New Mexico's largest city has a plan to make cycling safer. It includes everything from expanding existing bike lanes to eliminating some of the hazards that cause flat tires.
For years, cyclists in Albuquerque have been navigating a disjointed system of trails and roads where bike lanes suddenly disappear in areas of heavy traffic and trails peter out into nothing. But now the city has come up with a proposal that would fill in those gaps.
Carrie Barkhurst is the project manager for Albuquerque’s Bikeways and Trail Plan. She said more signs and new green bike lanes will make cycling more comfortable.
"The road is painted green so cars know 'this is not for me to drive on',” explained Barkhurst. “It's a really high visibility way to designate a different space for cyclists on the road."
The new plan also calls for maintenance workers to sweep pesky goat heads off of bike paths after they are mown down. Those are the noxious weeds that pop even the sturdiest of tire tubes.
The City of Albuquerque is accepting public comments throughout the process. The plan will be reviewed by the Environmental Planning Commission before it goes before the city council this fall.