County’s new bike routes debut in Foothills this week

Signs will begin going up on Yuma County’s two new bike routes today, establishing 13 miles of roads in the Foothills and Mesa Del Sol areas as stretches where motorists should expect to share the road with cyclists.

Bike routes are often confused with bike lanes, but the terms have different meanings. Bike routes are roadway segments designated for bicycle traffic along with motor vehicles, but may or may not include separate lanes for cyclists. Under the county’s policy, most higher-speed roads on bike routes will at least have paved shoulders.

County spokesman Kevin Tunell said officials worked with local bicycling clubs to map out the two routes, picking streets already well-used by riders out for exercise and/or transportation.

The two routes serve much of the unincorporated area east of Yuma, with one route north of Interstate 8 and the other to the south.

The westernmost bike route begins at Foothills Boulevard and North Frontage Road, weaving through the area on several streets, including Camino del Sol, 28th Street, Shale Drive and Hurricane Drive before coming back to 28th near the Yuma city limits at Avenue 10E.

The South Foothills Loop starts and ends at the Foothills Library, using South Frontage Road, Foothills Boulevard, County 14th Street and Avenue 15E to complete the circuit.

Tunell said the sign installation should be complete by Friday, March 2.

Neither of the routes include any bike lanes, but this week the Board of Supervisors approved what will be the first to be built in the county this week with a widening project on a nearby 2-mile segment of road, North Frontage between Fortuna Road and 10E.

The bike routes and planned bike lanes are being cheered as a major step forward by cyclists, who have spent three years working with county officials previously programmed to build barebones roads, many leaving little room for cyclists to maneuver away from a reckless or distracted driver.

“The number of people cycling in Yuma County has increased in recent years. The Yuma County Board of Supervisors is responding to an increase in demand for safer, cycle-friendly, roads,” said County Administrator Susan Thorpe. “This will mark a great beginning for any cyclists that are fulltime residents or winter visitors.”