Albuquerque business owners along Central Avenue gave new city councilor Pat Davis an earful about a proposed rapid-transit bus system during a meeting of the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association.
Albuquerque Rapid Transit would take up two lanes of a large section of Central Avenue (aka Route 66) for bus lines that would mimic commuter trains. The proposal, shepherded by Mayor Richard Berry, would cost $100 million, with 80 percent covered by a federal grant. The idea aims to make Albuquerque more attractive to millennials and cutting-edge companies.
But existing companies don’t think much of it. Albuquerque Business First reported:
Steve Schroeder, who owns Nob Hill Music, said he’s personally canvassed about 160 business owners along the line who’ve said they don’t support ART. As treasurer for Save Route 66 Central, an organization to raise awareness about opposition to the project, he said he knows of only six business owners who are for it. Schroeder has listed businesses he says oppose the project on savert66.org, along with a gallery of photos of store signs along the route displaying opposition. […]
Schroeder said the majority of the people he spoke to in opposition to ART were millennials who had been in business in the area for fewer than five years.
A few businesses spoke in favor. But it sounds as if the meeting was populated overwhelmingly by those against ART.
Davis addressed one key concern. If ART is approved, it would require businesses to upgrade power lines. Davis said the mayor would set aside funds to help reimburse those businesses.
Still, those Central Avenue business have a right to be skeptical of Albuquerque Rapid Transit. Construction and narrowing Central would prove disruptive to motorists and shoppers. Also, buses never will be as desirable to urbanites as trains.
Mass transit would be more easily embraced in a high-density city. But Albuquerque averages fewer than 3,000 residents per square mile — hardly the definition of crowded. Albuquerque also recently was ranked fifth in the nation as commuter-friendly. Those conditions are not conducive for a large number of people to use mass transit.
(Image of an artist’s rendering one of the proposed ART stations)
I’ve left skeptical comment here and on savert66.org regarding the ART. But, like you, Ron, I’m still on the fence. One foot’s on the side of nostalgic sentimentality, or call it what you will, a landmark people recognize (and come here to see) and expect to find the look, feel, and propriety of true 66 culture. Restored perhaps, but intact. Accessible, navigable, local, honest, and definitely drivable (and parkable). Reinvented, even!! NOT a Route 66 that is 66% rapid transit bus line and >66% big box stores. Rapid Ride has been great! Add a couple more buses if need be. Fix the street. Make it walkable and inviting. Again, Reinvent It.
My other foot is on the side of modernity. It’s tacky to pretend and keep recycling the whole 1950’s era. What does 66 look like in 2015? Well, East of Washington it looks increasingly grim; vacant lots, dilapidated and abandoned buildings, old infrastructure, etc. Perhaps a better road and improved transit would lead to increased development where needed? Downtown is slowly revitalizing. Into what, I’m not sure. Other spots are just aging, poorly, as Bern. opens up land to sprawl developments (Santolina, et.al.) which makes me ask, are we concentrating or are we expanding? At this point, there seems to be dozens of groups, neighborhood orgs, city teams and committees, grants, investors, developers, the mayor, and plenty of behind-the-scenes entities, etc. all working on a staggering amount of projects, small and large, privately, semi-publicly, separately with their own budgets, conflicts of interests (lot’s of magic beans to sell and money to be made!)… all of which indicates in-cohesive planning, an uninvolved or divided, disorganized community – unsure/confused about who we (ABQ) are, let alone who we want to become.
I don’t understand or care to understand the complex financing involved, the economics or even the politics. I’m too occupied with my own problems. I’m optimistic that things are being done at all. I got off route here but I hope the plans don’t ignore or ruin what is unique to ‘Alburquerque’ by striving to be like other cities, at all cost.
This is a pretty disappointing article. Assuming that it is accurate, I think most folks in Albuquerque (unlike some business owners along Central) would welcome anything to relieve some of the congestion in this area. It’s nothing like California (where I’m from) but it’s gotten bad since I’ve lived here. I believe that Schroeder has come out against most forms of public transportation. The midway route will be populated by buses now, but ten or twenty years from now it will be light rail. I’m an old retired person, not a millennial, and I’m all for this plan, even if it raises my taxes.
I think it’s great that the local business owners stood up in large numbers to be heard, and to try and stop this wasteful govt. misadventure.
If Albuquerque is in such fine shape an all other respects that they have no place better to invest $100 Million dollars, then I’d better come check it out as a possible retirement spot. Must be an amazingly wonderful place with virtually no problems.
Wish I had known about this meeting–when? where? organized by whom? Hope I’m now on the email list to hear about the next one before it happens…
It’s always much easier for a few to create heat when you’re against something than for many to generate warmth when you’re for it. There is no general pot of $100 mil that ABQ can decide where to invest. $80 mil will come from the federal budget only for the ART. I encourage those of us who are for the ART to generate warmth for Councilman Davis that will give him the courage to step into the future.
This isn’t about stepping into the future. It is a repeat of the past. I don’t think most residents are philosophically opposed to improving mass transit. There just isn’t a compelling need to tear up Central right now. When the 2010 plan was being discussed, the residents in surrounding neighborhoods were in favor of building up downtown, they just didn’t see how the proposed plan was going to work. It didn’t. They suggested affordable housing and a grocery store. Instead, very expensive housing and commercial space was built and not embraced by the public. Now 15 years later they are doing what was suggested early on. This is the same thing. Instead of demonizing opponents as being anti-everything, perhaps these projects should be developed with real attention and consideration given to those who live and work in the area. This project is just another in a long list of poorly conceived plans by people who really won’t have to live with the results.
Nothing is being said about the crime. I live near the fairgrounds where the bus stops have drunks,druggies and thugs passed out and fighting on a daily basis. Its like making a silk purse out of a sows ear.