Welcome to part 3 of my investigation into the wisdom and practicality of making the switch to credit unions from my current national bank at JPWellsComeriBank.

In part 2, I narrowed it down from 10 to two Credit Unions worth serious consideration:

Desert Schools Federal Credit Union and Arizona Central Credit Union.

I’m starting with Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, but there is a significant amount of overlapping, so you’ll want to read this first one, first, or you’ll miss out on a good portion of both reviews.

Desert Schools Federal Credit Union

They have 56 valley locations. I went to the one on Missouri and 7th Street, by the Buffalo Exchange. They were very nice. I asked if they had a demo of their online system. They did not have one. A woman at another desk said, “You can look at my account”. I was surprised that she was willing to share her personal information and resisted at first, but I saw that it works about the same as the accounts at my current national bank, though it’s not as pretty or intuitive. JPWellsComeriBank spends a lot more money on their customer website account interface.

Both Desert Schools Federal Credit Union and Arizona Central Credit Union have mobile apps, but neither of them have the app feature where you can take a picture of your check and deposit it through your phone. Now, that’s not something I need at present, but it’s worth knowing. Because as soon as they do come out with that feature, you better believe I’ll take advantage of it, especially given the small number of physical locations compared to the larger, national banks.

Bill Pay, for all of their different checking account types, except for one that is set up for kids, is always free with Desert Schools Federal Credit Union. I was impressed with that. You can also see copies of your checks for free. The national banks charge for that. This credit union also interfaces with Quicken.

This part is the most important for a small business like mine, and in fact, it was one of the reasons I hesitated moving away from the megabank I’ve been with. In the end, I’ve seen that I really had nothing to worry about. I’m sure the megabanks are happy to feed the fear that credit unions won’t be able to provide the same on-line services.

Withdrawals from non-credit union banks are free for the first four and $2 after that. But there is a workaround to those non-specific-institution charges; one that is often utilized by people, but never openly promoted (and for obvious reasons): make a cash withdrawal when making a purchase at a supermarket. This method also suggests a way around any maximum per day ATM withdrawal amount.

For security on their credit/debit cards, they use Visa Fraud Monitoring. That seems pretty good to me. The woman I spoke with at the bank said that Desert Schools Federal Credit Union has never had their information hacked or stolen.

Regarding their customer service:  when I first walked into the bank, I was greeted after a couple of minutes and the woman who assisted me was very helpful. I didn’t tell her that I was preparing to write this blog post, but she was very surprised at the number of questions I asked.

What I noticed at both of these credit unions, if you wanted to have both free checking and a minimum balance, they required you to do a certain number of credit charges. What they mean by “credit charges” is that they require a certain number of charges to be run as credit, as opposed to running them as debit. I thought that was really interesting. I had never seen that before. I later talked to a local merchant who explained that banks get a higer percentage per charge if it’s run as credit, as apposed to debit. In the end, it doesn’t really matter to me whether I sign for it as a “credit” charge or use my pin as a “debit”. The money comes out of my account the same way.

$7 dollars a month is what you pay for their personal checking account, unless you have a balance over $1500, in which case it’s free. With both credit unions, you must have a savings account (with a minimum $25 balance) along with your checking account. This is their gateway to becoming a member of the credit union. That makes sense, because then you have voting rights as a member (remember, Credit Unions are, by definition, member-based institutions). Also, both credit unions do not require automatic savings withdrawals every month, unlike the national banks all do. This is great.

In next week’s post, I’ll cover Health Savings Accounts at Desert Schools Federal Credit Union and share my experiences at Arizona Federal Credit Union. I’ll then chose one and see if you can figure out why I chose it.

To see the next installment, click here.

“Phoenix’s Innovation and Efficiency efforts are leading the way nationally,” said Mayor Greg Stanton. “As a leader of the city, I get my best ideas from listening to people. We want to put as many of the city’s best ideas forward as possible.”

This deserves a huge round of applause!

The Innovation and Efficiency Task Force went to work January 2010, with private sector members and city executives serving together. Ideas flow through the Task Force to a subcommittee and then to the full City Council. In this excellent 10-minute video the City Celebrates $59 million in Innovation and Efficiency Savings (with numerous specific examples) and announces a $100 million Goal.

“The leadership from Mayor Stanton and Councilman Gates, the full City Council, our Task Force members and hard work from city staff have created a culture of innovation,”said City Manager and Task Force creator, David Cavazos. “Innovative ideas and sound financial management are at the heart of what we do here at the city of Phoenix, and we will continue to find new ideas and solutions.”

