Clear
28°
Email
TRYING TO GET THROUGH ON ISLETA AT RIO BRAVO: That would be Augusta Gutierrez if she’s four cars back.
She says traffic backs up to the Barcelona signal and asks if Bernalillo County could adjust things so more than three cars get the green between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.
Maybe.
David Mitchell, director of operations and maintenance for the county, says signal timing “turns out to be a very difficult balancing act. I found out you can’t just increase the ‘total cycle time’ of the intersection to give one leg more time, because what happens is another intersection down the line, such as Broadway, goes from a grade “E” to “F” for one of the arrow signals there. As a result of us having all these coordinated signals on the main roads, or synchronized lights as most people know them, if you want to change the cycle time on one intersection, you have to change them all.”
Determining if that could/should be done is Robert Baker, who’s in charge of signals and signage for the county. He says “depending on the time of day, the north and south through movements get anywhere from approximately 18 to 40 seconds of green time — about 40 in the a.m. peak, 21 during the day and 18 in the p.m. peak. The all-north and south movements run on detection, so if there’s more than a 2.5 second gap between vehicles, then the signal will turn green for Rio Bravo traffic.”
So that means right now Augusta gets the 18-second maximum green time each time she tries to get through the signal, and she has to wait for a gap in the Isleta traffic to get another shot at crossing Rio Bravo.
Baker says he was out at the intersection Friday at 5 p.m., “and it seemed to be working fine, (but) I’ll take a look at it sometime this week during the times she specified.”
CROSSWALK AWARENESS IN CORRALES: Mark your calendars for June 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The crosswalk reminder is being given in conjunction with National Trails Day.
The Corrales Equestrian Advisory Commission says in a news release it’s “to remind drivers that they need to stop when horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians are attempting to cross the road. Too often, drivers are distracted and don’t notice people entering the crosswalks or waiting to cross the road. Although the situation has improved slightly since the village held its first-ever Crosswalk Awareness Day in 2007, it was felt that this annual event was needed to increase safety in the village.”
So what can you expect if you make your way through Corrales that Saturday?
“Volunteers from the Corrales Equestrian Advisory Commission, the Corrales Horse and Mule People, the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Commission and The Northwest Chapter of Back Country Horsemen of America will be stationed at the most important crosswalks in the village to help people cross the road by waving signs and asking motorists to stop. The Corrales Police Department will be prepared to reinforce the message.”
Those manned crosswalks include Via Oreada, Jones Road, the Village Offices, Meadowlark and the acequia and Romero Road.
And the flagging operation might continue.
The group says “the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Commission is hoping to inaugurate a new system of flags at the crosswalk between the village offices and the old post office. A person wanting to cross can pick up a flag on one side of the road and return it to a container on the other side of the road. This demonstration project may be adopted in other locations if it is successful.”
And to be successful it needs participation. The group says “the best monitors are the people who live in the area and use the crosswalks themselves. We urge everyone to get out and walk, ride or bicycle around the village on June 4.”
And just in case, participants are advised to “be sure that motorists are stopping before entering the crosswalks and wave ‘thank you’ as you get to the other side.”
ALL OF LOS PADILLAS CLOSED: Bernalillo County says that runs through today.
According to a news release, the closure started Monday so crews could “place water lines under the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District canal that crosses Los Padillas Road. New Mexico Underground will be installing the water lines.”
A detour remains in place from Coors, to Norment Road, to Jensen Drive, but local access continues to be available up to each side of the canal.
SECOND CLOSED AT RIO BRAVO: That sewer work is scheduled to kick off Tuesday south of Rio Bravo.
A news release from the county says the project “to complete a major sewer line repair in front of the Southside Water Reclamation Plant that has been authorized by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority,” will have Second shut down for three weeks.
“A detour will be provided from Rio Bravo, to Broadway, to Desert Road. Prosperity Avenue will also be closed at Second Street at the railroad tracks. Through traffic is advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.”
Assistant editorial page editor D’Val Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays and West Siders and Rio Ranchoans on Thursdays. Reach her at 823-3858; road@abqjournal.com; P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103; or go to ABQjournal.com/traffic to read previous columns and join in the conversation.
