Paseo Del Volcan Renamed

CAN THE OLD N.M. 528 SIGNAL WORK WITH THE NEW TURN LANE? That timely question comes from Greg Seyk.

He says via email that every morning he heads east on Enchanted Hills Drive and lines up to turn north/left onto N.M. 528. And while that arrow has always been a short one —maybe five seconds that allows two cars to get through on green — it’s even more problematic now that the lanes leading to it have been improved.

“Rio Rancho, I assume, has planned ahead and made the left-turn lane much longer,” he says, “I’m certain in anticipation of the new shopping center being developed on the … corner of Enchanted Hills Drive and N.M. 528.”

But he says that paving foresight isn’t enough to provide for a smoother commute.

“Unfortunately the left-turn lane … tends to back up significantly,” he says, “and the motorists have started ignoring the red traffic signal. (On a recent) morning I observed three vehicles running the red light. Part of the problem is the (aforementioned) very short left-turn arrow.”

“Combine that frustrating situation with the other anomaly I’ve observed,” Greg says. “If there isn’t a vehicle in the straight-through lane — going east to Walmart — then the traffic signal doesn’t recognize the backed-up traffic in the left-turn lane and does not present the straight-through green light.”

And that leaves frustrated drivers realizing “that if they don’t make the (short) left-turn signal they’re stuck waiting for another whole cycle to occur for the traffic signal (to give them just) 5 seconds to make the next left-turn signal. Thus the tendency (is) for motorists to run the red light.”

So can the signal be programmed to recognize the traffic idling in the new long left-turn lane? Can the left-turn green arrow get a little more time?

Stay tuned. Maybe. Especially now that the problem has been laid out so nicely.

Laura Fitzpatrick, Rio Rancho’s assistant city manager, says: “This turn signal is on our schedule to review within the next couple of weeks. Adjustments will be made if warranted. We will update you when the review is complete.”

SO AM I STILL ON PASEO DEL VOLCAN? That’s what Carol K. wants to know.

She says in an email she recently noticed “new road signs are up on Paseo del Volcan by the mattress factory and Double Eagle Airport that say ‘Atrisco Vista.’ When did they rename the road?”

Just the other day.

David Mitchell, director of Operations and Maintenance for Bernalillo County, says the New Mexico Department of Transportation “wanted for whatever reason to use the name Paseo Volcan for the future Rio Puerco Valley corridor much further west, leaving a void for a name for the current by-pass road.”

And filling that void, on a road that runs through the city and the county and state jurisdiction, as well, “hasn’t been exactly a cakewalk.”

But three boards have signed off on the new Atrisco Vista Boulevard, which Mitchell says he believes was the brainchild of the city surveyor. “The city has already changed its street name signs up by Double Eagle Airport,” and now that all the appeal waiting periods have passed, the next step will be to “spend money changing freeway off-ramp signs.”

A SAFER CINCO DE MAYO: Bernalillo County is offering free rides home from local restaurants and bars tonight to help keep roads and residents safe for Cinco de Mayo.

ABQ Cab will again drive the Safe Ride Home program from 6 tonight through 2 a.m. Friday.

According to a news release, last year the county program gave almost 60 people rides home as part of a “comprehensive anti-DWI effort funded by proceeds from the state’s liquor excise tax.”

To schedule a ride, the news release says, “just ask your server to call ABQ Cab to arrange a free transport to your residence, which must be located within Bernalillo County.”

The company asks that a sober individual — preferably a bartender, waitress or bouncer — makes the call so that drivers have all the pertinent information they need to pick up an inebriated passenger and get him/her safely home.

Assistant editorial page editor D’Val Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays and for West Siders and Rio Ranchoans on Thursdays. Reach her at 823-3858; road@abqjournal.com; or P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103. Go to abqjournal.com/traffic to read previous columns and join in the conversation.