Marty Schultz, Task Force Member, and Senior Policy Dir. Brownstein/Hyatt/Farber/Schrek had this to say about the people in the private sector who are involved:

“They are actually very smart people who have finance backgrounds, service backgrounds, and management backgrounds, and have been able to work closely with the city staff.”

This brings to mind a string of programs Mayor Stanton and the city have initiated: In June, I told you about the unveiling of “Go Green Like Your Grocer”, a community energy efficiency showcased at AJ’s Fine Foods; in August, the innovate community-engaging website ‘My Plan Phx’ opened an opportunity for residents to help shape the future of the city through participation in updating the city’s General Plan (Conserve Create ConnectPHX), and planning for the communities along the light rail line (ReinventPHX). This short 1:30 video gives a good idea of what My Plan PHX is all about.

As a former State Legislator and the former state Energy Office Director, I have a strong understanding of energy efficiency in homes. I participated in Energize Phoenix on my property in Garfield, as have many others. That’s a significant bonus when people work with me as their agent. Of the two homes I’ve renovated in Central Phoenix, I did the Energize Phoenix program on my 1925 Arts and Crafts Bungalow. (The other home is a 1948 “war baby” tract home). I understand the attractions and challenges of old homes, as well as how to identify quality new homes. So, please let me know if I can apply my experience to help you buy or sell an energy efficient home in Phoenix.

 [innovation image: seth1492][usa image: Kyle McDonald]

Thank you again to Amber Harrold of Camelbackpackers Hostel. Amber and her family put out an incredible spread for us, including local craft beer, wine and even camel-shaped cookies. If she went to those lengths for us, you can feel good recommending your friends to say at CamelbackPackers Hostel when they come through town.

As we roll in to the cooler weather we start to think about family and all of the holidays centered on spending time together.

This month, please join us for our first annual Get Your PHX Family Thanksgiving. You’ve all been so supportive of Get Your PHX and Cenpho businesses for so long that you really are part of the family. So, before you head off for your “other” family dinners in late November, please join your Get Your PHX family for one special thanksgiving meal.

Hob Nobs owners Bob and Sharilyn are preparing a very warm reception for us. In addition to their regular, vast menu of goodies, Hob Nobs is offering a Thanksgiving Sandwich special for just $10 -that’s a turkey and cranberry sandwich and a drink. In addition, they are offering a $1.99 craft bottle of beer, to be announced.

Hob Nobs is also organizing for their most popular musical act, DirtMusic, to entertain us for Get Your PHX. This band has travelled around the world to play its mix of alternative blues and bluegrass. You don’t want to miss this.

And, of course, I will be hosting the monthly raffle. Don’t miss out. Your PHX family misses you!

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO-NIGHT EVENT. DEC. 5TH AND 12.

Friends, it is official. Phoestivus is on and bigger than ever. Not only will we have over 50 vendors. Not only will we have at least 6 food trucks. Not only will we have feats of strength, an airing of grievances and the worlds largest Phoestivus pole (as far as you know).

Not only that, friends. But this:

This November (right before the holiday season and Phoenix’s peak months for tourism), Union at the Biltmore, located on the east end of Biltmore Fashion Park between Stingray Sushi and Season 52, will open 7,200 square feet of retail space in an exciting effort to highlight the mix or “union” of national shops with 18 one-of-a-kind small retailers from the local Phoenix community.

Matt Haldane of the Phoenix Business Journal reported that  Kimber Lanning, executive director of the Phoenix-based non-profit, Local First Arizona, was a consultant on the project.

Confirmed locally owned independent boutiques include Whoopie Baking Co., Citrine Natural Beauty Bar, Paris Envy and Frances Vintage.

Francis original store on Central Avenue and Camelback Road is not moving. In fact, owner Georganne Bryant has said that she’s hoping this smaller store at Union will drive business to her larger store at the original location.

On August 18^th, the Arizona Republic reported that Union had 11 signed leases out of the 18 total retail spaces available. Without a project like this, many of these stores would not be able to afford the rent.

A Phoenix New Times article said that each shop will be allotted 200-500 sq. feet of retail space with a year-long lease, giving mall shoppers a small preview of what their business has to offer. I read in another article that of the leases are for one year, but a couple of tenants have signed on for three.

