The Office of Transportation Information & Project Facilitation will converge with the Mid-Region Council of Governments, ABQ Ride, ABQ Bike and UNM Parking and Transportation Services in a collaboration of transportation education. A synergy of key players in New Mexico transportation will assemble for the inaugural UNM Transportation Fair on May 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at UNM's Smith Plaza.
UNM students, staff and faculty purchased approximately 17,000 parking permits last year. Roughly translated—during regular business hours, 17,000 vehicles are concentrated in the university area. This number does not denote one-day permits, visitor parking, illegally parked vehicles and the fleet of shuttle buses and official university automobiles. It goes without saying that the university area is a melting pot of vehicular congestion.
Representatives from Rapid Ride, the new Rail Runner commuter rail system and other community-wide transportation organizations will be available to talk to observers about the alternatives to personal vehicle transportation.
Students, staff and faculty will be able to plan ABQ Ride trips, view information on Park & Ride services, ask questions about UNM parking permits and shuttle systems, learn more about New Mexico transportation incentives and educate themselves about alternative transportation.
“The Transportation Fair is a proactive approach in dealing with future problems with transportation around New Mexico. Many roads have already reached full capacity and will continue to get worse with the growth of our state,” said Steve Machado, Coordinator of the Transportation Fair. “There will come a time when we must either take action or take a spot in traffic jams.”
New Mexico officials recently announced the production of the New Mexico Rail Runner, a commuter rail that will run from Belen to Bernalillo. The system is expected to be in operation and serving the UNM community by December 2005.
Albuquerque Ride is also initiating the Rapid Ride After Dark (RAD) program, which will run the Rapid Ride hybrid buses from the Downtown entertainment district to the Uptown Transit Center through 3 a.m. The program will operate Friday and Saturday nights from May to September 2005. Members of the UNM community and area residents will have easy, fast and inexpensive access to the dining and entertainment venues along the RAD corridor.
“The high price of gasoline is going to force us to start thinking about alternate forms of transportation to and from school or work,” Machado said. “It is easy and affordable to take the bus, commuter train or bike.”
Way to Go, a sector of the university’s Strategic Communications and Marketing Department, is committed to providing the UNM community with information about campus projects and events that affect daily commutes and traffic patterns. For up-to-date information on any campus project, log on to Way to Go or call (505) 277-7590.
Steve Machado (505) 277-7590