Supporters of the new bus system are grasping for straws and making ridiculous arguments even though others claim the project is a “done deal.”
According to an opinion piece written by a UNM student in today’s Albuquerque Journal:
I believe the closer we can get to a no-car zone the more attractive this part of town and this city will be for the younger generation.
Central doesn’t need more cars, it needs to be urban. The ART will show Millennials that Central is safe, urban and easily accessible area for them to be, learn and grow into contributing members of Albuquerque’s working population.
What is UNM itself but a relatively large area free of cars? And, while college students undoubtedly enjoy the bars, restaurants, and other offerings along Central, those will certainly go away if cars on Central are eliminated. The increased traffic and general difficulty of getting from place to place along Central is the primary objection of business owners already. I’m at least glad to see someone clarify where this new bus system is taking us.
And, while we in Albuquerque know it as “Central,” people the world over know it as Route 66. Sad to see Albuquerque’s elected leaders deforming “the Mother Road” into a “safe space.”
How do you know when Mayor Berry is in over his head and not listening to the adults and history. When progressives on college campuses are cheering for no cars allowed and business owners are saying stop the destructive shiny expensive bus project. Albuquerque grows when the economy grows, not when we force consumers off our roads. And certainly not when politicians increase tax burdens again and again as Mayor Berry has done again and again. Leave the bad economic experiments to other cities and let the consumers choose what Albuquerque needs. Capitalism has been tried and proven successful, Mayor Berry should put down the progressive wish list and stop being the means of production. Leave that to the marketplace of consumers and producers.
What we’re talking about here is a millennial ghetto. If the transit enthusiasts have their way, the former Route 66 will be populated by millennials who will walk, bike and take the bus between their apartments, offices and watering places.
The rest of us will continue to drive to work in places like Journal Center and Kirtland, and will shop at Uptown and Cottonwood. Once Central becomes largely inaccessible to motor vehicles, we probably will avoid the area and look elsewhere for restaurants and entertainment.
We crossed the bridge of “no taxation without representation” a long time ago. Federal grants and funds offered by Washington are like crack to state and local politicians. If they had to fund BRT with local money, it would never be created, but “free” money does the trick.
Yep, it’s like the kids getting the parents credit card and spending it on all kinds of cool stuff. Hey, I got bling!
That UNM student is an intern at Titan Development. (LinkedIn).
Interesting to know. I did think it was well-written and some of the arguments were beyond the sophistication of a college student, so that is no surprise. Thanks for the tip.
Here are a couple of dirty little secret about that bus. From the presentation shown at the ART meetings, it appears that a ride will have to purchase a ticket at a kiosk in the middle of the street. Will transfers from other routes be possible without paying more? Will those buses be right hand drive so riders enter from the median which will be to the left of the bus? If this program doesn’t work out, what will happen to those unique buses?
Here is a better idea: buy small buses and run them frequently with frequent stops. Don’t tear up the street. Make those buses free for awhile to encourage ridership. ART will absolutely destroy restaurants and shops along Central and will encourage traffic through neighborhoods where people live. I don’t think anyone wants that