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Streetcar concerns for bicycles

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Posted 10:47 PM 9/18/2012 : Streetcar concerns for bicycles

TUCSON - As construction of Tucson's modern streetcar moves along, bicyclists are making sure they're not pushed out of view.

A cyclist committee has been formed to alert project planners of safety and design flaws.

As construction crews wrap up various segments of track, the committee is helping address and fix potential conflicts ahead of the game.

Retiree, David Bachman-Williams has made it his job to look out for other cyclists.

"You look out and there's car whizzing and you pick an opening and have to hope to go through without being flattened," says Bachman-Williams. He's the chair of Tucson's bicycle advisory committee, or BAC.

The group has been involved with the planning and design of the street car since the beginning.

Their current concern? Missing signs near the University, alerting drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists that during construction they're all sharing the road.

"I know that these are unique signs so it makes it more interesting for folks to take, but it is safety related, and that's the whole point of it being out there, so we're going to jump on that as quickly as we can," says Shellie Ginn, Project Administrator for the streetcar project.

On top of 6 stolen signs there's concern for novice riders. Students new to campus, or those un-familiar with street car tracks.

"And they don't understand that if you get your wheel caught in that gap between the rail and the concrete, it's going to grab your wheel and you're going to go down," describes Bachman-Williams.

Project leaders second the concern, committing to educating the public through upcoming commercials. And taking a serious look at the area of second and Park, a pinch point for cyclists, some say needs improving.

The City is now looking at that intersection and will come back with an idea how to solve the problem.

If you'd like to get involved, the BAC meets the second Tuesday of every month at Himmell Park Library.

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