Tempe Bicycle Safety Policies

This rule requires the best kind of bike lane for the street. On busy, fast streets, it means the city must build a protected bike lane with a barrier between bikes and cars. This provides the highest level of safety and makes cycling feel much more comfortable.

This is a promise from the city that every time a street is built or fixed, it will be made safe for everyone—people walking, biking, taking the bus, or driving. It makes sure that bike safety isn't forgotten in any project.

This tells city builders to design streets that make cars go slower on purpose. Instead of making wide, straight roads that feel like highways, they would build streets that naturally encourage slower driving. Slower cars mean much safer streets for everyone on a bike.

This makes the speed limit the same on all similar neighborhood connector streets. Instead of some being 30 mph and others 35 mph, they would all be set to a lower, safer speed, like 25 mph. This makes driving speeds more predictable and streets safer for biking.

This policy creates a team of safety experts who respond immediately to the scene of any serious crash. When someone is badly hurt or killed, this team investigates what caused the crash and, within 7 days, deploys temporary barriers, cones, and signs to slow down traffic and make the spot safer right away. This action shows that a safer design is possible and forces the city to find permanent fixes to prevent future crashes, shifting the focus from blaming individuals to fixing dangerous streets.

This would replace the city's old PDF bike map with a new, interactive one on a website or app. It would have a special GPS that gives cyclists directions on the safest and most comfortable low-stress routes, not just the fastest ones.

This creates an official city program to make it safer for kids to walk and bike to school. The city would work with every school to create a special safety map and travel plan. It also has police officers help out at school crossings to make sure drivers are being extra careful.

This rule puts people first. When the city designs a street, the safety of people walking and biking is decided on before the needs of cars. This means safer and more comfortable trips for cyclists.

This program gives rewards to developers who build great bike connections. If a new development includes a safe, public path through their property that connects to the city's network, the city might let them build more apartments or require less car parking.

This program helps businesses connect to the main bike network. It gives money to shopping centers or office parks to build safe paths from their front door to the nearest low-stress bike route, fixing the last little gap in a cyclist's trip.

This rule connects building permits to bike safety. For example, a new apartment building might get permission to be taller if its design makes it extra safe and easy for people to get to the sidewalk and bike lanes.

This program would give small amounts of money to people or neighborhood groups who have good ideas for quick, easy safety fixes, like painting a crosswalk or adding a new bike rack. It helps the community improve their own streets.

This makes sidewalks better and safer, which also helps cyclists. It requires wider sidewalks and a "buffer" space for things like trees and benches, which creates more separation from car traffic.

This rule helps fight the Arizona heat for people on bikes. It would require more shade trees along bike paths and the installation of chilled water fountains. This makes biking safer and more pleasant, even on hot days.

This creates a city app or website where cyclists can report "close calls" or dangerous spots, even if no one got hurt. The city can use this information to find and fix problems before a real crash happens.

This creates a new full-time job at the city for a person whose only focus is making walking and biking better and safer. They would be the champion for active transportation in all city projects and planning.

This rule means the city has to use proven safety features at crosswalks, like special flashing lights (RRFBs) or raised crosswalks that act like speed bumps. It makes sure drivers see cyclists and pedestrians who are crossing the street.

This makes intersections safer for bikes. It includes making corners tighter so cars have to turn more slowly, and adding special waiting areas for bikes at the front of a traffic light (called "bike boxes") so they are more visible to drivers.

This policy would install automatic bike counters on different paths and bike lanes. This gives the city real numbers on how many people are biking, which helps prove that new bike projects are needed and are being used.

This creates a fair system for deciding which bike projects get built first. It would use a scorecard to give points for things like improving safety, connecting neighborhoods, and helping areas that need it most.

This would improve the city's program for testing out new street ideas. It would make it easier for all kinds of community groups to participate and create a clear way for a good temporary idea to become a permanent safety improvement.

This creates a class that teaches drivers how to share the road safely with people on bikes. The city would offer it to new drivers in high school and to city workers who drive for their jobs.

This program would constantly remind the public about safety. It could put a "Days Since Last Crash" counter on the city website and water bills, and put up temporary memorials where crashes have happened to show the human cost.

This policy makes it easier and faster to give tickets to cars parked in a bike lane. It would have a higher fine and allow people to send a picture of the violation to get a ticket issued. This helps keep bike lanes clear and safe for cyclists to use.

This law creates bigger penalties for drivers who break a traffic rule and hurt someone on a bike. It sends a strong message that keeping cyclists safe is a top priority for the city.

This improves the rules for construction zones. It would add better instructions and pictures to show how to create safe pathways for bikes around construction, so cyclists don't have to swerve into dangerous car traffic.

This creates a public website where anyone can see the plans for street projects. If the city doesn't follow its own safety rules for a project, it has to explain why on the website. This keeps the city accountable.

This program would teach middle schoolers how to ride their bikes safely on streets. It gives them the skills and confidence to get around their neighborhood by bike.

When a new building is planned, this rule makes the builder study how it will affect bike and pedestrian safety, not just car traffic. This helps find and fix problems for cyclists before the building is even constructed.

This policy makes the city look at all its road projects to find and fix risks for cyclists before crashes happen. It's like a safety check-up for the street design, focusing on what could be dangerous for people on bikes.

This is a plan to keep bike lanes clean and in good repair. It would set rules for how quickly the city has to fix potholes or sweep away glass and rocks from different types of bike lanes. This prevents crashes caused by bad road conditions.

This rule adds bike lanes to the city's regular "road check-up" list. It makes sure that fixing a bad pothole in a bike lane is just as important as fixing one in a car lane. This means smoother and safer rides.

This is a plan to test the buttons and sensors at traffic lights that are supposed to "see" bikes. It makes sure that when a cyclist pulls up to a red light, the system works and the light will change for them, so they don't get stuck in a dangerous spot.

This rule makes utility companies work faster when they have to dig up a bike lane or sidewalk. It sets a strict time limit for how long the path can be closed and charges big fines if they are late. This gets our bike lanes open and safe again much quicker.

This rule requires scooter and bike-share companies to share their data with the city. The city can use this data to see where people are riding most, and where they are having problems, to help decide where to build better bike lanes.

This creates a city program that gives a special sticker or award to businesses that are great for cyclists (like having good bike racks or giving discounts). This encourages businesses to help make the city better for biking.

This updates the city's rules for new buildings, making them have more and better bike parking. This includes safe, locked areas for people who live there and easy-to-find racks right by the front door for visitors.

This changes the rules for how far drivers need to see at corners. The old rules were just about cars seeing other cars. The new rules make sure drivers can see people on bikes and on foot, and that people can see cars. It helps prevent drivers from turning into cyclists they didn't see.