UNM's neighbors offer traffic input

The Mid-Region Council of Governments held two kick-off meetings at UNM on July 14 to gauge public interest in alternative means of transportation to UNM and CNM.

The council’s Travel Demand Management Study is an effort to avoid disputes that arose last summer over a proposed UNM parking garage, said Isaac Benton, city councilor and chair of the Rio Metro Board.

In July 2009, the Spruce Park Neighborhood Association and the State Board of Finance expressed concerns over UNM’s proposed parking structure at Las Lomas Road and Redondo Drive. SBF representatives said they weren’t convinced UNM was promoting alternative transportations methods. And the neighborhood association representatives said the parking structure would increase traffic and threaten neighborhood safety.

“It was a rocky time between the University and city regarding planning,” Benton said.

In working to find resolutions that satisfy the community, MRCOG will identify and implement ways to improve transportation issues at both UNM and CNM, according to a July 7 news release. Parking, public transportation, consumer cost and environmental impact are among the study’s main concerns.

The researchers will hear the needs and concerns of the UNM and CNM communities, said Augusta Meyers, MRCOG spokeswoman.
Benton said the study will shed light on the concerns of students, staff, faculty and community members around the two campuses.

“At the end of the study, we will have recommendations on specific ways we can make travel to and from UNM and CNM more convenient, affordable and compatible with nearby neighborhoods,” Benton said in the release.

Benton said working with the surrounding neighborhoods is a key focus. He said conducting a thorough analysis of transportation needs and hearing public concerns will hopefully prevent future discord.

Attendees examined data regarding transportation around UNM and CNM, according to the MRCOG website. This included peak class enrollment times, travel times and demands, permitting and accessibility issues and distribution of residencies. A similar analysis is scheduled to continue through the end of the summer.

Meyers said more public meetings will be held in late August and early September, but at this point it is still too early to tell what specific improvements will be made.

“We’re really starting at the very beginning of this project, so everything is an option at this point,” she said.

Community members can contribute their opinions by visiting the Mid-Region Council of Governments website at www.mrcog-nm.gov or calling MRCOG at 247-1750.