Says the Arizona Republic:

Frances owner Georganne Bryant hopes to benefit from the Biltmore name but mainly wants to reach a customer who wouldn’t usually have wandered into her shop on Central Avenue and Camelback Road. Frances sells gifts and clothing for men, women and children.

“I was looking to expand, and I really love Phoenix, and they approached me with the project and it just seemed like a perfect fit,” she said. “It’s just kind of a different traffic area and a different location.”

She plans to use her Union location to draw customers to her larger shop, which will carry items not found at the Biltmore location.

“It’ll be like, ‘If you like this (the 500-square-foot shop), you’ll love this (the 2,000-square-foot shop),” she said.

The project was started by Mary Boyd-Williams (Senior Leasing Manager for Macerich) who’d been thinking for a long time about how to bring local flavor into the Biltmore.

Macerich is one of the largest owners of regional and community shopping centers in the United States, with 95 malls in 19 states; in 2002, they acquired Phoenix-based Westcor Partners and became the dominant mall operator in Phoenix. The Westcor portfolio included some of the leading retail assets in the country, including the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall, Scottsdale Borgata, Chandler Fashion Center, and Phoenix Biltmore Fashion Square.

With the introduction of the Union space this November, Biltmore hopes to start hosting events that highlight the community by bringing in local artists. According to the Phoenix Business Journal,

The shops at Union will mark a soft opening Nov. 8, followed by a three-day grand opening weekend Nov. 9-11.”

The Queen Creek Olive Mill is excited to bring our passion for simple, delicious and healthy cuisine to the Biltmore area with Trattoria del Piero, along with our new retail location for Oils and Olives,” said Perry Rea, owner.  “We hope to create a special culinary and shopping experience where locavores can shop and dine with us while enjoying our family recipes and delicious products.”

 A Complete list of Union at the Biltmore shops:

Bonafide Goods is a new concept from Greg Eveloff of The Clotherie.  Offering a modern interpretation of classic American men’s clothing, hats and accessories, it also will house Phoenix’s first micro-haberdashery.

Customatic.com brings together years of experience designing and building great architecture, furniture and interior items to create custom pieces for the modern home.

Oils and Olives by Queen Creek Olive Mill will offer its popular branded products.  Customers can explore the vast selection of signature extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars, stuffed olives, and tapenades along with bath and body products made with extra virgin olive oil, daily fresh baked breads and a unique selection of other local treasures.

For the People is a modern gift and home accessories store with a focus on functional design. Featuring brands such as Alessi, the store will give customers access to great lifestyle design products and give talented designers an exciting venue to show and sell their work.

Frances & Charlie Newsstand will offer unique, hand-selected gifts including jewelry, candles, paper goods and books, as well as a variety of magazines, newspapers and specialty publications featuring fashion, design, art, living and global news.  

Lilly is a vintage-inspired women’s boutique  offering  the latest fashion apparel, celebrity jewelry lines, chic and unique housewares, distinctive gifts, handbags, accessories and much more.

Little Artika, a Biltmore Fashion Park favorite, returns to the center in UNION.  Offering cool stuff for small humans from lines like duc duc, muu kids, SkipHop, Nurseryworks and DwellStudio, Little Artika delivers outstanding products for children, newborn and up.

Me Myself & Eye is a sunglass boutique that pushes the boundaries of expectation, self expression and individuality by offering the highest quality of fashion-forward sunglasses, readers and accessories. Operated by the owners of Sassy Glasses Optical Boutique, Me Myself & Eye offers the same superior customer service as its parent store with a focus on unique sunglasses and readers.

R & R Surplus carries women’s active wear that can be worn on the street or in the studio.  These relaxed yet fashionable clothes are from the creators of Fitigues.

Royal Coffee will open a second location at Biltmore, brewing their popular roasts alongside a selection of fresh pastries.

Smeeks will bring their assortment of sweet treats and toys to UNION, offering the best old-time favorites – from handcrafted lollipops, toffee, caramels and marshmallows to yo-yos and shrinky-dinks.

Trattoria del Piero will bring to UNION the dedication and passion for good food found at del Piero at the Mill. Featuring all new simple and delicious sandwiches and salads, the menu will include the famous Kalamata sandwich as well as signature cocktails.  Using family recipes, handcrafted extra virgin olive oils and the best local and seasonal ingredients, del Piero has garnered both local and national acclaim and was featured on the Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate” in 2010. The menu exemplifies a dedication to delicious, healthy and uncomplicated food. Trattoria del Piero will serve breakfast and lunch and a full service restaurant for the evenings complimented by a full bar.

