TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Thousands of Tucsonans took to the streets on Sunday — but not behind the wheel.
Midtown’s Treat Avenue was completely closed to car traffic as pedestrians, cyclists, and local vendors filled the roadway for this spring’s Cyclovia, a community event organized by the nonprofit Living Streets Alliance.
The festive, open-street block party stretched from Broadway Boulevard all the way north to Glenn Street, giving residents a rare chance to experience the city’s streets as shared public spaces — not just thoroughfares for vehicles.
Inspired by Bogotá, Colombia’s “Ciclovía” tradition, Tucson’s version aims to promote health, community and sustainable transportation alternatives.
“It was a way of bringing life to the streets and showing that streets are living places that people can enjoy and share,” said Elliot DuMont, Board Chairman of Living Streets Alliance.
Cyclovia events happen twice a year and are growing in popularity. Organizers estimate between 30,000 to 50,000 people participate each time, making it one of the city's largest community gatherings.
“When you’re walking or biking around, you’re not only exposed to the environment,” DuMont added, “but you’re also able to say hello to your neighbors, connect with the people around, and really enjoy life in a different way.”
The event isn’t just about fun — it's a vision for a more connected Tucson. By removing cars from the equation, Cyclovia encourages residents to consider alternate, more accessible forms of transportation.
“By doing an event like this, we are able to exemplify what a future of Tucson could look like,” DuMont said. “A long-term vision is to ensure we have accessible, dignified, and safe ways of getting around Tucson.”
Attendees like Jackie Gerard and Anne Novak, who attended the festivities for the first time, say that the vision resonates.
“You can eat, you can see people and everybody’s kinda happy,” Gerard said. “That’s what I like the best. A little bit of happiness in our world right now — not such a bad thing, right?”
The event also features local nonprofits and businesses, whose tents lined Treat Avenue. This included the Homing Project, an organization setting up micro home villages for homeless individuals. Co-founder and CEO Kris Olsen-Garewal says she created the project after turning away a homeless man who asked to stay with her.
“I said no but I decided that wasn’t the right answer,” she said of the experience. Her son gave her the idea to provide inexpensive housing for the homeless, which she at first balked at. “I looked at it and said ‘no, I’m retired.’ About two weeks later, I decided that I’m retired and I’ve got the time.”
The organization acquired land from the Arizona Land Trust near Glenn St. and, in two weeks, will open its first housing project. The village will also provide meals, social services, job searching and training for those eligible. Olsen-Garewal says the project is a win-win for the city, which is planning an affordable housing complex on the same land.
“By putting in the infrastructure that we’re going to use in a place that they can use later, we are lowering their costs to build a house,” she said. “Hopefully, when we leave, they will put up the apartment complex.”
Olsen-Garewal said the organization was able to connect with new volunteers for the organization, a result of Cyclovia bringing the community together to peruse the streets.
Cyclovia is also expanding with smaller spinoff events throughout the year. Board member Alejandro Angel says these “Cyclovitas” will bring the mission to more neighborhoods, focusing not just on transportation but on public health as well.
The next full Cyclovia event is scheduled for Sunday, October 26, with the exact route still to be determined.
KGUN9 will keep you updated on route details and participating neighborhoods as plans develop.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
