If you have plans for Saturday, you may want to reconsider with road closures scheduled throughout the area for the return of El Tour de Tucson.
Here’s a breakdown of the road closures, which take effect early Saturday morning and will remain in place through the afternoon hours.
On Saturday in downtown Tucson, Sixth Avenue, north of 22nd Street and south of Broadway, will be closed beginning at 3 a.m. This closure is expected to reopen after 5 p.m., following the last rider. Tucsonans should expect additional side street closures in the area.
On the far southeast side, Houghton Road will be closed from Mary Ann Cleveland Way/Old Vail Road to Sahuarita Road beginning at 6 a.m. It is expected to reopen by 3 p.m.
Additional closures on Tucson’s east side include Interstate 10 and Houghton Road exits; Kolb Road southbound from Escalante Road to Valencia Road; Valencia Road eastbound from Kolb Road to Old Vail Road; Mary Ann Cleveland Way westbound from Colossal Cave Road to Houghton Road; Irvington Road eastbound from Kolb Road to Houghton Road; Houghton Road northbound from Irvington Road to Escalante Road; and Escalante Road eastbound from Houghton Road to Old Spanish Trail.
Lesean Marks, of Greater Faith Word Church, prepares his grills to cook up barbeque for spectators and riders at El Tour de Tucson in Armory Park on November 19, 2021.
On the west side, Silverbell Road southbound from Ina Road to Goret Road; and Mission Road eastbound ramp onto Starr Pass Boulevard will be closed.
Road closures in central Tucson include Aviation Parkway eastbound from Broadway to Gold Links Road; Wilmot Road southbound from Golf Links Road to Davis Monthan; and Nicaragua Drive/Calle Polar/Escalante Road eastbound from Wilmot Road to Kolb Road.
The closures are expected to be removed as the last rider passes through.
All other closures should be cleared by 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Those attending the 38th annual event are encouraged to arrive early to avoid traffic detours.
Eva Crudo, left, uses scissors to cut off tags and hands them to Kate Alpert during a set up for a bike giveaway in Armory Park as part of the 38th Banner-University Medicine El Tour de Tucson festivities in Tucson, Ariz. on November 19, 2021. Pace Ranch, a bicycle training center, has donated 50 bikes for kids to receive for free. The bikes are first come, first served and only available on Friday. Thousands of novice to professional riders are expected to take part in their choice of 100, 57, or 28 mile routes. El Tour de Tucson takes place on Saturday November 20.
Emergency services personnel will be allowed through the closures in case of an emergency.
El Tour de Tucson is Arizona’s largest and longest-running bicycling event. Held annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, El Tour is a fundraising adventure ride attracting cyclists of all ages and abilities from throughout the United States and worldwide.
To view the route map, visit eltourdetucson.org/el-tour-de-tucson/route/.
