A Car-Lite Lifestyle in Downtown Phoenix

Posted on 05. Aug, 2010 by Si Robins in Featured, News

Si Robins is one of several guests bloggers this week on LRB. Si is the editor and a writer for Downtown Phoenix Journal, a website which covers issues and events in our urban core. Si, a downtown resident, prefers to rely on his bike to get around the city.

Since I moved to downtown Phoenix I have relied on my car less and less, and I can’t say I miss the countless hours a week I used to spend sitting in traffic on Valley freeways. When I lived and worked in the East Valley, my car was seemingly as essential as a roof over my head. Traveling to and from my former job in north Scottsdale was a daily exercise in patience and planning — at certain points of the day the 101 literally resembles a parking lot — and I lost a lot of valuable time stopping and going.

When I began working from home last year, it was a welcomed change. I saved gas money, saved time, lessened Valley smog and kept my blood pressure at a minimum. I invested in a bike and took to exploring my neighborhood WiFi hot spots. Working from home can drive even the biggest homebody crazy, so I often travel to coffeehouses, office spaces and other free Internet spots in my ‘hood to keep my sanity.

As I began a freelance-like life (though not a freelancer myself), I was living in the Roosevelt Historic District near Local Breeze and Cibo. Bike culture in this neighborhood is growing — Local Breeze gives a 10% discount to bike riders, and the massive Roosevelt Square apartment complex is home to hundreds of bikers. Roosevelt is home to bike lanes on 3rd and 5th avenues, and they take you to the city core to the south or all the way up to Midtown Phoenix to the north. These bike lanes became my new best friend.

It was not uncommon to see my Roosevelt neighbors pedaling through Hance Park or using the 3rd Avenue bike lane to head to the Willo neighborhood for a leisurely ride. I regularly enjoyed rides through Willo (although the lanes throughout this neighborhood are butt-busting and well worn) over to Encanto Park for picnics or recreation. I soon realized that using a combination of bike riding and light rail, I could get to nearly everywhere I go on a regular basis without ever starting up my car — what a revelation!

I’ve since moved a few blocks east to the Evans Churchill neighborhood, home of Roosevelt Row. This area is teeming with bike culture, as it is home to many urban commuters and bike-friendly spots. Most of my neighbors own bikes, and I am finding more bike-minded residents and visitors every day. The Roosevelt light rail station is only a few blocks away, and many that live in these parts have forgone the car altogether. Hoodride has been a gathering spot for über-bikers for years. Conspire‘s bike racks are always occupied. The Lost Leaf encourages patrons to bike instead of drive and stay for an extra beer. Bikes chained to parking meters are a regular site in front of Carly’s. And newly opened Giant Coffee, with limited parking availability, tells its clientele to take the rail, walk or bike when possible.

While I’m not quite ready to ditch the car (cross-Valley drives and roadtrips are tough on the bike), I’m pleased to say there is little reason to get into the car in a very auto-minded city like Phoenix. In the future, I hope to see downtown Phoenix embrace biking even further, especially with the growth of Arizona State’s downtown campus and developments like CityScape on the horizon.

Si Robins and "Stuart" can be seen riding the streets of Phoenix.

Tags: alternative transportation, bike, car-free, Downtown, METRO light rail, Phoenix, PHOENIX LIGHT RAIL, transportation