The Mid-Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MRMPO) has begun development of the FFY 2020-2025 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and is once again soliciting projects within the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area (AMPA). TIP project proposals are to be submitted no later than November 30, 2018, 5:00 PM (MST).

Any surface transportation project within the AMPA, (NMDOT District 3) which receives Federal surface transportation funding must be included in the TIP. 

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REQUEST FOR BIDS

Procurement No. 2019-02

On-Call Printing Services
Commodity Code # 966

BIDS DUE: October 18, 2018, 2:00 P.M. (MST)

Bids from individuals and firms to provide On-Call Printing Services on an ongoing basis. Interested parties may receive a complete copy of this solicitation by accessing the following websites:

https://www.mrcog-nm.gov/
https://www.riometro.org/

Questions or correspondence related to this procurement should be submitted to Kim Monjaras, Procurement Officer, via electronic mail to: kmonjaras@mrcog-nm.gov.

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RFB #2019-02, On-Call Printing Services

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The Mid Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) is accepting resumes for the position of Administrative Assistant/Receptionist. Candidates must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and be detail oriented. Operation of standard office equipment and knowledge of Microsoft Office required. Must be able to perform general clerical duties, including but not limited to greeting visitors, multi-line phone system, taking messages, directing individuals and answering questions. Ability to take direction and learn new computer programs with instruction.

High School diploma and two (2) years of directly related experience required. Please submit resumes to: MRCOG, Attn: Personnel, 809 Copper Ave. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, no later than 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 5, 2018. A valid New Mexico driver’s license and clean driving record required. Employment pending successful background check; EOE. Faxes or late resumes will not be considered.

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The Mid-Region Council of Governments / WCCNM seek a professional to work as part of an interdisciplinary team. Duties include but are not limited to answering general phone inquiries for the New Mexico Workforce Connection (NMWC) Albuquerque Center in a timely, professional, and courteous manner, reply to general information requests and messages with the accurate information, greet clients/suppliers/visitors to the NMWC Center in a professional and friendly manner, provide Welcome Desk, Resource Room, and Assessment Room support when required including high customer traffic days and times, and when primary staff are on break or out of the office. Other duties include a variety of secretarial and administrative duties to directly support the Operations Manager, and other staff.

Must have excellent written and oral communication skills, and a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. Knowledge of computer word processing, spreadsheet, and database software to prepare reports, memos, and documents required.

High School Diploma and four (4) years of directly related experience required. Resumes may be submitted in person or by mail at: Mid-Region Council of Governments Attn: Personnel, 809 Copper Ave. NW, Alb., NM 87102 not later than 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 5, 2018. Faxes will not be considered. Employment pending a successful background check, a valid New Mexico driver’s license and clean driving record. The MRCOG is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Late resumes will not be considered.

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The Mid-Region Council of Governments marked another year of regional successes by hosting its 2018 Annual Luncheon on September 13, 2018. Several attendees representing central New Mexico came together to recognize the accomplishments of collaborative efforts from across the region.

A Word of Welcome

Dewey V. Cave, MRCOG Executive Director As I reflect upon the past year, I realize how vision coupled with determination can transform an idea into reality. Whether it is spurring our regional economy with transportation planning, improving our bike share program, or reaching out to our youth with career guidance - all are opportunities and challenges we face together at the Mid-Region Council of Governments.

This year, the blend of challenges in the region ran the gambit. We saw the development of a Regional Transportation Safety Action Plan in response to being singled out for our high rate of pedestrian and bicycle fatalities. The plan targets safety improvements from policy to enforcement to design - for all roadway users.

We also saw Rio Metro launch the next generation of Bike Share! This expansion took bike share from 75-bikes to 250! Additionally, we are one of the first areas in the U.S. to establish ourselves as a visionary community on the forefront of urban mobility.

Speaking of mobility, we also witnessed our elected officials come together and rally around the effort to meet a federally mandated$50-million dollar price tag requiring the implementation of PTC – or “Positive Train Control” in the Rail Runner corridor. PTC is a technology that can prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments, and other unforeseen mishaps on the tracks.

And while we consider the safety of moving people through the region by rail, we are also setting our sights on the economic development aspect of moving freight – specifically, the region-wide Transportation and Logistics Hub Study, which recommends that we move forward in the areas of rail cargo, air cargo, and policy development to boost our regional economy. This is an exciting time for us as we take the study to the next level.

On the Workforce front, we partnered with community leaders and elected officials to connect our soon-to-be high school graduates with local businesses in Sandoval County to help increase the career development of young people. We are also completing the second year of the TechHire Program in which we expect to provide training and job opportunities for more than 400-high tech jobs in our region.

We have many people to thank for the accomplishments of the past year—our governing boards, elected officials, member agencies, and certainly our dedicated COG staff, whose tireless work has provided the formula for success for our region.

