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Tucson awarded $2.57M grant to create Blacklidge Bicycle Boulevard

Published on March 13, 2024

TUCSON, AZ.— The City of Tucson has won a competitive $2,577,591 Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant to create an east-west bicycle boulevard connecting Oracle Road to Columbus Boulevard. Under the leadership of Mayor Regina Romero and Department of Transportation and Mobility Director Sam Credio and his team, the City’s successful grant application will create a low-stress route improving safety and connecting five parks and four schools in neighborhoods that have experienced historic disinvestment. The 4.5-mile bicycle boulevard will connect pedestrians and bicyclists and increase accessibility across all forms of mobility. This is the second year the City successfully competes for a federal Reconnecting Communities grant. "The Blacklidge Bicycle Boulevard will ensure Tucsonans of all ages who walk, bike, or roll can travel safely from east-to-west,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. "Thank you to our Congressional delegation for supporting this project to help the City of Tucson continue investing in creating more walkable and thriving neighborhoods. I am grateful to our federal partners at the U.S. Department of Transportation for helping us layer investments in historically underserved areas that make streets safer for Tucsonans,” said the Mayor. The Blacklidge Bicycle Boulevard also makes use of traffic calming features and landscaping that also shade, cool and beautify Tucson neighborhoods. The project is partially funded by voter-approved Proposition 407 and is part of the City of Tucson’s Bicycle Boulevard Master Plan. “Together we are envisioning infrastructure that is capable of protecting Tucsonans from the impacts of climate change and heavy car traffic. Connections like this bike boulevard give residents access to employment, parks and a better quality of life, especially in neighborhoods that have experienced historic disinvestment. This is what a more equitable transportation system can look like,” added the Mayor. “Blacklidge Bicycle Boulevard connects so many neighborhoods and residents across Ward 3 who use it as a safe alternative to busy traffic routes. As a result of this grant, the city of Tucson will be investing federal dollars to expand this biking network, create traffic calming infrastructure, and add landscaping to help decrease the urban heat effect,” said Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl.

"The Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM) is thankful for the leadership of Mayor Regina Romero and the City Council who prioritize safe infrastructures for all modes of transportation," said DTM Director Samuel Credio. “The Blacklidge Bicycle Boulevard will reconnect neighborhoods through safe and accessible infrastructure. These improvements will have a positive impact for the quality of life for our most vulnerable users of the transportation system by creating a low stress environment,” said Credio.