White House Flowers is an appealing, one-of-a-kind florist offering home accessories, gifts and repurposed and renewed treasures with a casual urban look, as well as traditional European-style furnishings.

The Willows Home and Garden offers simple yet sophisticated home décor items along with apparel and in-home design services.  They carry antique objects and a beautiful selection of exclusive lines including: Bella Notte Linens, Italian Vietri table top dishes, Michael Stars t-shirts, CP Shade apparel and a variety of unusual jewelry.

Which is better:

The freedom of a condo? Or the land value of a house? You’ve found the area where you want to live. You have your financing arranged. But, you are stuck.

[Image:davecito]

This week and next I’ll be sharing some ideas to help you sort it all out by comparing the pro’s and con’s of each option. Today, I’m going to focus on the bonus features of a detached, residential house. (If you’re leaving toward a condo, you’ll want to read this, though, as you’ll get advice, too, since I’ll be comparing the two options.)

1.   The land Will Never Go Away

90% of all millionaires become so through owning real estate.”
~ Andrew Carnegie

Let’s face it. Buildings fall down.

But unless you live on an island in the Mississippi, your land will probably not go away.

This is a drawback for condominiums. Although many are built to last, some have been thrown up so quickly in recent years, they may not last 30 years.

Ask yourself this question:

Which is more important to me at this time in my life: being free from yard and home maintenance or buying something that I will have 20 years from now?”

[image: PrimeImageMedia.com]

2.   No Shared Walls

In a condo development, you may hear your neighbors. If you are the kind of person who does not like to see the same neighbors almost every day in close proximity, you may consider a house.

You can build a privacy wall or grow bushes around your home. Your back yard can be a fantastic get-away.

Ask yourself this question:

Do I enjoy the sense of community that I can have by sharing a common living area. Or, do I prefer more space that I can call just my own?”

How much more are you willing to pay for that luxury?

3.  Greater Flexibility to Improve and Remodel

Most condominiums, if built with block construction, give you some flexibility to re-arrange inside. You may be able to remove some walls and expand rooms.

However, once you start talking about windows, balconies, and patios, the restrictions begin to pile on.

If you have a house, you can go crazy repainting, adding features, and personalizing your home.

However, you must still adhere to city code for things like wall height and that massive Trojan Horse water slide you are planning to build in the back yard.

Get to know and love these two links:

City of Phoenix Historic Preservation

City of Phoenix Residential Building Permits

4.  Your Property Value is Tied to the Success of Neighbors

In a condominium, all owners pay into a fund that maintains the common property, including landscaping and insurance for things that owners share, such as walls and a roof.

In a house, you don’t have to pay these monthly assessments. But, then again, you have very little power over your neighbor, who has decided to park a massive pink RV between your two homes.

Or, if your neighbors don’t take crime prevention seriously, will your neighborhood likely improve or decline?

Ask yourself this question:

Am I willing to spend the time volunteering with the neighborhood association in order to protect my property value?”

Hint: You will want to ask a similar question for condos.

5.  Keeping Up Appearances

People often talk about keeping up appearances in the negative, as if it is all about superficiality.

But in a neighborhood, keeping the street looking good has a very direct impact on your property value.

If you are inclined toward a condominium because you don’t have to mow the lawn, consider this:

• The Average HOA Assessment = $200/month
• Average gardener = $100/month

6.  Other Things to Consider with Houses

Growth potential tends to be higher.

Condo boards politics can be tricky.

Houses are more adaptable for growing a family.

Always meet the neighbors before you buy, as part of your inspection period.

Kenneth “Ken” Clark
REALTOR(r)
At Your Service!
HomeSmart
(602) 561-5881
Ken@GetYourPHX.com

 

Please spread the word. We have two open houses this weekend.

Saturday from noon until 3pm – 4729 N 76th Pl. in Scottsdale
This is a great single level home in Villa Monterey. Corner unit with rare side access gate to backyard. 2 bedrooms plus bonus den area. Updated kitchen with granite counter tops, built-in oven, smooth cook top, and eating area. Expansive living room huge window overlooking private yard. Huge master suite with updated bath. Private backyard with covered patio and mature citrus trees.

Drop by and say hello to Michelle Conley, the newest Get Your PHX team member.

Sunday from 11am to 2pm – 140 E Coronado Rd.