As we go forward, we must continue to collaborate on a regional level—while keeping an eye on what’s important to us locally—and work to create opportunities for all.

Sincerely,

Dewey V. Cave
MRCOG Executive Director

Read the MRCOG 2018 Annual Report 

The Central Region’s modifications to the Local Plan for execution of workforce development activities under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, is now available for public review and comment.

The proposed modifications to the Local Plan may be obtained from the Mid-Region Council of Governments, 809 Copper Ave. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 during normal business hours, or the plan can be downloaded below.

View Modifications to the WIOA Local Plan Program - "Draft"

Public Comment

The proposed modifications to the Local Plan will be available for public comment beginning September 3, 2018 through October 2, 2018. Please include a page reference for each comment to facilitate review.

Comments may be submitted:

• Via email to wccnmlocalplan@mrcog-nm.gov
• In writing to:

Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico
ATTN: Lloyd C. Aragon, Workforce Manager
809 Copper Ave. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102

• Via the online comment form

Comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on October 2, 2018.

WIOA & Local Plan Overview

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law on July 22, 2014, and became effective July 1, 2015. WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. WIOA is designed to help both jobseekers and businesses: WIOA addresses the needs of jobseekers through establishing a workforce system that helps them access employment, education, training and support services to succeed in the labor market; WIOA addresses businesses’ needs by matching them to the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.

As required by WIOA, the Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico  has developed modifications to the Local Plan to achieve WIOA priorities in New Mexico’s Central Region. After the public comment period and draft reviews, the WCCNM Local Plan will be presented to the WCCNM Full Board for approval at its October 15, 2018 meeting at 1:30 p.m., MRCOG, 809 Copper Ave. NW.

Anyone requiring special accommodations please notify the MRCOG office at (505) 247-1750 seven (7) days in advance.

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MRMPO has recently produced a short, three-minute video explaining what the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) is in an understandable and visually engaging way. This is the second video in what will be a series of videos on various transportation-related topics developed by MRMPO.

The video is being released just as the kick-off to the update of the MTP is drawing near. Read more about the MTP update including information on upcoming public meetings taking place this fall.

There’s also a survey you can take to give us feedback on your thoughts on transportation in the region. Your feedback will help inform the MTP update. Take the survey.

Watch the video on the MRMPO YouTube Channel.

Each year Albuquerque participates in Bike to Work Day (BTWD), which is meant to raise awareness about commuting by bicycle and serves as a day to encourage people to trade four wheels for two. In recent years, the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) in collaboration with BTWD organizers, developed and distributed a survey to BTWD participants to collect data about bicycling needs, collect general perceptions of bicycling in Albuquerque, and identify specific strategies to make Albuquerque more bicycle friendly. As more data is collected, the survey can gauge changes in perceptions about bicycling in Albuquerque and serve as a reference for future survey data. 

For the third year in a row, there was an overall perception that Albuquerque’s bicycle friendliness was improving. Comments underscored the impact of premium bicycle infrastructure such as protected bike lanes and flex posts among other elements. Also, survey questions helped to identify concerns and barriers for people bicycling and understand specific areas for further outreach at future events.

Download report

Snapshot of Key Findings

See also: MRCOG's Bicycle & Pedestrian Program

It's that time once again...time to update the region's long-range transportation plan, the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). 

The MTP update, Connections 2040, will be officially kicking off in October. There will be three public meetings around the region where the public can come learn about the MTP and what is in store with Connections 2040 as well as share their thoughts and concerns on transportation in the region. 

The public meetings will take place at the following places, dates and times:

• Bernalillo County: Thurs., Oct. 18th, 5:30-7pm (presentation at 6pm)
  South Valley Multi-Purpose Senior Center, 2008 Larrazolo Rd. SW, ABQ 

• Sandoval County: Thurs., Oct. 25th, 5:30-7pm (presentation at 6pm)
  Cabezon Community Center, 2307 Cabezon Blvd., Rio Rancho

• Valencia County:  Tues., Oct. 30th, 5:30-7pm (presentation at 6pm)
  Los Lunas Rail Runner Station, 101 Courthouse Rd SE, Los Lunas 

• Kick-off meetings for local agency members:           
  Fri., Oct. 19th, 10:30am, presentation given at the MTB meeting                             
  Fri., Nov. 2nd, 12-1pm, agency kick-off meeting at MRCOG  

In addition, there is a questionnaire gathering people's views on transportation. Please take a few moments to participate. Feedback will help guide the development of Connections 2040.

Take the survey!

Between now and October, MRMPO staff will be attending community events trying to get the word out about the MTP update, the upcoming public meetings, and the survey. If there is a community event in your neck of the woods that you think would be a good place for MRMPO to distribute information, or if you would like MRMPO to present to your group, please contact Tara Cok at tcok@mrcog-nm.gov. 

