City Council Reviews Road Design Changes for Multimodal and Major Transit Corridors

The Albuquerque City Council meeting on September 3, 2025, focused on the proposed changes to roadway design standards, particularly concerning multimodal and major transit corridors. Council members discussed the implications of these changes on speed limits, landscaping, sidewalk widths, bike lanes, and travel lane widths.

Councilor Fiebelkorn highlighted that the proposed changes would not alter existing standards for speed limits, landscaping buffer zones, sidewalk widths, or bike lane widths. For both multimodal and major transit corridors, speed limits remain set at 30 to 35 miles per hour within comprehensive plan centers and 35 to 40 miles per hour outside these areas. Similarly, the landscaping buffer zones and sidewalk widths will continue to be 6 to 8 feet and 10 to 12 feet, respectively, inside centers, with no changes proposed.

The discussion also addressed bike lane widths, which will remain at 5 to 6.5 feet inside centers and 6 to 7 feet outside centers for both corridor types. The only notable difference between multimodal and major transit corridors is the travel lane width, which is slightly wider for major transit to accommodate bus travel. However, ABQ Ride has indicated that the current width of 11 feet is sufficient for bus operations, suggesting that the changes will not significantly impact road structure.

Concerns were raised about the potential decrease in pedestrian-friendliness due to these changes. Council members are considering the feedback from neighborhood associations and stakeholders as they move forward with the proposal. The council is open to further discussions and potential adjustments to the timeline for implementing these changes, emphasizing the importance of community input in the decision-making process.

As the council continues to deliberate, the outcome of these discussions will play a crucial role in shaping Albuquerque's transportation infrastructure and its impact on residents' daily lives.