Villa del Coronado is one of the most sought after and unique co-op communities in Phoenix, steps away from museums, light rail, health clubs and restaurants. This 2 bedroom, 1.75 bath home has seen numerous improvements over recent years: opening up the living and dining rooms, UV protecting on the windows, renovating the kitchen a installing a beautiful master bathroom. Don’t miss the huge 5′ x 24′ living room balcony and the 5′ x 14′ off the master bedroom. Located in an elevator building, this unit is one of the few with a permitted full size washer and dryer and a detached garage! Cash buyers or seller may carry. All utilities and property taxes are included in the monthly HOA fee. This is perfect for refined downtown living.

Photo by Stacy Champion

There is an interesting buzz around downtown, along the Roosevelt Row. Spaces are filling up along Roosevelt as the economy rebounds.

There’s the Concordia Eastridge Complex going up—slowly rising up to replace that empty dirt lot that used to greet you as you exited from off the I-10 exit on 3^rd street. As I pulled off that very exit this afternoon, I said to a friend, “Look at our new entrance to downtown Phoenix. No more greetings from a forty year old dirt lot. This is looking to be a proper welcoming. ”

And there’s the old Canvass location at 3rd Street and Roosevelt, which back in 2008 was all talk about the multitude of places going in, but which never materialized (see the link for an artist rendering and a list of venues planned, but not done) and which is now getting a bunch of new goodies: an ice cream parlor, a Vietnamese restaurant, an Italian restaurant, and a French restaurant (operated by Duc and Noelle Liao, chef-owners of Scratch Pastries). According to the Phoenix New times, four leases were signed last month so this isn’t just wishful thinking or hearsay.

Speaking of Scratch, there’s an interview with Duc and Noelle called, “The Sweet Life” in the July/August issue of Java Magazine. (The link is a little weird, it’s a photo scan of the magazine, so just click the little arrow at top middle to read the 2^nd page of the article).

They have had such great success with Scratch Scottsdale that they are opening a second location next fall….it will have a café and an adjoining pastry shop, and Noelle emphasizes that the new café’ will be much more than a coffee shop…the new Scratch will also have a full kitchen/full menu.” ~ Jenna Duncan (Java Magazine)

Don’t miss out on all the new opportunities coming to Roosevelt. I’ll update you on all the other  new places as I hear about them in the days ahead.

Of course, don’t forget that I now have a workspace here at monOrchid, next to the new Songbird Tea and Coffeehouse. See the story, here.

Thank you to Wayne Rainey of monOrchid for hosting the June Get Your PHX. Special thanks to Michael Popescu of MojoTree for bringing the Pichuberries and to Dwayne Allen and Danielle Leoni of Rum Bar for contributing their brand new recipe for the Pichuberry Punch. Many folks walked out of this last event wondering where they could get that drink again. (I know I did.) Drop by and try this new drink at Rum Bar.

Thank you also to Jonathan and Erin Carroll of the Song Bird Tea and Coffee House for contributing to the food, the prizes and sharing their new space with us and to Troy Benjamin for his food creations using Pichuberries. Troy, I think you have a new calling.

This July 19th we are celebrating 180° Degree Automotive, which just celebrated its grand opening a brand new shop at 545 W Mariposa.

See the Facebook invite page here.

180° Automotive is a unique venture, started in another location in the Melrose District in 2009 by Bogi Lateiner, a former law student – turned celebrity mechanic. Bogi garnered a lot of attention in recent years because she is a female mechanic, business owner and all-around great lady. She has also managed to fit in time to co-star in the Velocity Channel’s auto-repair “MacGyver-like” problem-solving show “All Girls Garage.”

But as if that were not enough, we are dedicating this event to celebrate four other inspiring women business owners in CenPho. Why are we celebrating these five women? Because each and every one of them not only inspires us, but has also grown their respective businesses during the recession.

Heidi Abrahamson — Heidi is a recognized jewelry designer who has shown all over the United States and in Europe. Her jewelry is, as she says, “modern architecture for the body.” Heidi and her husband, Doug, own Phoenix Metro Retro just off 7th Ave and Hazelwood. Heidi recently got nation-wide attention for the cat hair jewelry that she created with Kate Benjamin.

Kate Benjamin — Kate is best known for Modern Cat Design, a newsletter, website and source for chique accessories and furniture for the modern cat and their people. In 2009, Kate launched Moderncat Studio, a line of modern cat products that includes handcrafted toys, beds and scratchers that are all carefully tested by Kate’s nine felines at their Phoenix, Ariz., home. Some of Kate’s chic creations were recently featured in an annual design episode of CBS Sunday Morning.

