UNM School of Law students and local bicyclists remembered the life of James Quinn during ceremonies Wednesday.
Quinn was a law student who was killed Sept. 15 while bicycling on Route 66 in Tijeras Canyon.
Mayor Martin Chavez dedicated a bike bridge in Quinn's honor. The bridge is one mile north of Indian School Road along the Paseo del Nordeste bicycle trail.
About 100 people attended the ceremony, including Quinn's mother, Maureen.
"I think if James was here with us, he would be absolutely humbled that there is a bridge dedicated in his honor," she said. "From the minute of his accident, the entire law school supported my family and made a commitment to his passion for the environment."
Bicyclist Aimee Schutler said the bridge will benefit Albuquerque.
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"(The bicycle trail) is used by cyclists from all over Albuquerque," she said. "Having (the bridge) will make it safer for riding in Albuquerque, and that's a great way to remember a fallen comrade."
A tree was planted in the courtyard of the School of Law building in Quinn's honor.
"When James passed away, we really lost a vital part of our community, and it affected so many of us," law student Francisco Perez said. "We didn't know what the best means of remembering him would be, so we all got together and started talking about different ideas."
A memorial scholarship fund was also created on Quinn's behalf.
"We're trying to raise $15,000 dollars for a scholarship to attend law school at UNM," said law student Sean Cunniff. "The scholarship will be rewarded to someone who shares his interests in the environment and natural-resource preservation."
Cunniff said they have raised about $6,000 for the scholarship.
"We started the fundraising just this year," he said. "We're really happy with the progress, but we still have a long way to go. We're confident we're going to raise the money."
Law student Erin McSherry said Quinn's loss affected everyone at the UNM School of Law.
"We wanted to create a legacy for James," she said. "The law school is a very small school - there are only 300 of us - so one person out of 300 is very obviously missed. It was a big shock for us, especially when you have such a close-knit community."
