People Wanting Crosswalks in Nob Hill

16 Comments

Comment by Magic Juggler on October 17, 2008 at 6:38am

Nob Hill is for shopping, strolling, and walking. I fully support the addition of crosswalks!

Comment by simeona gardenaire on October 17, 2008 at 8:55am

it is incredible to me that there are not already crosswalks. after they spent all that money on 'beautification'

Comment by Duane W Bargar on October 17, 2008 at 5:07pm

I've been in a couple meetings about this recently, it seems that the appropriate people are slowly coming around to realizing that this would be a great addition to the neighborhood (dare I say essential,) but there are a few practical issues that they have been wrestling with. I've been tempted to streamline the process more than once to make my own stripes (and speedbumps for that matter.)

Comment by Albuquerque Commentator on October 18, 2008 at 12:36pm

In the years I have been in the NobHill area there seems to be a very mixed set of reasons not to have crosswalks of various types from various "representatives" of both the City and neighborhood.

Personally I am in favor of a protected cross walk at every intersection ( marked and "must yield to pedestrians" . Ideally pedestrian demandstop lights at every intersection from Girard to Washington would help.

New Mexico State pedestrian laws are very lack to begin with. The City could probably impose stricter laws.They are not like the laws in California and many larger urban areas such as New York, Boston, San Francisco, etc.

Compounding the problem is the distain that drivers have for pedestrians and for that matter many bicylists. Being honked at, sworn at, or given the finger are typical. Even in protected crossings with lights such as the SanMateo / Central intersections pedestrians in crosswalks legally are often ignored by turning traffic that wants to make the light. There are no "yield to pedestrian" signs.

The other issue surfaces where there is conflicting thinking about maintaining traffic flow along Central ( including buses ) that is in opposition to having reduced speed along certain portions of Central and enforcable crosswalks. The "beautification" bump outs were supposed to provide some additional incentive to slow traffic in a congested area. Without enforcable pedestrian laws ( that includes pdestrians not Jay Walking ) it's a no win situation for pedestrians. I'm not convinced that APD would enforce such laws.

Along Central avenue the only pedestrian yield signs I'm aware of are at the traffic circle downtown, and even then it is a challenge.

If there were stronger laws, then there needs to be education. I'm a proponnet of drivers being required to do a written test, vision test, and a road test every five years. They should be made to recite 10 times " pedestrians have the right of way when crossing at an traffic light enforced intersection".

Comment by Duane W Bargar on October 18, 2008 at 8:25pm

The issue of maintaining traffic flow on Central is the dominate issue that I alluded to. Its a difficult issue because yes, Central really is an major conduit of vehicular traffic (private, transportation, and service) through the city - of especial concern to planers are the buses and the emergency vehicles that are stationed at Girard and Central (APD and AFD.) But I'm still somewhat perplexed why people don't see / understand that Lomas was made as a diversionary artery for heavy and faster traffic - otherwise why on earth would it have so many lanes.
And I really don't understand why its so difficult to get the basic concept that Nob Hill (and downtown and old town and a few other areas) are pedestrian areas, and they should be made more friendly. I'm also at a complete and total loss to understand the mentality behind most drivers in Albuquerque's total disregard or complete disdain for pedestrians and bicycles.
one last thing to quote AC;
" pedestrians have the right of way when crossing at an traffic light enforced intersection".
Not only do they have the right away at a light enforced intersection, but from the mouth of one of the city's main traffic engineers, they actually have the right of way in any intersection ... no mater how dangerous this might sound.

Comment by Albuquerque Commentator on October 20, 2008 at 5:50am

Duane, you mentioned the "traffic engineer" and their comment about "right of way" for pedestrians.

This is a good example of conflicting opinions in my experiance. Maybe there needs to be a citizen group, similar to the local water group Aqua Es Vita, that would research and then advocate for a better situation for pedestrians not only in Albuquerque but State wide.

Comment by ayax on October 21, 2008 at 10:03am

AC, there is such a group: www.walkalbuquerque.org
Not sure how active they are, though. I see there is 'no news', as stated on the site.

Comment by Claude Morelli on October 22, 2008 at 11:55am

It's great to see that this discussion group has gotten started. Walk Albuquerque is still alive, though we really haven't had much time to focus on Nob Hill lately. Maybe it's time to re-engage?

By the way, I hope that all of you are on a first-name basis with your City Councilor and the Mayor. The only way anything will be done to make life better for pedestrians in Nob Hill is for you all to engage them in a conversation about this topic. Remind them over an over that this issue is important and that there are people out there who care.

Comment by Kelly Vickers on October 30, 2008 at 7:27pm

We just moved to Nob Hill and love it! We would also prefer to not be run over as we frequent all the cool places within walking distance. This community is a great idea.

Comment by dog breath on November 3, 2008 at 9:38pm

oh dear god... this has been an ongoing issue for decades. Albuquerque (CENTRAL AVE) suffers the worst pedestrian fatality rate in the NATION!

NHTSA has implemented programs and thrown money at the problem, the city council condemned and bought out the blue spruce. Heinrich promised (AND NEVER DELIVERED) stop lights at the Central X Morningside and Amherst intersections, (at least we got a couple of bulb-outs.)

traffic reduction and calming measures were also promised, including that asinine trolley.

...a bizillion city planning and advocacy groups meetings. yeah what do we get? some beautification measures. Oh Joy.

the redevelopment was intended to widen sidewalks to increase pedestrian flow and reduce automotive flow. ...not bloody likely

mayor marty said we couldn't do anything to restrict the traffic flow since all parallel routes were "at capacity".


I know we're chastised for stating anything derogatory about albuquerque on the DCF page, but dear god when you see people and animals get hit in the street...repeatedly... WTF are you gonna do?

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