Editorial: Visit the Web, Weigh In on ABQ: The Plan

If the Rio Grande bosque had more amenities that protected its natural beauty while improving your ability to commune with it — say, boardwalks and walking bridges and boat ramps — would you visit or visit more often?

If the existing system of trails was connected into a 50 mile-loop around the city and complemented with public and privately financed amenities that allow biking and walking to be an exercise or an event — say, wide shoulders and rental kiosks and businesses such as eateries and B&Bs — would you visit or visit more often?

And if Central Avenue was upgraded to attract private development — say, a digital backbone and wireless network, with uniformity in Route 66 neon and signage but the freedom to create the individuality of a Nob Hill — would you visit or visit more often?

The city wants to know. And registering your opinion is just a mouse click away, at abqtheplan.cabq.gov. Mayor Richard Berry says “this can’t be the mayor’s plan. This has to be Albuquerque’s plan.”

Special-interest groups and NIMBYs are already lighting up the email/blogosphere with their opinions. And the proposals already have received limited public test-drives at town halls, with around 150 people adding their two cents to the projects, which have estimated price tags from $600,000 to around $20 million. That’s a fine starting point to gauge public support, but basing long-term, eight-figure public investments on 150 opinions from a city of more than 500,000 is like having single-digit turnouts in important elections.

That skimpy level of input isn’t acceptable for Albuquerque Public Schools board and bond issues; and it isn’t for infrastructure that could put the area on even more local and tourist maps.

Too often average residents don’t have the time or heads-up to attend a meeting and weigh in on where their city is going. That’s not the case here. All it takes is a mouse click to visit abqtheplan.cabq.gov to let the city know your opinions.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.