Read this and more in the August Edition of Travel Times.

Learn more about staying informed on Connections 2040

The Mid-Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MRMPO) is pleased to announce the release of its first video: Welcome to the Mid-Region Metropolitan Planning Organization. This video is the first of a series of short videos to be released by MRMPO on various topics related to the regional transportation planning process. The video highlights our unique metropolitan area, its challenges, and our agency’s plans and programs to help address those transportation challenges. Our region must work hard to ensure our transportation system meets the needs of a growing population and developing economy, as well as the environment and our health and safety. Our goal is to be proactive and keep the region moving while striving to improve quality of life through sound transportation investments and improvements.

The video also covers how you can take part in shaping our region’s transportation future by weighing in on our plans, attending our meetings, or inviting us to speak to your community.

So, if you have a few minutes, check out the video and stay tuned for future ones. Remember, your interest and involvement will truly help our region keep moving!

Subscribe to the MRMPO YouTube Channel

Learn more about the CEDS(Albuquerque, NM – November 8, 2017) – The Mid-Region Council of Governments, which oversees the central area’s Economic Development District, was put in the national spotlight this week  for its creative approach to the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy – or “CEDS”. The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Research Foundation recognized the agency as one of its “CEDS Spotlight Case Studies” – for embracing and cultivating entrepreneurship as a model for economic development.

“The road to economic prosperity can be a long one, so for NADO to single out our bootstrapping efforts is truly a shot in the arm”, said Ann Simon, Economic Development Program Manager, Mid-Region Council of Governments.“

Specifically, the NADO case study singled out the region’s “Rainforest” approach to economic recovery, in which regional leaders and key stakeholders have embraced a diverse, interconnected, and experimental culture to counter recession and move the area toward economic resilience.

The CEDS Spotlight went on to say that even in the face of recession and a heavy reliance on federal funding, the Albuquerque region has many local assets and resources in its institutions, leaders and business community that are helping to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“I think the CEDS Spotlight case study recognized that we have a wealth of resources when it comes to supporting entrepreneurship here in the central region”, said Dewey Cave, Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “From our halls of higher learning, at the University of New Mexico and our wonderful community college, … to our technology resources at Sandia National Laboratories, the micro lenders and business accelerators making it possible for start-ups to get off the ground - we have cultivated an entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

The study said that one of the most tangible results of the Albuquerque region’s development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region has been the launch of InnovateABQ, a public-private partnership which is working towards the build-out of a seven-acre innovation campus for researchers, students, start-ups, laboratories, and more.  

“The CEDS process is the cornerstone to all other EDA programs and serves as a means to engage community leaders, leverage the involvement of the private sector, and establish a strategic blueprint for regional collaboration”, said Jorge D. Ayala, Regional Director, Economic Development Administration. “I applaud the efforts of MRCOG in putting together a high quality CEDS that focuses on innovation and cultivating a climate that supports economic development and job creation.”

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Agency (EDA) provides funding for Economic Development Districts to develop and maintain a five-year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). It fosters innovation and regional collaboration by encouraging its partners around the country to develop initiatives that advance new ideas and creative approaches to address rapidly evolving economic conditions. See more at https://www.eda.gov/about/

Learn more about the NADO Spotlight recognition, and read a more in-depth interview on the Central New Mexico CEDS with MRCOG Economic Development Program Mgr Ann Simon – visit https://www.nado.org/ceds-spotlight-mrcog/

Contact: Augusta Meyers, Communications Mgr., MRCOG (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov                                                   

About the Mid-Region Council of Governments
The Mid-Region Council of Governments is a planning agency that serves the four in Central New Mexico:  Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrance, and Sandoval. MRCOG provides planning services to its member governments in the areas of transportation, agriculture, workforce development, employment growth, land-use, water, and economic development.

The Metropolitan Transportation Board adopted an Administrative Modification to the Futures 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan at their Board meeting on Friday, September 15th.

The Administrative Modification includes two items: 1) a 2040 Revised Forecast for the Futures 2040 MTP and a modification to the 2040 MTP project listing in Appendix A.

The Administrative Modification approves the use of the 2040 Revised Forecast for socioeconomic and travel demand projections throughout the Albuquerque Metropolitan  Planning Area for the purpose of transportation project planning. The Revised Forecast integrates a reduction in future growth assumptions per updated population projections from the University of New Mexico’s Geospatial Studies Group, which is the primary source for the MTP forecast.

The modification to the 2040 MTP project listing is the removal of the I-25 & Mesa del Sol Interchange from the project list. The removal of the project does not change the fiscal constraint of the MTP since the project was privately funded in the listing.

An updated 2040 MTP that includes the Administrative Modification can be found here: 2040 Futures MTP Final Document(19.66 MB) and here MTP Appendices(13.69 MB).

