New Vision for Lead and Coal Avenues

Construction has begun on Lead and Coal Avenues between I-25
and Washington Street. The project includes intersection improvements, storm
drainage infrastructure, traffic calming elements, bicycle lanes, sidewalk and
landscaping improvements.

Initial construction constitues of signage, striping, and installation of temporary signals on Lead Avenue to be able to convert Lead to a two way street. This initial phase should take approximately two weeks and drivers will see minimal impacts to traffic flow.

Once the initial phase is complete, Coal Avenue will be shut down and work on the storm drainage improvements and landscaping will begin. Lead Avenue will then become a two way street. Once work on Coal Avenue is complete, Coal will become a two way street and work will begin on Lead.

The project is expected to last until the spring of 2012.

More information can be found on www.leadandcoal.com

General Project Information:
Patti Watson
Cooney, Watson & Associates, Inc.
505-245-3134
pattiw@cooneywatson.com  

Eric Martinez
Cooney, Watson & Associates, Inc.
505-245-3138
ericm@cooneywatson.com  

Contractor:
Patrick Shaw, PE
AUI, Inc.
505‐242‐4848 Ext 3015
PatrickS@auiinc.net  

Engineer:
Savina Garcia, PE
Wilson & Company, Inc.
505‐480-4000
sgarcia@wilsonco.com

History of the Project

Lead and Coal Avenues, from Downtown Albuquerque to Washington Street, function as a pair of one-way principal arterials which together carry up to 27,000 vehicles per day. Over the years numerous concerns have been voiced about their impact on the livability of the neighborhoods they traverse. A number of studies of the corridor have been completed, the last in 1996. Because of continuing citizen concern about Lead and Coal, the Mayor’s office in late 2005 asked Wilson & Company to assess the corridor. A Public Involvement Meeting was held and a resident Task Force was formed.

The Task Force, along with Wilson & Company, first summarized the problems along the
corridor, second identified goals for the re-design of Lead and Coal, and then examined various design options. After a planning level analysis and discussion, the Task Force recommends that the City Administration select one of the following alternatives:

1. One-Way Roadways, Each with Two Driving Lanes
2. Two-Way Roadways, Each with One Driving Lane in Each Direction

Either alternative will bring the neighborhoods along Lead & Coal toward our re-design goals which are to:

• Reduce speed
• Make roadway pedestrian & bicyclist friendly
• Reduce accidents adjacent to homes
• Provide consistent roadway typical section
• Improve sight distance issues
• Give corridor neighborhood feel
• Address air & noise pollution
• Reduce traffic volumes
• Widen sidewalks
• Meet ADA requirements

The Task Force intends to continue its involvement in the decisions made regarding Lead and Coal Avenues as the project proceeds through construction.