More bike lanes coming to Yuma as AZ drivers ranked among worst in nation

In an effort to promote bike safety, the City of Yuma is working on making more space on the roads for cyclists.

Starting with the new bicycle lanes out near the Foothills on Avenue 9E, which are expected to be completed July 3.

The bike route bridges the communities between the railroad tracks, to college park, and all the way across the freeway, creating a safer transit route for locals who prefer two wheels over four.

The Yuma Metropolitan Planning Organization ( YMPO ) plays an integral role in implementing more bike lanes across the Yuma region.

YMPO Senior Planning and Mobility Manager, Charles Gutierrez said, “We’re always looking for each of the municipalities and cities to put a component of bicycle-pedestrian pieces in there. [By] putting in a bike path and a multi-mobile type pathway, you’re promoting something that has never been done in this region.”

This is an issue that has concerned many local cyclists, like Gene Dalbey , the president of the Yuma Region Bicycle Coalition.

” The bottom line is being safe and to share the road and to be courteous to each other. I have as much access to the road as the next person, ” said Dalbey .

And it is the drivers Dalbey doesn’t trust, saying ” There’s a lot of things that could happen and there’s a lot of people who don’t get really good motor transportation training to be a good driver. ”

In fact, a recent study by SmartAsset.com reveals Arizona ranked 7th among the nation’s worst drivers.

” Some of the metrics that got Arizona to that spot include fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles driven. It’s the 11th highest rate of all the states, ” explained Smart Assets VP of Financial Education, AJ Smith.

Gutierrez said there’s an outcry from the cyclist community for more bike lanes, but the best way to voice concerns is via the YMPO website.

That way, the city can identify areas that need bike paths and lanes.