TUCSON, Ariz. - For years, the City of Tucson has been aware of safety concerns on Sentinel Peak, or "A" Mountain. City councilmembers say changes are on the way, but they're also asking for the public's input.
Improving safety on "A" Mountain is something Ward 1 Councilmember Regina Romero has been working on for the past few years. She says her office has heard more concerns about the dangers of the mountain after 73-year-old Richard Ellwanger was hit and killed while riding his bike by a suspected drunk driver.
"There have been hits, there have been near misses, but that really activated all of us to get on the same page and deal with the infrastructure issues that affect the public safety element of it," Romero said.
The city has already lowered the speed limit from 25 to 15 miles per hour, and now more changes are in the works for the next three years.
Nearly the entire circuit on the mountain is under review, according to councilmembers. A safety review team is looking into separated walkways and bike paths, dedicated access times, and the hours of operation.
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Romero says a goal of her's is to make "A" Mountain more family friendly.
"We know that a lot of people use the mountain, not just to see the beautiful majestic views of the city of Tucson, but also party up there, and drink up there," Romero said.
The City is encouraging all local residents to share ideas for change. Public meetings will be held at the end of January through March, Romero said.
"I think it's an opportunity to have a dialogue, an opportunity to find solutions as a community. And to be honest with you, I don't want to make this decision on my own. It's a decision that the community to make together."
You can see a detailed draft of the safety proposals at this link.
