The massive Albuquerque Rapid Transit project, slated to break ground next month, has run into a bunch of trouble in recent days.
Albuquerque Rapid Transit, or ART, proposes to devote nine miles of two center lanes of Central Avenue (aka Route 66) for bus usage and terminals. City officials hoped to begin the $120 million project Aug. 1, but several developments in recent days likely will at least delay it.
— Opponents of ART filed a lawsuit to halt the project and are seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the project before it begins.
— Gregory Rowangould, a University of New Mexico professor who looked over traffic studies done for the city, reported ART won’t improve bus service over the city’s current Rapid Ride system and would “do more harm than good” as designed. Rowangould’s 39-page report was cited in the opponents’ lawsuit.
— Two budget proposals in Congress would short-change the $69 million recommended by President Barack Obama for ART in next year’s budget. Federal officials remain confident the city will get its requested funding, but nothing seems assured with an often-obstructive House and Senate.
— The New Mexico Restaurant Association, a powerful lobbying group, came out against the ART project. It says construction and congestion will hurt the 148 restaurants along Central Avenue in Albuquerque. The association’s full statement is here.
And in March, critics found ART likely runs afoul of the Landmarks and Urban Preservation Commission.
The professor’s report probably will cut a lot of ice in opponents’ bid for an injunction. But everything is dependent on whether ART opponents can get a hearing in front of a judge before construction begins.
Stay tuned.
(Artist’s rendering of a bus station for Albuquerque Rapid Transit)
Bus Rapid Transit, is nothing but ugly, added to any community.
As soon as Albuquerque stops striving to be and look like other cities, the better. (Same for NM’s dependence on federal energy and defense policies) Being a follower is more profitable in the short term but leading by example and self determination is the tough but prudent way to go (i.e. using our resources to our advantage).
Yet another $.02 from me; Central Ave. is a great stretch of old Rte 66, a main artery through Burque, alive and well, full of old -and new- character, and visitor’s appreciate it more than most realize. It’s irreplaceable, it’s more valuable than real estate prices, and it’s fragile.
The few people pushing A.R.T. (since forever) are those who: a) want to recover their investment and/or, b) profit wildly from sales and construction contracts, etc. without acknowledging the risk of losing the whole stretch of road immediately -and again in the future if it doesn’t pay off. I resent that. The majority of Albuquerque would reject this ‘project’, which could be closer to a Ponzi scheme than anyone realizes.
Central is a keystone for the city and it does need steady and responsible improvements. But not a risky, quick-fix, facelift like this, with such little reward, really.
Great to see the locals stand up to this waste of money tied to Federal purse strings. If the project is so worthwhile it should be locally funded. Those of us who don’t live in ABQ or NM don’t derive any benefit from using our tax dollars to fund these boondoggles.