Car Free & Care Free
Cyclovia Tucson is an Open Streets event which temporarily re-purposes our public streets to be more inclusive of all people. Walk, bike, roll, scoot. During Cyclovia, the streets are yours!
If you think about it, streets occupy a lot of space. In fact, they usually make up the largest amount of public space that exists in urban areas. Cyclovia Tucson takes advantage of this by reimagining Tucson’s streets as places for people and maximizing them with engaging, all-ages activities that bring people together to socialize, support local business, explore the city, and move freely!
Cyclovia isn’t a race. There’s no start and no finish.
Think of Cyclovia as a really long block party;
a miles-long activation of street space to elevate and celebrate community.
While a lot of folks participate in Cyclovia by bike, you can absolutely walk or use people-powered mobility devices such as wheelchairs and handcycles to enjoy the route. Skating, blading, scootering, or simply pulling out a lawn chair to take it all in—participate in whatever way feels good for you, car-free and care-free.
“Incredible seeing that many people enjoying a beautiful day. All the music and dancing. What’s not to love?”
FAQ
>Ciclovía: A rich history
In Spanish, Ciclovía refers to the permanent or temporary closure of a network of streets to cars so that they become open to the people. Tucson is one of many cities worldwide—starting with Bogotá, Colombia— to host regular public events like these. A flagship program of Living Streets Alliance, Cyclovia Tucson creates a dedicated space for community members to walk, bike, skate, roll, socialize, explore and participate in fun and free activities on our shared streets.
>Info for residents
Cyclovia routes activate streets across the cities of Tucson and South Tucson. We could soon come to a neighborhood near you! Here’s what to expect.
>Getting around
In order to make Cyclovia safe and fun for everyone, cars and other motorized vehicles* are not allowed on the route. We work with the Department of Transportation and Mobility to plan the lowest stress routes for participants while mitigating local traffic. If you know you’ll need to drive somewhere during an event in your neighborhood, car-crossing maps are available on the event info pages.
*E-bikes and e-scooters are welcome along with all the other forms of human-powered mobility.
>Car-free and low-carbon
Cyclovia aligns with our region’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the face of our accelerating Climate Emergency. Walking or using people-powered devices like bicycles to get around produce about a tenth of the emissions of driving a car. Cyclovia gives everyone a chance to try it out in a safe and encouraging environment.
>Food & refreshments
Local food trucks and vendors provide the fuel for Cyclovia participants. You’ll find a diversity of tasty bites all along the route.
The people of Tucson are the magic ingredient that brings Cyclovia routes to life. Read their stories and learn more about the many reasons people feel connection to this place we call home in the Sonoran desert.
Cyclovia Tucson is a program of
Living Streets Alliance is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to create a transportation future that works for every member of our diverse community, regardless of who you are or how you get around. Our mission is to advocate for a thriving Tucson by creating great streets for all of us.
At Living Streets Alliance we envision streets as living public spaces that connect people to places and each other. Cyclovia allows us to envision and enact this as a community, across a wide range of neighborhoods, for two days every year. Learn about our other programs, events, and initiatives and join in the movement toward a climate resilient, equitable, and healthy transportation future for Tucson and beyond.
