- Eric Iwerson, right, shown in a 2009 photo, and Tempe Councilman Leonard Copple, who died of leukemia last year at age 68, have been recognized as ardent advocates of Tempe’s ascendency toward premier status among the nation’s most bicycle-friendly communities.
Tempe is on the forefront of establishing a more bicycle-friendly environment with its continuation of neighborhood and canal pathway projects that will increase safety and comfort for local bikers.
“We’ve had a positive response from the community,” said Eric Iwersen, Tempe senior planner. “It gives not just bicyclists but all residents options on how to get around town.”
Iwerson is the 2011 recipient of Tempe’s Bike Hero award, based on his efforts to organize bicycle-related events, his advocacy of bike-friendly roads and his success in negotiating federal grant money for bike-related projects in Tempe.
The most recent project he oversaw was the development of pathways being constructed along Knox Road, just west of Rural Road, Iwersen said.
“It’s more of a small-scale streetscape project that hopefully we will add to in the future,” said Shelly Seyler, Tempe’s lead traffic engineer. “It’s a traffic-calming project, designed to slow traffic with two elements – one is a choker to narrow the width of the street and one is a raised crosswalk outside of Kyrene de la Mariposa (school).”
Last year, Tempe completed the Western Canal multi-use path, opening six miles of a paved, lighted pathway from Arizona Mills mall to Price Road. The construction included a new intersection featuring a beacon-light system to reduce traffic and bike interference.
“We’ve been implementing all of those facilities around town, using the canals to connect people to parks, schools and other public places,” Iwersen said. “We are looking at closing in some of the gaps in our pathway system.”
“Tempe is trying to make the street system greener, more sustainable.”
Overall, Tempe has undertaken projects on Rio Salado Parkway, Papago Park, Grand Canal just north of the Salt River, Tempe Canal running along the Tempe-Mesa border and Kyrene Canal, Iwersen said.
Traffic calming is one of the main concerns of any project, with an aim of increasing safety for local bicyclists, Iwersen said.
“I would say that the larger picture is about investing in neighborhoods and helping to support residents for more attractive, more accessible streets,” he said. “I think there are a lot of opportunities.”
In addition to constructing pathways, Tempe uses other strategies to add comfort for bicyclists.
“Trees will provide shade, so it makes it physically cooler for bicyclists,” he said.
“It also has the effect of making the area look a little calmer. Even if you have the same amount of asphalt, it gives a narrowing, calming affect.”
City officials focus on neighborhoods with more traffic congestion to provide a safer atmosphere for bicyclists.
“We try to re-characterize a street that normally had faster-moving traffic with no bicycle facilities by narrowing vehicle streets, putting in bike lanes and adding trees,” Iwersen said.
Iwerson’s work isn’t finished, however.
“Our intention is to pursue federal dollars to build pathways on every canal in Tempe,” he said.
The photo is actually from the 2005 bike to work day event.
Eric has done a lot for the City of Tempe cycling community…Congrats!
Really? The goal is to slow traffic? “Every light, every time”. That’s Tempe’s solution? That’s nothing more than being lazy and unimaginative. Do you forget that people work and live here and not all can ride a bike everywhere. Arrogance and ignorance are not virtues, they are faults.