Any of you drive on Central? If so, you’ll be happy to see this…
For those of you who drive down Central near the university, you know exactly how backed up traffic can get. But, several government agencies are working on easing congestion in that area with the help of a big grant.
Every day about 74,000 people go through the Central Corridor near the University of New Mexico. It's the single most congested spot in Albuquerque. Now there's $880,000 in grants going straight into fixing the problem.
"Hands down, the largest major activity center in the city," said Albuquerque City Councilor Isaac Benton.
Traffic congestion along the Central Corridor near the university and the hospital is a nightmare, and with several UNM expansions in the works, traffic will continue to mount.
"UNM's plans for the North campus, the South campus, all of these effect the surrounding areas," Benton said.
The city of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, UNM, CNM and the Mid-Region Council of Governments, or MRCOG, are all working together to fix the problem.
They're hoping more than $850,000 in grants will alleviate some of the issues, from parking to drivers cutting through residential streets to avoid the mess.
"I live near UNM and I can say driving in this area during peak hours is a challenge, during peak traffic times," said Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins.
MRCOG will host meetings and offer web-based surveys for community input. Some of the money will go toward replacing or fixing up old busses, buildings and terminals.
"What we're trying to do is making it more convenient for people who want to drive, or have to drive, but also for people who want to use alternatives," Benton said.
The whole project will take about two years to complete. Some of the project is already in the works.
Read more (and watch the video) at http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2356387.shtml?cat=516
0 comments:
Post a Comment