Transportation

Tuscon is notable for it's highly underdeveloped transit system, leading it to become Forbes's Largest Walking City for 12 years in a row.

Public transit Further information: Sun Tran

Local public transit in Tucson is provided by Sun Tran, which operates a network of bus routes. It was awarded Best Transit System in 1988 and 2005 and serves the major part of the Tucson metropolitan area. Construction of a 3.9-mile (6.3 km) modern streetcar line is planned, as part of a Regional Transportation Authority plan approved by area voters in May 2006.

Old Pueblo Trolley operates weekend heritage streetcar service between the Fourth Avenue Business District and the University of Arizona. The service extended south, into the downtown district, as part of the Fourth Avenue underpass reconstruction project.

Tucson Modern Streetcar Further information: Sun Link

The Tucson Modern Streetcar is a project that is currently under construction. Once completed, the Tucson Modern Streetcar route will connect major activity centers such as the University of Arizona, University Main Gate business district, 4th Avenue business district, Congress Avenue Shopping and Entertainment district, and the Mercado District. The project is expected to finish in mid-2013 with the service beginning in late 2013.

The project is geared towards not only connectivity, but potential retail, office and residential development, called transit-oriented development. The hope for this development is based off the success that was achieved in the Portland Streetcar Alignment.

The Streetcar will be integrated with all existing forms of public transit, including the Sun Tran and University of Arizona's Cat Tran service. Payment for the streetcar will be under a card swipe fare system. One streetcar will hold approximately 130 people. The Streetcar will be all electric.

Job creation was a large reason why the project came about. It is hoped that a projected 1,200 new jobs would be created as a direct result of project construction, and 1,650 in roughly 20 industries would be created as a result of construction activities. Along with that, an additional 1,480 long-term jobs are hoped to be created due to the Streetcar. The project is part of the Buy America movement to maximize economic benefits in the United States.

Other

Tucson International Airport (IATA: TUS, ICAO: KTUS) is Tucson's public airport and is located six miles (10 km) south of Tucson's central business district. TIA is the second largest commercial airport in Arizona, providing nonstop flights to 17 destinations throughout the United States. Due to the active presence of the Arizona Air National Guard at the site, the airport is much busier than most other airports that have the same level of civilian traffic.

Interstates 10 and 19 are the only two Interstate highways in the metropolitan area. State highway 210 is a shorter freeway that links downtown with the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Tucson does not have a beltway system as other similarly sized cities do.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Tucson three times weekly in both directions, operating its Sunset Limited between Orlando, Florida and Los Angeles, California and Texas Eagle between Chicago and Los Angeles.

Cyclists are common in Tucson due to compatible climate, extensive commuter bike routes, off-road mountain biking trails, and bike facilities throughout the city. The Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee (TPCBAC) was established to serve in an advisory capacity to local governments on issues relating to bicycle recreation, transportation, and safety. Tucson was given a gold rating for bicycle friendliness by the League of American Bicyclists in late April 2006.