Transportation board adopts 2026 work plan, adds bicycle-infrastructure study and equity partnerships

The Los Alamos County Transportation Board voted to adopt its 2026 work plan as amended, adding a new item to study bicycle infrastructure and formalizing partnerships intended to strengthen accessibility and equity. A board member moved to adopt the plan as amended; the motion was seconded and carried.

Board members debated where to place bicycle-related work in the plan and whether staff should be directed to pursue feasibility and cost analyses. A board member said the bicycle working group produced numerous recommendations and proposed adding “bicycle infrastructure” under proposed projects so staff could look further into feasibility and costs if the county assigns funds. A county staff member responded that staff would consider the working-group recommendations as they develop future projects and could bring a list of potential infrastructure projects and potential costs if the board so directs.

Several board members emphasized connecting transportation work to health and inclusion goals. One member who has served as a liaison to the inclusivity task force urged more collaboration with other county boards and the county health council, saying investments in sidewalks, walking and bicycling feed “so much into our health and our community building.” The board agreed to add Parks and Recreation to the list of partner agencies and to include the inclusivity task force or the county health council (listed with “accessibility and equity” in parentheses).

Members also corrected the work plan’s references to guiding plans: the pedestrian transportation plan will be shown as the 2025 Pedestrian Transportation Plan rather than an in-progress 1998 update. The chair listed the agreed edits—adding bicycle infrastructure, Parks and Recreation, inclusivity/health council liaison language, the 2025 pedestrian plan label, and re-adding the county’s participation in Bike-to-Work activities—and said final language would be incorporated by staff.

A board member moved to adopt the Los Alamos County Transportation Board work plan as amended and said Councilor Hampton would prepare final language for submission by January 2026; the motion passed. The board did not adopt any new binding budget commitments in this vote; it added topics for future staff study and coordination.

The board’s formal approval is a procedural step that sets priorities for staff and signals topics the board wants to keep under regular review. The board will revisit the outcomes of any staff studies, cost estimates or funding requests before moving forward on capital projects.