Improvements may come to Albuquerque’s west side of Route 66

The city of Albuquerque is considering improvements to its stretch of Route 66 on the west side of town. The stretch in question is from Unser Boulevard to 98th Street along Central Avenue (aka Route 66), according to KRQE-TV in Albuquerque. It's about 1.5 miles. The station explained: That strip of Central doesn't look like … Continue reading Improvements may come to Albuquerque’s west side of Route 66

$1.5M sought for Albuquerque’s Central Avenue for extra cops, marketing

Several Albuquerque city councilors want $1.5 million to hire extra police officers and pay for marketing to boost Central Avenue, aka Route 66, after the ill-conceived Albuquerque Rapid Transit project decimated the corridor. The four councilors expect the money from a new internet sales tax that will generate an estimated $6 million a year. The … Continue reading $1.5M sought for Albuquerque’s Central Avenue for extra cops, marketing

Albuquerque sues company over bad ART buses

Albuquerque announced Friday it was suing the BYD company over its faulty electrical buses made for the city's troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit line. Mayor Tim Keller announced the legal action after forcing the California-based company to take back the buses. According to the Albuquerque Journal: Keller said the city reached out to BYD in an … Continue reading Albuquerque sues company over bad ART buses

Axing of bus deal brings another delay to Albuquerque Rapid Transit

Albuquerque's mayor announced this week he is yanking 15 BYD electric buses off the street and will replace them with 10 nonelectric buses, bringing another delay to the troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project. Mayor Tim Keller recently grounded the buses after city inspectors found myriad problems with the vehicles. The Albuquerque Journal listed the problems … Continue reading Axing of bus deal brings another delay to Albuquerque Rapid Transit

Mayor grounds Albuquerque Rapid Transit buses

Albuquerque's mayor this week ordered the grounding of the city's troubled rapid-transit buses until the vehicles are inspected and safety concerns are allayed. Mayor Tim Keller told KOAT-TV the city uncovered problems during driver training: Officials say bolts were falling off the doors and the buses' back doors would open on their own while being driven. … Continue reading Mayor grounds Albuquerque Rapid Transit buses

Albuquerque gets long-awaited $75 million grant for ART

The troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project will receive a $75 million grant from the federal government -- more than a year after it was initially announced by the city. Mayor Tim Keller said Tuesday the money will come in two installments in the coming weeks from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Program, reported the Albuquerque … Continue reading Albuquerque gets long-awaited $75 million grant for ART

ART gets $14M grant; rest of $75M grant remains unclear

Albuquerque's mayor announced Monday the troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project will receive $14 million from a Federal Transit Administration grant, but the fate of a long-anticipated $75 million grant from the agency remains unclear. The Albuquerque Journal reported: Mayor Tim Keller in a Monday news conference at the Uptown Transit Center said the federal government … Continue reading ART gets $14M grant; rest of $75M grant remains unclear

Inspector general’s report criticizes ART project

Albuquerque's inspector general on Thursday issued a scathing report about the troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project along nine miles of the city's Route 66 corridor. The report, in effect, repudiates former mayor Richard Berry, who championed the project and shepherded ART through a divided city council. Berry said ART, which caused 18 months of construction … Continue reading Inspector general’s report criticizes ART project

ART construction ends, but issues remain

New Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller proclaimed Thursday that major construction along Central Avenue  for the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project was finished, and businesses along that Route 66 corridor could breathe a sigh of relief. However, major issues remain along the troubled nine-mile bus system, with no quick resolution in sight. The Albuquerque Journal reported: During … Continue reading ART construction ends, but issues remain

Official: Only 50-50 chance of getting federal money for ART

Albuquerque's chief operating officer said the city has only a "50/50" chance of receiving a $75 million federal grant to help pay for the troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project. Lawrence Rael gave the grim assessment to Albuquerque Journal editors and reports last month, and that getting the money for the new mass-transit project depends on … Continue reading Official: Only 50-50 chance of getting federal money for ART