Silver Avenue Bicycle Boulevard Review: Yale Boulevard to Paseo Del Bosque Trail
Project Contacts
Background
The Silver Avenue Bicycle Boulevard was constructed in 2009 following the Bicycle Boulevard Resolution (F/SR 07-268) which called for the creation of bicycle boulevards to serve all levels of cyclists, using local streets to provide routes with low vehicle and infrequent stops and detours for cyclists. The initial Bicycle Boulevard route ran from the Paseo Del Bosque Trail connection on Mountain Road to San Mateo Boulevard SE, connecting the Paseo Del Bosque Trail, Old Town, the Bio Park, Downtown, CNM, UNM, Nob Hill and the Highland area.
Since the construction of the Silver Avenue Bike Boulevard, the portion from Yale Blvd. SE east to San Mateo Blvd. SE was studied in 2015/2016. That study resulted in the identification of deficiencies, and the design and construction of improvements that have made that portion of the Silver Avenue Bike Boulevard easier and safer to use. The improvements include a traffic circle at Silver Avenue SE and Cornell Drive SE, and a bi-directional protected lane on Carlisle in front of the Presbyterian Church. In addition, bicycle boulevards have been expanded to run along Quincy Street NE, Copper Avenue NE, Alvarado Drive NE, Summer Avenue NE, California Street NE, Bellamah Avenue NE, and Dakota Street NE, connecting the system further east from Nob Hill to Tom Bolack Urban Forest in Uptown.
Final Report
The Final Report is available here. Note that the final design will take place at a later point in time.
This report was adopted by resolution, R-20-28 in August 2020. The bill is available here.
Public Outreach
The project team introduced the project with a presentation to the Greater Albuquerque Bicycling Advisory Committee (GABAC) on August 13th, and then to the wider public on August 30th. The public meeting on August 30th was held at Botts Hall at the Special Collections Library from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. These initial meetings were part of the information gathering phase of the study and focused on the challenges for bicyclists along the corridor. In addition, the project team provided the public and GABAC with an overview of the project scope and shared observations from an initial site visit. The public meeting included initial recommendations for improving the boulevard. At both meetings the public and GABAC provided the project team with valuable information, insight, and perspective on how the boulevard operates today.
After the initial presentations to GABAC and public, the project team developed a series of recommendations for the corridor. These draft recommendations were presented to GABAC at their January 14th meeting and then to the wider public on February 5th. This meeting was also held at Botts Hall at the Special Collections Library, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Materials presented at GABAC and for the public meetings are below:
August 30, 2018 Public Meeting Materials
February 5, 2019 Public Meeting Materials
Maps
Overview:
Detailed:
Purpose of the Project
The purpose of this project is to provide an evaluation of and recommendations for the portion of the Silver Avenue Bicycle Boulevard that runs from Yale Boulevard SE west to the Paseo Del Bosque Trail. Since the Silver Avenue Bicycle Boulevard was first designed and built there have been a number of changes in the general area, including the construction along Central Avenue associated with the ART bus line, improvements to Lead Avenue and Coal Avenue, and new residential development in the area. The study and design will engage with the community and the Greater Albuquerque Bicycling Advisory Committee (GABAC) throughout and will cover the following:
- Evaluate the Bike Boulevard between Yale Boulevard SE and the Paseo Del Bosque Trail;
- Identify areas for improvement; and
- Provide recommendations, and where appropriate, designs to address the issues identified for the corridor.