A presentation explaining the Revised Forecast given to the Metropolitan Transportation Board at their September 15th, 2017 Board meeting can be viewed here.

Learn more about the Futures 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan

Each year Albuquerque participates in Bike to Work Day (BTWD), which is meant to raise awareness about commuting by bicycle and serves as a day to encourage people to trade four wheels for two. In recent years, the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) in collaboration with BTWD organizers, developed and distributed a survey to BTWD participants to collect data about bicycling needs, collect general perceptions of bicycling in Albuquerque, and identify specific strategies to make Albuquerque more bicycle friendly. As more data is collected, the survey can gauge changes in perceptions about bicycling in Albuquerque and serve as a reference for future survey data.

In 2017, there was an overall perception that Albuquerque was improving its bicycle friendliness. Comments underscored the impact of dedicated bikeways and trails. Also, survey questions helped to identify concerns and barriers for people bicycling and understand specific areas for further outreach at future events.

Download report

Snapshot of Key Findings

See also: MRCOG's Bicycle & Pedestrian Program

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Procurement No. 2018-01

Job Access Transportation Service Providers Commodity Code #’s 95294, 96182, 93217

Proposals from individuals and firms to provide Job Access transportation services for its eligible riders in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties.

Mid-Region Council of Governments
809 Copper N.W.
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Rio Metro Regional Transit District (RMRTD) is currently accepting Qualification Statements from qualified, experienced and capable companies to provide Job Access transportation services for its eligible riders in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties. All respondents to this RFQ should focus on and provide the requested information to show their proven qualifications and experience that will be used to provide these services to RMRTD as further described in this RFQ.

Interested parties may receive a complete copy of this solicitation HERE.

Questions or correspondence related to this procurement should be submitted to Kim Monjaras, Procurement Officer, via electronic mail to: kmonjaras@mrcog-nm.gov.

Albuquerque, NM— Results of a feasibility study commissioned last year aimed at optimizing infrastructure assets for economic development in the region prove promising. Last Spring, Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry along with public and private leaders from throughout the four-county Albuquerque MSA, announced the Metro’s intention to become the nation’s next major global transportation and  logistics hub. Now, the results of a study that examined economic potential of freight and logistics are pointing to opportunities in key sectors such as warehousing and distribution, plastics, food, and industrial manufacturing, to name a few.

“The study’s aim to find ways to leverage our assets and grow our freight and logistics economy resonated with virtually every community in the MRCOG Region,” said Dewey Cave, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “We are now better positioned to use the results from the study to identify gaps and targeted investment opportunities to attract more private development of international trade-related manufacturing and logistics”.

The one-year study, conducted by Cambridge Systematics, was supported by the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Torrance County, Sandoval County, Valencia County, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF), and the McCune Charitable Foundation. In addition to identifying economic opportunities for the region to pursue, the study also suggests tapping into area technology resources to develop and add value to the automotive and aerospace sectors, as well as applications of photonics-enabling technologies. Recommendations include the development of an Airport Investment District at the Sunport, to increase high-value air cargo, as well as transload-related investments along the rail corridor.

“Albuquerque has world class infrastructure that can provide tremendous job creation opportunity if used properly”, Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry. “This first of its kind study that my administration commissioned identifies and sets in motion a plan for new and future public and private sector investments that will certainly provide more business growth and jobs.”

One outcome that occurred since last year’s announcement, was a change in the metro area’s foreign trade zone status. Earlier this year, the City of Albuquerque expanded its foreign trade zone boundary to include all of Bernalillo and Valencia Counties, as well as the cities of Rio Rancho, Santa Fe and Moriarty. This expanded framework allows companies located anywhere within those boundaries to receive reduced or deferred taxes on imported components of a finished product.

“The BNSF Railway has long recognized the economic opportunity of the Albuquerque metro area and we look forward to working together on new rail-served industrial development,” said Ean Johnson, Regional Manager, Economic Development, BNSF Railway Company.

The Mid-Region Council of Governments will be working with public and private regional partners to facilitate a discussion about which recommendations highlighted in the study to address and when.

‪For more information about this initiative please contact Ann Simon at asimon@mrcog-nm.gov or Randy Trask at randy@abctradealliance.com. 

View Hub Study

The Mid-Region Council of Governments/Rio Metro Regional Transit District (MRCOG/RMRTD) seeks professionals to transport passengers for curb to curb and fixed route bus service in the Valencia County and Rio Rancho offices.

Under direct supervision of the Transit Manager, operates public transit buses, collects fares, transports passengers, secures wheelchairs of passengers with disabilities and performs safety inspection of bus equipment. Successful candidates will provides service in a courteous, safe and timely manner, while conforming to all applicable state and federal laws as they relate to passenger bus transportation. Candidates must be able to exercise sound judgment in stressful situations.

