ABQ Times

Albuquerque officials and community members celebrated the completion of the Central Avenue bike lane restriping project on Sunday, March 9th. The ceremony marked a milestone in the Downtown Core Beautification Project led by District 2 City Councilor Joaquín Baca. This initiative aims to enhance bicycle infrastructure and pedestrian safety.

The new bike lanes run along Central Avenue from 1st Street to 8th Street, linking West Downtown, EDo, and the future Rail Trail. Councilor Baca emphasized that this project is about creating a safer and more accessible downtown environment for cyclists and pedestrians while maintaining parking access for local businesses. "This project is about more than just painting lines on the road," stated Councilor Baca.

Ken Sears, President of ABQCore Neighborhood Association, praised the collaborative efforts involved in revitalizing Albuquerque's historic downtown. “Across the United States, downtown areas are the beating hearts of our cities,” he said. Steve Pilon from BikeABQ highlighted that safety is a top priority with additional measures like bike lane buffers and signage.

Community members attended the event to show support for initiatives that improve downtown infrastructure. Mark Bailon from Strong Towns ABQ expressed excitement about the project's impact on creating a vibrant downtown area.

The bike lane project features improved connectivity between key areas, enhanced safety with dedicated lanes and markers, and supports downtown revitalization efforts as part of Councilor Baca’s broader vision.