Montaño Light Seems To Have Mind of Its Own

BACK IN THE LOOP ON MONTAÑO: Gfouratt emails “I commute on Montaño Boulevard daily and have for several years,” and a recent change to the signal at Tierra del Rio, around a mile west of Fourth Street, backs up traffic on this major east-west arterial.

“For years,” the email says, “it appeared that the traffic folks had this light regulated such that it never turned red for the Montaño traffic unless there was one or more vehicles stopped on Tierra del Rio waiting to turn onto Montaño. Recently, however, the light appears to have acquired a mind of its own and is routinely stopping traffic on Montaño even though there is no vehicle waiting to access Montaño from Tierra del Rio. Sometimes this wait causes dozens of vehicles to idle for seemingly no reason at all. Could you please work your magic and figure out whether the light is malfunctioning or whether this change was intentional? Thanks very much.”

The answer is A, malfunction.

Mark Motsko, who handles information for Albuquerque’s Department of Municipal Development, says “after we got the question, we sent crews out to inspect the intersection. While there, they discovered the southbound loop detector (which is embedded in the pavement and senses traffic is waiting) had been damaged. A work order was created, and crews replaced the loop detectors.”

As for any magic, Motsko recommends “it may be a quicker resolution to call 311 to report a suspected damaged loop detector.”

COUNTY GETS SECOND NORTH OF THE CITY LIMITS: Bernalillo County is now in charge of maintenance of north Second Street “all the way up to the North Diversion Channel bridge.”

David Mitchell, director of the county’s Operations and Maintenance Department, says “we’ve been going up and down Second north of the city limits and placing these at the signalized cross streets to brand it better and let the public know jurisdiction has changed from the New Mexico Department of Transportation to the county.”

And more than the 10 $80 street signs has been improved. (Those new signs are at Osuna, Los Ranchos, Ranchitos, Paseo del Norte and Alameda.)

Crews “did paint the winter striping from the one lady that was concerned about the faded stripes,” Mitchell says. “We’re still on track to put a new sealer and the new striping scheme out there this summer.”

In addition, the county plans to re-sign “the south side at Second and (the) Rio Bravo signal.”

CHURCH DOESN’T BACK UP COORS FOR MILES: The recent columns on the Albuquerque Police Department providing traffic control as services let out from Sagebrush Church on Coors have prompted A.J. Reszka to weigh in.

A.J. says the traffic on Coors “is never backed up for miles” and the drivers who attend the church and the officers guiding them out of the lot are “fair and courteous.”

Any backup has been the southbound turn to get into the church lot, and even that lasts no more than 5 to 7 minutes, A.J. says.

‘The police officers are doing an awesome job. Maybe we all just need a little more patience.”

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, N.M. 87103; or go to ABQjournal.com/traffic to read previous columns and join in the conversation.