Qualifications include: High School Diploma or GED and six months public contact or customer relations experience; Valid NM CDL-A or Class B driver's license with passenger endorsement (desired); no DUI or DWI convictions, and no moving violations within last 24-months. Certifications in Defensive Driving, CPR, First Aid, and use of defibrillators highly desirable. Operator positions are considered safety sensitive under Federal Transit Administration and are subject to drug and alcohol regulations including random drug and alcohol testing. Employment pending a successful background check, pre-employment physical and drug and alcohol screen.

The MRCOG is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please complete job application and mail or hand-deliver to: MRCOG, Attn: Personnel, 809 Copper Avenue NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

Download job application

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Every two years, the most congested corridors in the metropolitan region are ranked by Mid-Region Metropolitan Planning Organization based on severity of congestion. The newly released 2014 rankings highlight 31 of the area’s most congested corridors. The top ten are shown below.

The document that accompanies the 2014 Corridor Rankings Table: “2014 Corridor Rankings: Findings and Methodology,” is now available. The methodology used to create the 2014 rankings has been adjusted since the 2012 rankings were created and a new travel time data source has been introduced.

Despite revisions to the methodology, Alameda Boulevard remains the most congested corridor in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Area. However, certain corridors did shift many places in ranking since 2012. Perhaps not surprisingly, 2014 saw a consolidation of river crossings near the top of the table, with river crossings occupying the top five places in the 2014 congested corridor rankings. More on the results of the analysis and major shifts in rank can be found in the document’s discussion section.

 2014 Corridor Rankings: Findings and Methodology. The most congested corridors in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area

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TechHire NM to help more than 400 young adults get well-paying jobs over the next four years

(January 25, 2017 – Albuquerque, NM) – Announced back in July of last year, TechHire New Mexico is now ready to begin accepting eligible applicants. TechHire New Mexico is an innovative job training program designed to equip IT job seekers in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia counties with the information technology (IT) training and skills required to quickly advance into well-paying, middle- and high-skilled, and high-growth jobs. Additionally, monies from the $4-million dollar grant are also intended to help employers in central New Mexico solve their IT occupational staffing challenges in ways that grow a more inclusive and relevant pipeline of superb tech talent.

"The TechHire program to train young and displaced workers in the IT field is exactly the kind of workforce development program we need. It boosts our economy by helping New Mexicans get the training they need to hold good jobs in high-demand STEM fields," said US Senator TomUdall, D-NM. "And as Sandia and Los Alamos national labs prepare to hire thousands of workers in the next five years, it is critical to ensure that New Mexicans are fully prepared to fill these jobs. I was pleased to help secure this grant, and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight for funding that that boosts workforce development in New Mexico."

TechHire New Mexico is open to young adults in central New Mexico between the ages of 17-and-29 with a high school diploma or equivalent, and who have barriers to job training, employment or education. The program aims to provide job placement, customized accelerated technical training, apprenticeships, and work experience opportunities for more than 400-qualified individuals through June of the year 2020.

“In Albuquerque, we are being very intentional about creating opportunities for our people and our employers,” said Albuquerque’s Mayor Richard Berry. “The TechHire program is an important tool in our toolbox as we continue to address under employment in our community, to bolster our business community and improve the lives of our young people.”

Dewey Cave, MRCOG Executive Director, Mayor Richard Berry, City of Albuquerque, Leslie Sanchez, WCCNM Board Chair, Art Martinez, Workforce Operations ManagerIn addition to recruiting for the program, TechHire New Mexico is also seeking employer partners who would be willing to help with placing participants in positions to gain work experience, as well as consider hiring some of those qualified individuals. In return, many employer partners would get the benefit of skilling up their current IT workforce.

“To improve our region’s economy, we need to help more people gain the high-tech skills and credentials they need to obtain better jobs, which in turn provides businesses with the kind of high-tech workforce they need to grow and thrive in New Mexico,” said Central New Mexico Community College President Kathie Winograd. “The TechHire program is addressing both of these pressing needs at the same time, and CNM is proud to be a supporter of this important collaborative effort.”

Through the Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico, and in partnership with Central New Mexico Community College, CNM Ingenuity. Inc., Innovate+Educate/Talent ABQ, and New Mexico Technology Council, TechHire New Mexico provides training, job placement and work experience opportunities for qualified individuals in occupations critical to the regional economy.

“This is a tremendous opportunity - not only put a lot of young people to work – but to offer them a chance at a great career”, said Leslie Sanchez, Board Chair, Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico. “This is an occupational area in which we know there are both growth potential, as well as need for skilled IT workers. We are very excited about what TechHire New Mexico can do for jobs and the economy in central New Mexico.”

The TechHire New Mexico program is funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. Out of a total of 215 grant proposal submittals, central New Mexico’s application was one of only 39-awarded in 25 states.

For more information on the TechHire New Mexico visit www.techhirenewmexico.org. 

