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Bicycle advocate urges safer streets; city manager says upcoming projects include separated, raised lanes
Summary
A longtime bicycle safety advocate told the Flagstaff City Council he wants stronger, visible bicycle infrastructure and messaging; the city manager said separated and raised bike lanes are included in several major capital projects now under construction or design.
A local bicycle safety advocate pressed the Flagstaff City Council on May 27 for faster, more visible bicycle infrastructure and for city messages that encourage alternatives to car travel; the city manager responded that several major roadway projects include separated bicycle lanes.
“It's still May. So coming to talk about what I've talked about all May is, bicycle access, bicycle advocacy,” said Dapper Dray during the public comment period. Dray cited the fourth anniversary of a fatal crash involving his friend Joanna Wheaton and said the city needs more built multimodal infrastructure rather than “just written stuff.”
Dray asked the council to shift investment priorities away from car‑first projects and toward sidewalks, protected bike lanes and messaging that encourages people to park off‑site for downtown visits. He contrasted recent car‑oriented projects he described as a combined $80,000,000 in roadway spending with more modest potential investments in bicycling and walking.
The city manager responded in the meeting and said several large projects either completed or underway — the Beulah intersection improvements, the Lone Tree overpass, a planned John Wesley Powell extension and Butler Street work — “include separated bicycle lanes.” The city manager added that Butler will have a raised bike lane to “provide a lot of safety” for cyclists and pedestrians when construction is finished.
Council members did not take formal action on policy changes during the session. The exchange highlighted continuing tension between safety, connectivity and broader capital investments and set up an expectation that staff will continue to communicate project designs and timelines to the public.
