TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Saturday, El Tour De Tucson will put about 7,500 cyclists on local roads. That can be a bewildering experience for drivers sharing the road or getting stopped to let cyclists pass.
El Tour is a once a year event that gives cyclists the run of the road in some spots as cyclists roll through routes that vary from 32 to 102 miles.
Sharon Murdock is in from California for the ride. Does she worry about conflict with cars?
“Yes, but I am relying on the organization to keep us safe. And usually they have, you know, the intersections are pretty much protected. So I'm not really too concerned, but I know you still have to be concerned because the cars don't always know what you're going to do.”
El Tour’s Executive Director TJ Juskiewicz says organizers shifted the route so more of it is in areas less busy than in previous El Tours–and brought in plenty of law enforcement to manage the routes and the drivers.
“They're gonna come up to an intersection where there's a lot of bikes, there'll be lots of officers out there directing with lights and sirens in certain situations. And again, the key word is safety. They just want to, you know, stop then, when it's safe to proceed they're going to direct those cars through. And so that's pretty much all on the South side of town and lower traffic roads than typically that we've been in the past.
Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar says he’ll be riding in one of the events. He has some advice for drivers who may not be used to an officer directing traffic by hand.
“You're probably not going to be the first car in line but if you are look to make eye contact with the public safety official that's directing traffic in only go when they tell you to go they're going to be very clear they're going to tell you where to go which direction that's not the time to debate which direction you'd like to go we're going to put you the safest route possible.”
Organizers know drivers who have to wait may get a little impatient. But they hope they’ll recognize El Tour’s a once a year event that raises about five million dollars for local charities.