Christine Cassano — Christine is an artist and designer, who has taken the medium of concrete to a new level (come see the front counter at 180° Automotive). We know Christine because she is the inspiration behind the Phoenistivus Market publicity designs. Christine has taken up residence next to the 180° “compound”, where her work can be seen. Christine is one of those behind-the-scenes champions who helps drive the energy and connections in the business community in CenPho.

Tracy Perkins — Of Strawberry Hedgehog has proven that you CAN make vegan, plant-based bath products, which are attractive to men and women, alike. Further, Tracy has proven that these products are attractive to national retailers, such as Whole Foods.  Tracy also works out of the 180° Automotive neighborhood, where she makes her soaps in small batches by hand.

July 2012 Get Your PHX
Thursday, July 19th at 5:30
180° Automotive
545 W Mariposa St.,
Phoenix AZ 85013  Map it

I was recently introduced to the 2012 Centennial Edition of the Bicycle Map and Phoenix Historic Neighborhoods  (PDF).

It was created under the guidance of Joseph Perez, the city of Phoenix Traffic Safety & Bicycle Coordinator (May 31, 2012 video), so I had high hopes for what Joe might bring to the mix.

I’m hoping people using the map will see the close proximity of the historic districts, bike trails, canal paths, and light rail stops, and think, ‘I should move here. It’s so close to everything,’  Perez told me when I asked him about it.

As it turns out, I live in the Campus Vista historic district and own a bike, so I felt endowed with certain unalienable rights to… put this map to the test.  Campus Vista is one of the 35 historic districts profiled, colored, numbered for easy recognition in this unique little fold up map. My neighborhood (light blue, #4):

Campus Vista. The opening of a new campus for Phoenix College in 1939, just outside city limits, created a demand for nearby housing. Bordering on the eastern and northern campus, the homes in this district represent a heterogeneous collection of mid-20th century domestic architectural styles.

Eager to start my journey, I head east on Thomas until I reached the yellow dots at 5^th ave and head south. This dedicated bike lane takes me through a dark orange neighborhood, one of my favorite places to buy and sell homes, and one of the most popular historic areas to walk, drive, or bike through: the Willo District.

Showcasing a wide variety of home styles including Tudor, Spanish Revival, Bungalow and Ranch, Willo is one of the largest historic neighborhoods, with majority of construction having taken place during the 1920’s-1930’s. Significant architectural changes in Willo can be marked  in the neighborhood starting with the earliest development near McDowell, and progressing north toward Thomas.

As I leave Willo, I cross south at McDowell and enter the Roosevelt District,

The first Phoenix neighborhood to be designated a historic district… A typical “Streetcar” neighborhood, its narrow and deep lots often showcase both California and Craftsman Bunaglow.

It’s a wonderful ride and I slow my pace even though it’s over 105 degrees out. (One has to have priorities, you know.)  A bit later, I follow the dedicated bike path over the I-10 freeway, then stop as I’m struck by the proximity of the majestic Kenilworth Public School building (and not just because I see my name is in it).

View Phoenix Historic Districts in a larger map

I’ve reached Fillmore. The map shows my path as orange dots, a “Bike Boulevard” that leads east through central Phoenix to 7^th street and the Garfield Historic District–- “modest bungalows, Period Revival homes, turn-of-the-century structures and a concentration of Pyramid cottages.”

A bike boulevard is designated visually on the road by ‘sharrows’, two white parallel arrows over a large white bicycle that make it obvious the road is to be shared with bicyclists. This summer, the Bike Boulevard (begun in a public meeting in 2010) will be completed when it reaches the Grand Canal Trail at 33^rd street, leading bicyclists from there into Tempe. (Read the full story here.)

SRP has plans to install a pedestrian bridge this year,” said Perez.  “To help connect the boulevard to the Grand Canal Path immediately east of Indian Trail but seperate because of an irrigation ditch.” [update: the bridge is now complete at Garfield & indian Trail!]

If you’re a bit skittish about sharing the road with cars, like I am, you might reconsider when you read Taz Looman’s Blooming Rock post, “Why I Converted from a Sidewalk Cyclist to a Street Cyclist”.

Well…Bike Boulevard and the land of Garfield awaits…I’m off!