Safer Roads in a Flash
Transit employee takes on bold project to boost bus route safety.
ALBUQUERUE – Margaret Lucero had seen too many mishaps along the Albuquerque Rapid Transit line on Central due to illegal left turns. Now her bright idea is improving road safety.
The Transit department logs approximately three ART bus crashes monthly due to illegal left turns, with a total of 150 incidents between November 2019 and December 2025. The average repair costs about $30,000 and takes around two months. Each damaged bus means fewer road-ready vehicles available. Paired with a nationwide mechanic shortage, riders can feel the strain.
Lucero, executive assistant for the Transit Department, thought the city’s Pre-Management Development Program (PMDP) might provide an opportunity to improve ART safety, and applied. “I kept asking myself, after all these years why are we still having accidents? At first I thought it would be an easy fix,” said Lucero. “I quickly learned about past mitigations. While the issue seemed simple, the project was more nuanced than expected.”
Previous measures to prevent illegal left turns included installing special curbs, painting ART lanes, training drivers, launching informational campaigns, enlisting a safety improvement study, installing signage and more. Despite these efforts crashes persisted, although a 2022 study by the Transportation Research Record shows a 35% reduction in crash rates in the ART corridor.
Once accepted into the PMDP program, Lucero embarked on a project to raise awareness of approaching ART buses, reduce unsafe and illegal turns, and ultimately create a safer environment while cutting avoidable repair costs.
Lucero pulled crash data and interviewed the department’s planning, safety, operations, training, vehicle maintenance and leadership teams. During an interview, one driver suggested a flashing sign to catch drivers’ attention. She partnered with transit leadership and traffic engineering to figure out how to make that happen. They strategized logistics on signage, installation, and how to make lights flash only when buses approach.
The result of Lucero’s “Illegal Left-Hand Turns” project is mounted signs that flash as buses approach three ART stations on west Central near the intersections with the highest concentration of crashes:
- 59th
- New York
- Atrisco
“These literally flashy new signs are just in time for the State Fair and Balloon Fiesta,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “So on top of improving everyday safety, they should be extra helpful for visiting drivers who may be unfamiliar with our ART system.”
The total project cost is $30,000. Lucero calculated that if one accident can be eliminated monthly, the savings would be $360,000 annually based on repair averages.
“It’s one thing to have a sign, but people become immune to them. Flashing lights more effectively alert drivers to oncoming buses,” said Transit Safety Manager Dean Woulard.
Lucero plans to evaluate crash data after six months and again after a year to see whether the signage effectively curbs crashes. Depending on the data, she hopes to add more signs but also understands that intersections must be chosen strategically since too much signage can cause confusion.
“I know some people will still run red lights and not follow the rules of the road. But if my project can eliminate even one accident per month, ART will be safer for everyone,” said Lucero.
Pre-Management Development Program
The PMDP is a yearlong workforce enrichment program offering employees practical skills and management experience to pursue supervisory roles in public service.
“PMDP is an investment in Albuquerque’s future,” said Human Resources Manager Danielle Reed. “We are helping employees who are ready to lead, gain confidence, communicate with purpose and better understand the community we serve. Watching participants take on new challenges and recognize their own potential is really rewarding.”
Lucero appreciates the assistance and mentorship of the PMDP along with the members of her cohort, who helped shape her project. She extends gratitude to the PMDP team at the Employee Learning Center, ABQ RIDE, and the City of Albuquerque’s Department of Municipal Development’s traffic engineering team for their support.
“Our team is extraordinarily proud of Margaret,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “She made the most of this city-run program by using the skills she gained to help us address a yearslong safety issue.”
Driving Safety Around ART
Sign installation was completed on August 17 and has so far received overwhelmingly positive feedback from ART drivers.
“Before the flashing lights a lot of people rushed through intersections. Now they slow down a little and pay more attention to the road,” said ABQ RIDE Motorcoach Operator Eric Liu.
Drivers are urged to following these safety tips along ART routes on Central:
- Stay in your lane.
- Only turn on a green arrow.
- Only respond to the signals you know.
- Don’t run red lights.
- Never cross over an ART lane or double yellow line.
- Remember there’s traffic coming up next to you!
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ABQ RIDE’s mission is to provide the community with safe, clean, and reliable transportation.