architecture in Tucson / Historical Tucson / Tucson

No sidewalk? No problem! Walk the streets

by carollightwood

Since early March when I decided to seclude myself at home after a day at the races with a scary ending, almost all my exercise has been walks around my neighborhood in the streets–not on sidewalks. Traditional urban concrete sidewalks are uncommon in Tucson.

Only in downtown Tucson are there sidewalks on both sides of the streets fronted by tall office buildings. After all, one can’t have a new client who just signed at $20 million deal step out of the marble-floored lobby of the building onto a gravel path.

In the neighborhoods, however, the old, traditional pattern of gravel and dirt paths continues. In the Midtown area where I live, there are some sidewalks, but not many. There are fewer still in the Catalina Foothills, and few over on the newish Eastside. Although, interestingly enough, a couple of the 100+ year old barrios adjacent to downtown, have sidewalks. (More about the barrios in an upcoming post.)

There are also dirt streets within the city limits of Tucson — whole neighborhoods of them. Which I love! The past is not past! It’s still here. (But more about this another time.)

So here is a tour of the “sidewalks” in my neighborhood.

gravel path and bushes Tucson AZ
The gravel path along the street abruptly halts at the property line where the next homeowner decided to plant bushes right out to the curb.
grassy path along street
Here the homeowners decided to forego gravel on the sidewalk area and just let the grass grow–and die out. In another month or so it will just be a dirt path. It goes well with the rustic wood slat fence.
On the left is a brand new (UGLY!) development with a sidewalk. Across the street, right, is a old, single-story apartment complex where the owners decided to pave the parking area right out to the street. I really hate the new complex; it is completely out of character with the neighborhood and the architecture is a total cliche.
garbage pad on sidewalk
Main arterial streets, such as Mountain or Campbell, have ordinary city sidewalks–except for this artistic design of stones that wanders across the sidewalk. As far as I can tell it is the only one like this in the neighborhood and its primary function seems to be a place for the garbage container. Just call it Tucson weird.
Two places where homeowners decided to turn their sidewalks into garden paths. So charming!

As you can see each property owner has decided what to do or not do with an area usually occupied by city owned sidewalks. The spirit of individualism still lives in Tucson!

On the sidewalk outside my place I came across the retrieval guy from Razor packing up a scooter which will probably end up back near the University. So, sidewalks or not, Tucson is still a big city with over 500,0000 people living here and 21st Century amenities.

Black Lives Matter.

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Tucson trivia: the city was founded in 1775 which is six years before Los Angeles was. Of course, there were native Americans living here long before that.

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