The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE


Contact: Amelia Rouse, 505-277-1099
instpp@unm.edu

April 16, 2008

UNM Institute for Public Policy Announces Citizen Recommendations for Transportation Planning for Moriarty Region

On January 24, 2008, the University of New Mexico Institute for Public Policy facilitated a citizen conference in Moriarty to discuss long-range planning recommendations for the New Mexico Department of Transportation. A citizen conference is an exercise in deliberative democracy, focusing on learning, deliberation and recommendations by members of the local community about issues important to them.

Eight “citizen advisors” were recruited at random from the Moriarty area to question state and local transportation experts about a variety of transportation-related issues and then reached their conclusions.

Those recommendations included:

  • Finishing the four lanes on Highway 47 between Los Lunas and Rio Communities.
  • Conducting a feasibility study of elevated and below ground rail options for crossing the Rio Grande (making sure to look at other cities’ experiences).
  • Creating a bypass from Algodones to Unser, Northwest of Bernalillo.
  • Creating and implementing interim solutions for identified traffic congestion problems and advising the public.
  • Upgrading and improving Highway 60 from I-25 to 285 and increasing speed limit to 65. This will provide a safer alternate route during inclement weather.
  • Adding, or creating from existing lanes, HOV lanes for I-25 and I-40 in and out of Albuquerque.
  • Re-engineering intersection at I-25 and Paseo Del Norte.
  • Building an elevated rail system looping the four city quadrants with a grand terminal in the city center at the Alvarado Station.
For more information about the UNM Institute for Public Policy or this meeting and the recommendations given, please contact Amelia Rouse at 505-277-1099.

 


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