a private parking lot. There's one rack there. There were a bike there already. I assume it was employee. I thanked him, he held out his hand to shake my hand. He was friendly, I don't know his name. I really wished the rack was out in front but now they are coming to TIA which is a good news. The reason I need to go inside to use bathroom, refill my water bottle, and cool down as it is Air conditioned. I took a break watching tv drinking iced tea in “Jet Rock” on third floor. I believe I was watching world cup soccer game as well as nascar race before I head back home.
Also, see this TIA parking map, you can see ONE bike parking located next to the word “Garage Parking Entry”
Yeah, I went there on my bike ride from Mt Ave Bikeway to 4th Ave then Liberty – 10th Ave Bikeway then Bilby Rd then Tucson Blvd to Airport then go back the same way. Anyway, when I arrived there, I tried to find the bike rack on lower level where baggage claim area are, I couldn't. So, I found few table and chairs outside near the entrance on left side so I went there to sit down and relax, I can't leave my bike out there unlocked but I saw a TIA employee so I catch up to him and asked him if he knows where the bike rack are, he doesn't know so he called someone in TIA and gave me the direction that I go inside and turn left go up the ramp that go to parking garage ( you know in the direction of rental cars area), once outside again, turn right on sidewalk to parking lot which is a private parking lot. There's one rack there. There were a bike there already. I assume it was employee. I thanked him, he held out his hand to shake my hand. He was friendly, I don't know his name. I really wished the rack was out in front but now they are coming to TIA which is a good news. The reason I need to go inside to use bathroom, refill my water bottle, and cool down as it is Air conditioned. I took a break watching tv drinking iced tea in “Jet Rock” on third floor. I believe I was watching world cup soccer game as well as nascar race before I head back home.
Also, see this TIA parking map, you can see ONE bike parking located next to the word “Garage Parking Entry” http://www.tucsonairport.org/media/TIA_Parking_…