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Monitoring pedestrian and bicycle travel is a key step to planning, designing and implementing better active transportation systems at the neighborhood level. It provides baseline data needed to evaluate and understand how our built environment supports, doesn’t support or in the worst case is a barrier to walking and bicycling. 

This report provides preliminary findings at seven count locations; 3 in the International District and 4 in the South Valley. It includes the numbers of people walking and bicycling along the roadway, their volume fluctuation during the day, their direction of travel and their use of travel lanes, bike lanes and/or sidewalks. 

The count locations were chosen to illuminate potential contributing factors influencing non-motorized user volumes and behaviors. In some count locations data was collected both before and after the implementation of roadway improvement and in other count locations data was collected as a baseline for planned future improvements.

The following key findings are included in this report and described in further detail:

• In locations on Zuni Blvd. where there were before and after counts, there was a significant jump in bicycle volume, from 90 cyclists in 2015 to 124 cyclists in 2016. At the same locations there was also a significant decrease in the percent of biking on sidewalk. These are both desirable results presumably associated with the recent road restriping and lane reconfigurations which included the addition of buffered bicycle lanes. 
• A significant percentage of bicyclists rode on the sidewalk at count locations along Bridge Blvd. and Isleta Blvd. which have marked but un-buffered bike lanes.
• In locations adjacent to assisted living complexes and other community service providers there was a higher percentage of pedestrians with disabilities requiring walkers, canes or wheelchairs.

The following observations need further data collection and analysis and are explored in more detail:

• Biking on sidewalk: A higher percentage of biking on the sidewalks as a percentage of total bicycle counts was observed in locations where there were no bike lanes or there were marked but not buffered/ protected bike lanes. If there is a bike lane not being used what factors are contributing to the behavior? What safety issues are associated with bicycling on the sidewalk due to turning vehicles particularly against traffic? 
• Mid-block crossings associate with transit stops: At the Bridge Blvd east of Goff pedestrian were observed and recorded crossing at an un-marked midblock crossing aligned with the west bound transit stop. What are the safety issues associated with mid-block pedestrian crossings near bus stops?
• Roadways without designated pedestrian or bicycling facilities: One count location, Sunset Blvd south of Yakima Rd., had very low pedestrian and bicycle activity despite being on a roadway that provides access and is adjacent to Armijo Elementary School. Is the lack of dedicated pedestrian and bicycle facilities, such as sidewalks, pedestrian paths or shared lane markings a contributing factor to low counts?
• Funding Priorities: What are the implications of cutting planned funding for ADA improvements in locations where there is a concentration of community service providers serving seniors and people with disabilities requiring walkers, canes or wheelchairs? As roadways are retrofitted where is the need greatest for pedestrian and bicycle facilities? 

Read the Report

Learn more about Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning

To provide additional detail about pedestrian and bicycle crashes in Bernalillo County, the MRMPO analyzed information collected by New Mexico Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Bureau and compiled findings in the following report: Bernalillo County Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Data Analysis 2010-2014.

Findings in the report are based on the best information available about the quantity and severity of crashes along with the details such as location, time, date and basic information about the people involved in the crash the report provides. To the best extent possible, details underlying the cause of the crash are also provided by the reported top contributing factor to the crash. Work on the report was done in collaboration with the Healthy Here: Communities Leading Healthy Change Initiative funded in part by the Center for Disease Control.

The following key findings are included in this report and described in further detail:

• In 2014, New Mexico was ranked 1st in the nation for pedestrian fatalities per capita. Because bicycle fatalities are relatively rare events, New Mexico’s bicycle crash ranking fluctuates significantly from year to year.
• Not surprisingly, pedestrian and bicycle fatalities are far more likely to result in death or injury than crashes involving motor vehicles alone. In Bernalillo County, pedestrian crashes are 39.9 times more likely to be fatal and bicyclist crashes are 5.9 time more likely to be fatal than crashes involving only motor vehicles.
• Of the 89 fatal pedestrian crashes in the 2010-2014 time period, 55.5 percent involved a pedestrian who was intoxicated.
• Although it is difficult to determine the cause of the crash, in 47.1 percent of pedestrian crashes and 45.8 percent of bicyclist crashes, the officer reporting on the crash indicated that the pedestrian or bicyclist behavior did not contribute to the crash.
• East Central Ave has the highest number of combined pedestrian and bicyclist crashes in the region with 284 crashes over 10.8 mile (23 ped/bike crashes per mile). Following far behind, the second and third corridors with the most combined pedestrian and bicyclist crashes are Lomas Blvd (93 total) and San Mateo Blvd (82 total).
• A large proportion of bicycle crashes (43.3 percent) occur on roadways with no bikeway infrastructure (no bicycle lanes or adjacent path).
• Pedestrian crashes and to a lesser extent, bicyclist crashes, are correlated with areas with major transit lines, UNM, Downtown and the International District.

