University Boulevard between Campbell Avenue and Cherry Avenue was closed this morning and will be for the next 8 days for University of Arizona’s Spring Fling.
The student-run carnival returns to campus after a 15 year hiatus. The downside is the popular route into and through campus is closed to both pedestrians and cyclists.
As of last Friday, officials were unsure of what the detour would be for cyclists, but are now suggesting Speedway and Broadway Boulevards or 2nd Street and Enke Drive. (See the attached map for the suggestions.)
University of Arizona student Beth Christopherson uses Third Street/University twice a day to get from her home to classes. She said she was annoyed with the detour.
Christopherson uses the route because it is the easiest and safest way to get to classes.
“There are no cars on it and you aren’t always about to get hit,” she said of the route. “Now I have to figure out a different way to get to class.”
She said she doesn’t feel comfortable riding on Campbell Avenue, but will have to “make due” during the closure.
The stretch will also be closed to pedestrians who will have to find alternative routes around Spring Fling. (See the map below).
Third Street/University Boulevard is consistently the top location for cyclists in the city. In 2012 1,001 cyclists were counted at that intersection in four hours of counting. In the same year, it had the fifth highest number (546) of pedestrians counted during the same time frame.
Check out the map below, which shows the closed area and the suggested detours for east and west-bound cyclists.
View Spring Fling Closure in a larger map
This is total crap. For casual riders the detours all involve some hairy left turns on busy streets. First we had to suffer 2 weeks of Book Festival prep, now this during prime time riding season. Oh, and I forgot the permanent closure of the Warren Ave underpass to bikes.
You would think that since this is a lengthy re-route, that they might have incorporated lane separation for the distance on Campbell. It can be quite busy and the bike lanes are rather narrow for the amount of expected bike traffic. Where was the U of A BAC on this?
@zz It doesn’t seem that there was a plan at all until they got a call from us asking what the plan was…
@zz actually you can cross Campbell on third st then turn right to ride on the sidewalk to 2nd st and continue on. The sidewalk can be used for contra-flow for those who want to get to 2nd st from 3rd st during the Spring Fling