Arizona bicycle sidewalk laws start from a simple default: no state statute bans riding a bicycle on a sidewalk, so it is legal statewide unless a city or town has passed its own restriction. Several major Arizona cities have done exactly that, which means the real answer depends on where you are riding.
Why Sidewalk Riding Is Legal Under State Law
The statute that governs cyclists, A.R.S. 28-812, gives bicyclists the same rights and duties as motor vehicle drivers when riding “on a roadway or on a shoulder adjoining a roadway.”1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-812 – Applicability of Traffic Laws to Bicycle Riders Those vehicle-equivalent obligations attach on the roadway and the shoulder, not on the sidewalk. A separate statute, A.R.S. 28-904, prohibits driving a “vehicle” on a sidewalk.2Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-904 – Driving on Sidewalk Because the bicycle article only treats cyclists as vehicle operators when they are on a roadway, that sidewalk driving ban does not reach bicycles the way it reaches cars and trucks.
State law does, however, give every city and town in Arizona broad authority to restrict or ban bicycle use on specific sidewalks, paths, and roadways within their jurisdictions.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-627 – Powers of Local Authorities That is why the rules change the moment you cross a city line.
How Major Arizona Cities Handle Sidewalk Riding
Local ordinances create a patchwork across the state. Some cities ban sidewalk riding outright, some allow it with conditions, and some restrict it only in certain areas.
- Tucson flips the state default. Riding a bicycle on any public sidewalk or designated pedestrian path in a public park is unlawful unless signs are posted specifically permitting it. Tucson also prohibits cycling through underpasses where signs are posted against it. On multi-use paths, cyclists must yield to pedestrians and horses, slow to ten miles per hour, and communicate before overtaking.4Tucson Code Library. Tucson Code Sec. 5-2 – Riding on Sidewalks and Pedestrian Paths
- Scottsdale mostly keeps the state default. Bicycles and scooters can be ridden on public sidewalks, multi-use paths, and roadways at a safe speed. The exception is the covered sidewalks in Old Town Scottsdale, where riding is prohibited.5City of Scottsdale. Electric Bikes, Scooters
- Phoenix treats conventional bicycles and electric bicycles differently. E-bikes are prohibited from sidewalks under Phoenix City Code 36-504, and Phoenix also sets a minimum age of 16 to operate an e-bike.6City of Phoenix. Know the Rules – E-Bikes, E-Scooters and Motor-Driven Cycles
Before riding on any sidewalk in a city you don’t know well, check the municipal code or look for posted signs. “Legal by state default” is not a defense against a local ordinance.
Riding Through Crosswalks
Sidewalk cycling eventually runs into an intersection, so this one matters. In Arizona, you do not have to dismount to cross. The Arizona Supreme Court has held that a bicyclist crossing a roadway in a crosswalk is considered a pedestrian and is not prohibited from riding the bicycle through the crosswalk. Motorists exiting driveways and parking lots must yield to anyone on the sidewalk or in a crosswalk, regardless of which direction the cyclist is traveling.
Riding through a crosswalk is riskier than it sounds anyway. Drivers turning into driveways or making right turns often do not expect anything moving faster than walking speed to emerge from a crosswalk, so slow down and make eye contact even though the law is on your side.
Electric Bicycles on Sidewalks
E-bikes get treated separately from regular bicycles in some cities. Phoenix, as noted above, bans them from sidewalks entirely. Beyond that, where you can ride an e-bike depends on its class under A.R.S. 28-101, which divides electric bicycles into three categories: Class 1 (pedal-assist to 20 mph), Class 2 (throttle to 20 mph), and Class 3 (pedal-assist to 28 mph).7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-101 – Definitions Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles may use bicycle and multi-use paths, though a local authority can prohibit them on a specific path. Class 3 electric bicycles may not use bicycle or multi-use paths unless the path runs within or adjacent to a highway, or the local authority specifically allows it.8Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-819 – Electric Bicycles and Electric Standup Scooters
When You Leave the Sidewalk for the Street
The sidewalk default and the roadway rules are two different worlds. The moment you move into the street, Arizona law treats you as a vehicle operator with the same rights and obligations as a driver.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-812 – Applicability of Traffic Laws to Bicycle Riders You stop at stop signs and red lights, signal your turns, and follow the direction of traffic. If you are moving slower than the normal speed of traffic, you must ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except when passing, preparing for a left turn, or avoiding hazards like debris, parked cars, or pedestrians. Bike lanes, where they exist, are reserved for bicycles; other vehicles cannot drive, stop, or park in them except to cross when accessing a driveway or in an emergency.9Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-815 – Riding on Roadway and Bicycle Path
So the short version: in most of Arizona, you can legally ride on the sidewalk. In Tucson you generally cannot. In Old Town Scottsdale you cannot. In Phoenix you can on a regular bicycle but not on an e-bike. Local rules carry the day, and signs on the ground are the final word.