Read the Report

Learn more about Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning

In its first year, Albuquerque’s downtown pilot bike share, BICI, has been an overwhelming success! Launched on National Bike to Work Day, May 15, 2015, with 13 stations and 65 bicycles, BICI grew by two stations and 10 bicycles within two months, for a total of 15 stations and 75 bicycles! BICI stations are strategically placed near transit to provide for first and last mile connectivity by filling in gaps where no other transportation mode exists.

Through the creative partnership between the DowntownABQ MainStreet Initiative and the Mid-Region Council of Governments, and through public-private funding, Albuquerque was able to realize the first phase of BICI for residents and visitors. This success is due in large part to community support - especially through local private businesses.

BICI planners reviewed and analyzed the first year of data from the pilot program and have pulled together some statistics to showcase BICI’s success.

Here are a few interesting points from the data:

• 65% of BICI users are from New Mexico
• 54% of BICI users from the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area are women
• Of all the days of the week, Thursdays seemed to be the most popular among BICI users with 16.1% ridership
• A total of 5,020 trips were taken in the first year

View the infographic

Learn more about BICI

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(Albuquerque, NM – July 27, 2016) – The New Mexico Rail Runner Express now has an official mobile ticketing app. The app, available for both iPhone and Android, will allow passengers to purchase tickets, check the status of a train, view schedules, and more!

“Mobile ticketing adds a whole new dimension to the convenience of riding the train”, said Rio Metro Marketing Director Allyne Clarke. “People now have full access to everything Rail Runner right at their fingertips – no matter where they are.”

Rail Runner Mobile App Features

• Save rider profile
• Store ticket info for repeat purchases
• Purchase tickets in two easy steps
• Purchase non-date specific tickets
• Check the train schedule with just one click
• Check the status of a train
• Available for iPhone and Android

Online Ticketing

In addition to the app, the Rail Runner has also introduced a new, easy to use, online ticketing system. You will now be able to create an account and view your transaction history. The new system also allows users to look up tickets using the last four digits of your credit card number.

When purchasing tickets on the website, passengers will still need to select a travel date. Tickets purchased online will still be emailed to the recipient; passengers can either show the ticket on their mobile device or print it out and bring it with them on the day of the ride.

The app is available for download today!

Visit www.nmrailrunner.com to learn more about the NM Rail Runner Express.

Contact: Augusta Meyers, MRCOG Communications Mgr. (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

About Rio Metro
The Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rio Metro) provides regional public transportation
for Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Valencia counties.

The Central Avenue & San Mateo Road Safety Assessment (RSA) takes an in-depth look at pedestrian safety at this intersection. The development of the assessment report involved a multidisciplinary team working with local community groups and a variety of agencies to help understand all the safety concerns at this intersection and collaborate on safety countermeasures. The results of this 18 month process are detailed in the Central Avenue-San Mateo Road Safety Assessment Report.

New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque have been identified by the Federal Highway Administration as being in need of pedestrian safety improvements due to pedestrian-auto crash rates. This is further emphasized by New Mexico ranking first in the nation for pedestrian crash fatalities per 100,000 population in the year 2014. The intersection of Central Ave and San Mateo historically has had the highest number of pedestrian crashes in the region.

Central Avenue and San Mateo Boulevard stand out in many other ways as well. This intersection is a transfer point for four very high ridership transit lines; there are many pedestrians and pedestrians with disabilities crossing this intersection, and it is located in an ‘’Activity Center.” Activity Centers are areas identified in City of Albuquerque/ Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan for urban land uses and transportation improvements to support pedestrian travel.

The City of Albuquerque is implementing their first bus rapid transit service, Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) along Central Ave. This project presents a unique opportunity to improve pedestrian safety. Many of the RSA recommended improvements are planned to be implemented as part of the ART project, and the feasibility of including other recommendations with the ART project or as future projects are being investigated.

Download the Report

Taking the Wheel: Getting ABQ from here… to there is a recent report released by MRCOG in partnership with the Urban Land Institute’s New Mexico District Council. It was written with the intent of bringing the national discussion about how shifting demographics are shaping housing and transportation trends to the local level. The report draws upon new survey information from MRCOG and the City of Albuquerque, along with a wealth of national research.

The report highlights several key findings:

• The majority of people living in the Albuquerque metropolitan area desire to live in areas that are walkable, close to shopping and entertainment, and possess other key elements commonly associated with urban areas.
• While most pronounced among Millennials, a preference for more urban living is a common sentiment across all age groups.
• Albuquerque residents drive 10 percent fewer miles per day on average than they did 10 years ago, meanwhile over the same time period transit ridership has doubled.
• The report finds that similar to national trends, Millennials in the area take fewer trips, go shorter distances, and are more likely than previous generations to bike, walk, and use transit.

