City of ABQ launches new traffic campaign, which includes ad featuring Kayla VanLandingham’s mom

In the nearly eight months since teen bicyclist Kayla VanLandingham was killed in a Northeast Albuquerque accident, changes have been made in an attempt to improve bicyclist and pedestrian safety across the city and state. 

Last week, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law Senate Bill 73, which requires student drivers to take at least three hours of training on “vulnerable road users,” such as bicyclists, pedestrians and emergency service providers.

Months earlier, the city of Albuquerque adopted an ordinance requiring drivers to stop at crosswalks in an attempt to better protect bicyclists and pedestrians. It also announced it was installing a push-button signal and crosswalk at the Hahn Arroyo where VanLandingham, 19, was killed on July 22.

On Thursday, the city took another step by launching a new traffic campaign at the South Broadway Cultural Center that focuses on crosswalks.

In one of the ads, VanLandingham’s mother, Melinda Montoya, stood at the Hahn Arroyo where her daughter was killed.

“My daughter, Kayla, was 19, riding her bike across this intersection,” Montoya said in the ad. “She believed everyone deserves safety but our traffic laws didn’t protect her. Stopping takes seconds. Losing someone lasts forever. Honor Kayla, stop for everyone.”

The Albuquerque Police Department said in July that no charges were expected to be filed against the woman who crashed into VanLandingham.

Jennifer Turner, city Department of Municipal Development director, said the city will place the new ads everywhere, including at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

“So we’re kind of blanketing the city with the campaign,” she said.

District 7 City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, who sponsored the crosswalk ordinance, said the traffic campaign has been one of the biggest “highlights” of her time on the council.

“And I know you’ve heard this before, but I’m just going to repeat this: This is all because of the advocacy of Melinda Montoya,” she said. “She is the bravest person I have met and I am honored to have gotten to work on this.”

After the event, Montoya said VanLandingham would be “pretty stoked” about what is being done to improve bicyclist safety.

“She would have been like, ‘This is needed. This is important,’” Montoya said. “She cared deeply about people. She worked for the Esperanza Bicycle Safety Education Center and she saw value in every life. And I think between the campaign and the city stepping up, (leaders are) seeing the same value in everybody’s lives and it’s really powerful.”

Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.