Cochise County announced on April 1 that Charleston Road will be closed between Moson Road and West Louis Street from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Sunday, April 12, in support of the El Tour de Zona cycling event.
The closure aims to ensure the safety of participants and is expected to affect motorists traveling between Sierra Vista and Tombstone. The county said message boards have been set up this week in Tombstone and at the Moson Road – Charleston Road intersection near Sierra Vista to notify drivers about the upcoming closure. Sheriff’s Assist team officers will be present during the closure to provide detour information and assist emergency vehicles if necessary.
Motorists are advised to use State Route 82 and State Route 90 as a detour, which may add about ten minutes to travel time. Traffic control measures will be in place throughout the area, with posted signage and personnel directing traffic. The county encourages travelers to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys, and follow all directions from traffic officials.
The El Tour de Zona draws participants both nationally and internationally, contributing to local tourism and economic activity in Cochise County. According to the Arizona Department of Education, education outcomes remain a challenge in Cochise County; during the 2022-23 school year AASA assessments, about seventy percent of students in grades three through eight did not pass mathematics while sixty-two point four percent did not pass English. For high schoolers taking the ACT that same year, seventy-six percent failed mathematics while sixty-five percent failed English according to the Arizona Department of Education.
Recent data shows some improvement: twenty-seven percent of high schoolers passed mathematics on the ACT during the 2023-24 school year while twenty-eight point five percent of third through eighth graders passed mathematics on AASA tests according to state figures.
Officials say that events like El Tour de Zona bring attention—and visitors—to Cochise County as it continues efforts toward community development.
