ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque has seen a troubling number of cyclist deaths this year, and now, the city is testing a new approach to bike safety. There’s a pilot project that went up in late October: a protected bike lane on the busy MLK Jr. Ave., right near downtown. “I’m glad it’s happening. Definitely. It is overdue, especially, you know, the way people drive, this kind of thing is really necessary,” said longtime Albuquerque resident and BikeABQ board member Taylor Lieuwen.
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The City of Albuquerque’s Department of Municipal Development said in a press release that this is the first stage of a plan to install physical barriers between cyclists and drivers all along eastbound MLK in the coming months, eventually stretching from Broadway to I-25.
For now, the pilot is a short stretch between Edith Boulevard and Arno Street of concrete curbs like what is seen in parking lots, and white plastic flex posts. It’s one of a couple of protected lane designs the city will try out along this stretch…