Bernalillo County is working with ABQ Ride to gather input on a proposed new bus route network in hopes of making it easier to get around.
The ABQ Ride Forward project has been in development since 2022. Transit officials are now in the final steps, and are reaching out to communities around Bernalillo County with their Proposed Recovery Network to get input.
Kelsey Walker is a transportation planner for this project and says that Albuquerque’s public transit has never been perfect, but the COVID-19 pandemic triggered an intense labor shortage in the industry, and many bus routes were cut.
“There’s less and less service and more and more people riding,” said Walker.
Courtesy of ABQ Ride Forward
Maps of the varying concepts being considered for the transit routes.
Albuquerque isn’t alone in this issue. Cities across the country are struggling to find balance in their transportation systems. This is why ABQ Ride Forward is looking to the community to see what the needs truly are.
After the first round of public engagement, the team created two possible concepts of new routes. The High Ridership plan would include more concentrated routes where there are more people riding the bus. The High Coverage concept would include a wider geographic area.
But these concepts still leave out areas of the community, like Kirtland Air Force Base and the majority of the South Valley. Annie Montes is a Bernalillo County resident who raised concerns at a meeting on Tuesday after presenters touted the increased access to jobs.
“We have all of our industry in the South Valley and there’s no way for people to access those jobs. And there’s no way for people to get to the elementary school, which is also a major employer of that particular neighborhood,” said Montes.
The new routes are not yet set in stone and there is still time to give input. ABQ Ride Forward has a survey open until August 31 and there will be more public meetings.
ABQ Ride Forward has also created an interactive map of the proposed Recovery Network for the communities engagement.