City to put in new bike lanes Downtown, work could be finished in the fall

The city of Albuquerque’s plan to add bike lanes down Central Avenue in Downtown has bicyclists excited while others are unsure about potential impacts to businesses.

City Councilor Joaquín Baca said the lanes will be added from First to Eighth streets down Central and connect to the proposed Rail Trail — a planned 7-mile walkway encircling Downtown .

The project is in the design phase, which is nearing completion, Baca said.

The 5-foot bike lanes would be placed in between the current parking spots and 2-foot striped buffer zones on each side of the street. The lanes will create safer conditions and improve access to businesses, according to the city.

Baca said there were hopes that the lanes would be added later this month or early September, but it is “now looking more like October/November.”

He said he did not have a project cost due to the city having not yet decided on what kind of striping it intends to do.

“There are a few more boxes to check,” Baca said.

The new lanes will be welcomed by some city cyclists.

“I and our club ride through Downtown and find there’s limited bike lanes where we feel safe,” said Bill West of ABQ Cycling Club.

He said adding the bike lanes will promote “more and safer rides,” and riders will use them regularly. It will also be an attractive feature for visitors, making it a “win-win for everyone.”

JC’s New York Pizza Department General Manager Isaiah Apodaca said he is unsure what kind of impact the bike lanes will have, adding that he is hopeful that the lanes will add traffic to business.

New Mexico Touring Society President David Olson believes businesses like JC’s would benefit from the new lanes. An example of what worked is in Old Town.

“In this case, CABQ designated Mountain as (a) bike road,” Olson said. “Doing so allowed access to/from the North/South Diversion path to the Bosque trail. In between, (it gave) access to stores, cafes, and so on in the Old Town area.”

Dan Mayfield, city development municipal department spokesperson, said to make room for the bike lanes, the city will eliminate the center turn lane, which some people have used as a loading zone.

Apodaca said removing that lane could impact business.

“We get several deliveries every week and it’s already tight for them to park,” he said. “We’ll see.”

Baca said he talked to business owners and employees about the bike lanes and told them that no parking spots would be taken away.

The bike lanes, he said, are part of a larger plan for Downtown, which could include addressing the vacant buildings and safety concerns. He did not respond via email or phone outreach when asked to elaborate.