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Tour de Zona: Sierra Vista event to draw hundreds; partial road closures, sheriff's volunteers to provide traffic control
Summary
Organizers expect more than 500 cyclists from multiple states and countries for the three-day Tour de Zona; local roads will close Sunday and the Cochise County sheriff's volunteer team will handle traffic control in county stretches.
Organizers and local officials told listeners on KWCD that Tour de Zona will center on Sierra Vista Memorial Park and draw more than 500 cyclists from 24 states and four countries, with roughly 30% traveling from outside Arizona.
The three-day event opens with a 20-mile ride starting at 9 a.m. from Memorial Park. Saturday’s Bisbee route is the most challenging: it starts at 8 a.m. and covers about 63 miles via Highway 90, Highway 80 and Old Divide Road. On Sunday, organizers and highway staff will close Charleston Road from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the route between Sierra Vista and Tombstone.
The Cochise County Sheriff's Assist Team, a volunteer unit, will provide traffic control and safety on county segments of the course, Sheriff Mark Danos and the show's hosts said. Danos asked motorists to respect cyclists and be prepared for detours on Sunday when the closure is in effect.
Why it matters: the event brings visitors and tourist dollars to the area while temporarily disrupting local travel; safety planning and volunteer traffic control aim to reduce crash risk.
Event features at Memorial Park include live music, food trucks, a beer garden and a public "zona" open to residents. The station’s announcer said evening activities are free to the public. The route will include water stops and marshal checkpoints; residents along the course should expect riders on nearby roads all day.
The sheriff’s assist team also conducts neighborhood patrols, funeral escorts and other community services; Commander Black described the team as about 40 vetted volunteers sworn in to support the sheriff’s office.
