March 2024 Newsletter
"Your bike is a discovery; your bike is freedom.It doesn’t matter where you are when you’re on the saddle; you’re taken away." ~ Doug Donaldson
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Spring is here, and we plan to enjoy every minute of this bike-friendly weather. However, that requires a bicycle-friendly Phoenix. This is why we provide all the info you need on the PSP Linktree to take surveys, attend public meetings (often virtual), and advocate. The right time to speak up for safety for all road users--including those of us on bikes--is always now. We invite you to save the date for the PSP Bike Prom which comes at the end of Valley Bike Month. Of course, there’s always our Second Saturday Ride, too. Finally, there’s no better way to support our work than by becoming a Phoenix Spokes People member. Want to check out the group a bit more first? Just attend our monthly public meeting.
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Save the Date for one of the swankiest bike events in town!
The PSP Bike Prom will be on Saturday, April 27 at Walter Studios. We’ll gather at 7 p.m. – dressed to the nines, naturally – to enjoy a glamorous night of fun, friendship and a very fancy social ride!
Tickets go on sale soon. Look for all the details in our April newsletter.
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Valley Bike Month is Only
Three Weeks Away
Get out your phone and start sending those calendar invitations! April is Valley Bike Month, and there are tons of great rides and events for the Valley’s bicycle community to enjoy. As always, there are competitive challenges with prizes, lots of SWAG and tons of other bike-themed fun.
This handy calendar of Valley rides and cycle groups is a great place to start!
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New Phx Fold Bicycle Group
New bicycle group alert!
If you love the fun portability of folding bikes then Phx Fold is your tribe! This fun group of folding-bike enthusiasts has monthly rides in Phoenix.
Check them out on IG for details about their next ride! |
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Advocacy & Action
Whether you take a five-minute survey, attend a public meeting or email a Phoenix City Council member or administrative office, your voice matters. Here’s a quick list of opportunities to make Phoenix a friendlier place to ride a bike.
Meetings
City of Phoenix Budget Hearings
Every spring, the Phoenix City Manager hosts hearings in every council district to hear the municipal priorities of Phoenix residents. PSP members attend these meetings to speak up about the need for safer streets, effective bicycle infrastructure, and projects that help all road users travel around the city.
Last year, PSP specifically asked for additional virtual budget hearings. We're happy to see the City of Phoenix respond by scheduling two virtual budget hearings in April. Attending these meetings is a great way to thank the city for listening to us!
The virtual meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, April 2, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 6, at 10:30 a.m.
Learn more about the city’s budget process here.
Surveys
3rd Avenue from Catalina Drive to Osborn Road This project may create the first protected bicycle intersection in Pheonix and extend the two-way protected bike lane on 3rd Avenue north of Catalina Drive to Osborn Road. We told the city last month that we like Option 3.
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Spring on to Your Bike at our
March Second Saturday Ride
We know summer is coming, but it’s not here yet! Join us on our March Second Saturday Ride on March 9 at 8 a.m. to milk every second of beautiful, bike-able weather .
Meet us at Short Leash Hotdogs, 4221 N. 7th Ave., around 8 a.m. Enjoy coffee and doughnuts, introduce yourself to your new bike buddies, and prepare to roll out at 9 a.m.
This family-friendly ride welcomes you to ride about 12- to 14-miles around downtown Phoenix at a leisurely pace. We generally take a break about the halfway point, often in a lovely park. All fitness levels are welcome and no one gets left behind.
We end up where we started at Short Leash Hot Dogs. They’ll be officially open, so feel free to grab some food, enjoy a beverage and hang out. |
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March PSP Monthly Public Meeting
Get a glimpse at what happens behind the scenes at our monthly Phoenix Spokes People meeting. We’ll strategize our advocacy, plan fun social bike-related events and manage to make administrative duties more fun, too.
We’re a friendly and welcoming bunch, so please come to this virtual meeting.
Join us on Saturday, March 23, at 10 a.m. You can always find the link to our meetings on Linktree.
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Become a PSP Member
Are you:
- A fan of friendly, casual bike events?
- Wanting better bicycle infrastructure and safer streets?
- Looking for fun, impactful volunteer activities?
Then an annual Phoenix Spokes People membership is for you! We are a group of urban bicyclists dedicated to making Phoenix a friendlier, more welcoming place to ride bikes. We believe cycling should be an easily accessible form of transportation for people of all ages, incomes and abilities, and we're working hard to make that come true.
For $20 a year ($15 for students) you can support our advocacy and community building and help cover costs like this newsletter and ride insurance. Thanks for your support!
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The Bulletin Board
Where we keep the handy bits of info.
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- City of Phoenix’s new Bike Lane Projects website. Tracks all projects, even those that don't require a vote.
- Advocate often and easily with our handy-dandy advocacy cheat sheet.
- For $25 you can get a Share the Road license plate from the Arizona Department of Transportation. Proceeds from the plate benefit the Rob Dollar Foundation and Uphill Into the Wind, both nonprofit organizations that promote cycling for the greater good.
- City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department:
200 W. Washington St., 5th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: 602-262-6284 Fax: 602-495-2016 TTY: 711
Email: streetsp@phoenix.gov, www.phoenix.gov/bicycling
- Research Capital improvement projects. Includes links to meetings and email update sign-ups.
- Report a street maintenance issue or concern.
- View Planned street closures and restrictions.
- Use the PHX City Calendar to learn about upcoming city meetings, events, activities, and more.
- Report a collision, near-miss or bike hazard: Bikemaps.org.
- Report cars parked in bike lanes: call the Phoenix Police non-emergency line, 602.262.6151.
- Find a bike shop near you - anywhere in Maricopa County!
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