Amsterdamize Albuquerque –get a bike at the Bike Swap.

Save the date…BikeABQ’s fabulous Bike Swap is set for April 17, 2010 at Sport Systems, 6915 Montgomery NE, 10 am to 4 pm.  As usual, check-in for items will be April 15-16, 2010, also at Sport Systems, from 10 am to 7 pm.  Contact Martha Hardman at martha@bikeabq.org for more information or to volunteer. 

Watch this space for more information as it develops…

Channel 7 KOAT interviewed BikeABQ Board Member Jennifer Buntz about her involvement with Ghost Bikes.

Will Carr of KOAT Channel 7 stands next to Paula Higgins' ghost bike on Comanche and Pennsylvania

(Please note that BikeABQ has no official internal policy regarding ghost bikes)

BikeABQ and NMTS member Carl Smith snapped this great construction photo of the bike bridge going up across the Rio Grande alongside I-40.  The bridge, which will have a concrete deck and is set to open this summer, will provide much needed connectivity from the Bosque Trail to the west side.  It will connect to a new trail along the I-40 off-ramp at Coors and lead up to the Walmart there, which connects to a number of bicycle facilities on the west side of the river.

Thanks for the photo, Carl!

The bridge spans the Rio Grande on the north side of I-40.

(click to embiggen)

Matt Fuemmeler contacted us to ask us to post information about ride coming up this weekend.  His friend, who was diagnosed with cancer but has no health insurance, is trying to raise money to offset medical bills.

Here are the details:

CANCER RAFFLE & RIDE
What: Ride for a cause! Help raise money for someone with cancer
When: February 28th, 2010.
Show up at noon, ride starts at 1pm
Where: Center of the Universe (by the duckpond on UNM campus)
Cost: $10 per ticket. Ride ends and Raffle Starts at Double Time dance studio.
112 Morningside (1/2 block south of central)

The following came from NMDOT Transportation Planner Debbie Bauman, via NMDOT Bicycle/Pedestrian/Equestrian Coordinator Tom Trowbridge:

Construction of the roundabout at the intersection of NM556 and NM313 began on Monday of this week.  The project is scheduled to continue for 150 calendar days. In addition to letting you know about start of construction I also want to make sure that bicyclists are aware that during construction the driving lanes will be very narrow (11-feet) and there will be no shoulders.

The North Diversion Channel project, which will be on-going until mid-May, also has similar restrictions.  I know that NM5566 is heavily utilized by cyclists and want to make sure that they are aware of the construction.  The narrow lanes will extend from the construction zone at the North Diversion Channel project to just east of the NM556 bridge over the railroad.

Our public information officer, Phil Gallegos (841-2764), was able to do a story with Channel 7 that should air this evening.  We also have information on our website.

BikeABQ has a new channel on YouTube.  Come check out our PSAs!

Share the Road – Save a Life (Road Bike)

Short Trips by Bike and Car

Share the Road – Save a Life (Bike Commuter)

Same Road, Same Rules

Share the Road – Save a Life (Child cyclist)

Give Bikes Five Feet

Did you know that the North Diversion Channel Trail crossings over Menual, Candelaria, and Comanche will be closed for who knows how long?

Want to tell them were we want the detour? The Design Firm will be at our meeting.

Wanna know when the BikeSwap will Be?

Want to make Albuquerque an even Better place to cycle?

COME TO THE BikeABQ Meeting this Tuesday!

BikeABQ February Meeting – Tuesday 23rd Feb

Time – 7 PM to 9:00 PM

Location – Building E, Room 105 (E-105), Central New Mexico Community College

That is  North of Coal on the West side of Buena Vista SE.. Follow the signs.

BikeABQ - Meeting Agenda

(Subject to change)

0:00 Introduction of attendees

0:03 Approval of Minutes

0:05 President’s Time

0:10 Treasury Report

0:15 National Bike Rally update

0:20 North Diversion Channel Undercrossings

0:30 Trail Detour Routing

0:35 Roadrunner Classic

0:40 Bike Swap Update

0:45 Bike To Work Day Update

0:50 Santa Fe Century Rest Stop Update

0:55 Education Committee Update ( LCI & TS101)

1:00 Enlightenment Sub-Committee Update (PSA)

1:05 Enforcement Committee Update ( Investigation)

1:10 Engineering Committee Update (Infrastructure)

1:15 Equality Committee ( New Laws)

1:20 Safe Routes to School Committee

1:25 Membership Committee Update

1:35 Opens

1:40 Upcoming Events

1:45 Recap

1:50 Adjourn

This Saturday, ride your bike to see The Fusion Theatre Company’s production of Tennesee Williams’s “A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur,” and support BikeABQ at the same time.

That’s right.  The fine folks at The Fusion Theatre Company are offering free refreshments and a safe place to stow your bike in addition to donating $5 from your ticket to BikeABQ to those who cycle to the show.  BikeABQ is excited about this great promotion offered again by The Fusion Theatre, and is excited to support local, professional theatre.  So pedal on down to the stage and enjoy a fine afternoon of live theatre.

Details:  February 13th, 2010 at 2 pm.

At the Cell Theatre, 700 First Street NW (south of Lomas, between Lomas and Roma).

The following message came from BikeABQ member Karl Malivuk over the listserv:

Hi All;
Tonight about 7pm I was riding the Embudo/Paseo de las Montanas trail. I had just crossed the I-40 overpass at Winrock and was rounding the corner at Jerry Cline Tennis Complex when I saw water on the trail. I kept riding until the water came up to my hubs. I had to get off and walk and eventually the water came up to my knees! The flooding extends half-way into the Louisiana Blvd underpass and for several dozen yards towards Constitution.

When I reached a dry section I called 311 to report the incident. It turns out that someone else had reported it at 11am this morning. Beware if you plan to use this section and don’t hesitate to let the City know if the problem continues to exist.
Thanks
Karl

Stay safe and dry out there, folks!

Update: This from Mary Ann Sweeney, BikeABQ and NMTS member:

I was the one who called this morning at ~11 am. I had the misfortune of miscalculating the depth. I was going rather fast coming from the west and could not stop in time. The water also came I above my knees and I ended up toppling into the water. When I called 311, they told me to call 242-6277 instead (not sure that I remember the number correctly) and I then spoke to a policeman. The person at that number said that several people had called earlier about it. I would have thought that at least a warning sign would have been put up…..It appears as if it might be a water main problem rather than just rain.

Mary Ann

Update 2: George Tapley reports that the city has pumped out all the remaining water as of Wednesday (10-Feb-10).

The Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA) will be having a public meeting on Wednesday, 17-Feb-2010 to discuss the North Diversion Channel “Notches” project.  Weston Solutions, Inc. is designing three new undercrossings along the NDC trail: one at Menaul, one at Candelaria, and one at Comanche. The Comanche crossing will also include a new stretch of trail on the west side of the channel (the east side trail will remain to provide access to Comanche).

The meeting will take place at the AMAFCA office building at 2600 Prospect Avenue, southeast of the Holiday Inn on Menaul.  Refreshments will be provided.

Date: Wednesday, 17-Feb-2010

Time: 6-7pm

Location: 2600 Prospect Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM (map)

For further information, please contact Susannah Abbey at (505) 837-6544