Residents press Phoenix to fund protected bike lanes, pedestrian safety in capital plan

Several residents used the budget hearing to urge the city to fund active-transportation and pedestrian-safety projects in the capital-improvement program (CIP), including an extension of a protected bike lane on Third Street and the enhanced option E design for McDowell Road.

Will Green, a member of the Urban Phoenix Project board, called for extension of the Third Street two-way protected bike lane through South Downtown and funding for enhanced option E on McDowell between SR-51 and Seventh Street, which includes protected bike lanes and street trees. “Phoenix can be a great city to be in, or it can be a great city to drive through, but it can't be both,” Green said.

Other commenters supported additional HAWK pedestrian crossings and more street trees. Melinda Riddle, a resident who bikes regularly, described dangerous conditions when trying to access existing multiuse trails and asked the council to prioritize safe connections to Rio Salado and other corridors. Charlene Sork asked the city to fund Vision Zero elements and stressed transportation diversity to serve residents who do not or cannot drive.

Why this matters: speakers linked active-transportation investments to equity, safety and climate goals, and argued that protected bicycle infrastructure and pedestrian crossings would reduce collisions and expand mobility options for residents without cars.

What the city said: staff noted the CIP includes pedestrian and drainage items; attendees were directed to existing CIP materials and staff for more technical follow-up.

Ending: Advocates requested that council prioritize protected bike-lane extensions, street trees and pedestrian-safety crossings as part of the final budget and CIP funding decisions.