Supervisors approve update to Yuma County Bikeway Master Plan

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Bike riders in Yuma County will now have more routes available to them, and it's all thanks to the Master Bike Plan recently approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The Yuma County Bikeway Master Plan was first adopted back in early 2022 by the Yuma County Board of Supervisors. Since then, the plan has expanded.

One of the latest projects completed is the bike lanes by the Yuma Palms, and a potential project stated in the plan is a bike route through Dome Valley.

"Recently, the City of Yuma, Somerton and San Luis also updated their bicycle routes throughout," said Javier Barraza, a Senior Planner for Yuma County.

A local bike club member and part of the Yuma Region Bicycle Coalition shares why having an evolving bike plan is important.

"We're dodging traffic out there, we are trying to stay alive, [and] we're trying to get people see us we have so many lights on our bikes," said JR Aguilar with Los Psycholists Bike Club, while adding that being part of a club is more than just riding safety on the streets. "The comradery and the fellowship and the brotherhood and sisterhood of all this it’s kind of like it means something to me."

Aguilar's bike club also adopted a major part of the Levee Road from the pack to Joe Henry Park.

Another frequent bike rider and part of the Yuma Region Bicycle Coalition who's a well-known face in the community says in the future she would like to see more bike paths connecting from the county to the city.

"If we can work together and connect those lines, we can all do it safely….We follow the laws just like you do, if you can share the road and give us an extra to be off that main road believe me we do not want to be there," said Theresa Straub, a member of Gorditas BMX.

The bike paths and lanes are funded by federal, state, regional, local and private funding like the City of Yuma 50 cent sales tax.