Fort Lowell Road Enhancement Project

In 1996, the Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood Association was searching for a way to slow traffic on Fort Lowell Road between Swan and Craycroft. The Road had already been designated as a “collector” street for use by local motorists only, but cross-town traffic continued to speed through the neighborhood. The fast traffic had become a hazard to pedestrians and bicyclists, and there were concerns that new residential and commercial developments nearby would add to the pressure on the road. Preserving the rural character of the road and protecting historic structures would be a challenge.

The OFLNA conceived a project to mitigate the increasing negative impact from excessive vehicular traffic, which was funded by a federal I.S.T.E.A grant and the City of Tucson.This project proposed by the Neighborhood was approved through the Pima Association of Governments (http://www.pagnet.org/tpd/) and the Arizona Department of Transportation http://www.dot.state.az.us/ROADS/tucson/index.htm. It was designed by Sage Landscape Architecture http://www.sagelandscape.com and is being constructed by Recon Inc.(http://www.recon-phx.com), with project management by the City and consultation of the OFLNA Land Plan Committee.

What is planned: a nontraditional, innovative project to reunite a historic neighborhood bisected by a busy road.

The enhancements will provide a multi-use path along Fort Lowell Road, and add some 200 trees and over 100 bushes along the road – all irrigated with reclaimed water.
There will be four landscaped islands and two raised crosswalks. The islands, crosswalks and trees will create a visual break that encourages drivers to slow down.
The multi-use path will extend the full reach of the road between Swan and Craycroft on the south side, and will run from Swan to the Alamo Wash on the north side. The path will connect pedestrians and bicyclists to the Alamo Wash trail, provide continuous trail access from Fort Lowell Park to the Rillito River Linear Park and will encourage neighbors to walk and bicycle to schools, local businesses, and to the bus and bike routes on Glenn St. The path on the north side may be continued on to Craycroft in a future project.
Along the walk there are four interpretive areas with seats and interpretive signs – at the intersection of Torino and Fort Lowell; at the Alamo Wash; in front of the San Pedro Chapel; and across from the Post Traders Store.

Construction underway

Work was finally begun on the project in late 2002 and completion is expected in April 2003. Work was delayed by various approvals at the state and federal levels, including an unexpectedly long process that required arrangements for archeological artifacts or ancient remains.

The road will not be resurfaced as part of this project. There are many residents in the neighborhood who believe that the bumpy ride testifies to the character of the road and its history. It forces motorists to slow down, and may in the end discourage cross-town speeders.

Although some vegetation was removed to make way for the path, almost all trees along the road were saved. The landscape design proposes that new vegetation be native to the area.. The trees to be planted include Catclaw Acacia, Desert Willow and Velvet Mesquite. There will be Saltbush, Desert Hackberry, Creosote and Prickly Pear. The OFLNA Re-leaf Project provided over 100 new trees, where neighbors were able to donate trees to the project. Accompanying these trees are mall ceramic plaques with the names of those who donated or in commemoration of other individuals. As the new vegetation grows, ever more native species of grasses and wild flowers will be encouraged.

The Fort Lowell Transportation Enhancement Project is an innovative approach to making the neighborhood and the greater Tucson community more livable. It passes through the Historic District, inviting the local community to enjoy its unique environments and preserve the ambiance of one of Tucson’s oldest neighborhoods.

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