To be clear, generational preferences are not universal (not all Millennials want the same things) and single family homes and personal vehicles will continue to be a vital part of how we live and get around. However, even small shifts in preferences can have dramatic impacts, and the report demonstrates that these shifts are real and likely to persist. This raises some important questions; As Millennials continue to enter the housing market and many Baby Boomers choose to downsize, will the Albuquerque area be able to offer what they want? Will it provide convenient choices when it comes to getting around? The report concludes with a set of policy options and strategies that may be effective in getting ABQ from here… to there.

Read the report6.05 MB

Contact: Kendra Montanari (kmontanari@mrcog-nm.gov)

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(Albuquerque, NM - June 14, 2016) –The public-private economic development website once known as nmsitesearch.com has officially been re-launched under a brand new name – IngenuityCentral.org. In 2015, the website, which has long been supported through a partnership between the Mid-Region Council of Governments and the Metro New Mexico Development Alliance – was facing some much-needed modifications and updates. The Board of Directors for the Metro Alliance took quick action and unanimously approved a name change to Ingenuity Central.

“We were fortunate to already have that regional branding in place and ready to use”, said Tiffany Avery, President, Metro Alliance. “As a regional brand, “Ingenuity Central” had already received the enthusiastic endorsement by the larger regional economic development community; however, no entity was actually using the brand in its marketing or advertising. So this turns out to be great timing for us, as well as great branding!” added Avery.

The Metro Alliance comprised of economic development organizations in the four-county MRCOG region, as well as Public Service Company of New Mexico and New Mexico Gas Co., all agreed to change the website to www.ingenuitycentral.org. The organization plans to use the site to support site selection and real estate searches, as well as a clearing house for great economic stories happening throughout the region.

With graphics and branding language developed by local idea and branding guru Steve Wedeen, the organization was able to put a newer, more cutting edge face to the site. In addition, the Metro Alliance has contracted Rio Rancho’s Ad House Advertising to more effectively market the region to entrepreneurs and forward-thinking companies by way of a digital advertising campaign aimed at specific populations and locations in the U.S.

“This approach will enhance our respective organization’s marketing efforts to increase visibility to our region as a great place for business investment,” said Annemarie Ciepiela Henton, Vice President of the Metro Alliance.

The Metro Alliance is an organization of public and private sector organizations whose purpose is to promote central New Mexico to industry site selectors as well as footloose entrepreneurs interested in moving to this region.

Visit www.ingenuitycentral.org.

Contact: Tiffany Avery, Metro NM Development Alliance Board President, (505) 891-4305, tiffany.avery@sandovaleconomicalliance.org

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(Albuquerque, NM – May 11, 2016) – The Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico is adding 100-additional Work Experience opportunities that will employ eligible young adults throughout Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia Counties.

“This program is much more than just a job for these young people”, says Odes Armijo-Caster, Chair of the Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico Board. “This work experience can transition participants into post-secondary education, full-time employment, or even help them earn a credential that will further their employability in the future.”

The Work Experience Program, available for individuals ages 16-24, will target out-of-school youth, meaning the individual cannot be enrolled or attending any school – neither secondary nor post-secondary. Out-of-school youth can mean high school graduates, high school dropouts, those with some college experience – even those who have completed college. 

Eligibility for the program is also based on family financial income and youth barriers.

“Our goal is to place eligible youth at a worksite in which they have a career interest”, says Jerilynn Sans, Administrator for the NM Workforce Connection. “This will give them an idea of what the industry offers, and let them decide if they would like to pursue a certificate or degree that will lead them on their eventual career path.”

Interested participants can visit www.wccnm.org or contact any of the four Central Region NM Workforce Connection offices.

In addition to Work Experience, there will also be a number of supportive services for eligible participants who need them including: child care, transportation, and other workplace items that may be required, depending on the job.

For more information visit: www.wccnm.org

Contact: Augusta Meyers, MRCOG at (505) 239-8612

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MRCOG Staff research highlighted above 35-others across the nation at Climate Change & Energy Conference

Out of 36-entrants across the nation, two staff members from the Mid-Region Council of Governments received an award from the 2016 Transportation Research Board Special Task Force of Climate Change and Energy last month for the “paper that best addresses climate change research”. Former MRCOG Senior Planner Aaron Sussman and MRCOG Travel Demand and Land Use Modeler Chowdhury Siddiqui submitted the paper titled “Integrating Climate Change into Scenario Planning: Can Mitigation Measures Also Make a Region More Resilient?” based on findings from MRCOG’s effort to integrate climate change analysis into regional long-range transportation planning. The 2016 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Conference was attended by more than 14,000 transportation professionals from around the world.

“I’m honored to have MRCOG’s effort recognized at Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) annual meeting”, said Chowdhury Siddiqui, Travel Demand and Land Use Modeler, Mid-Region Council of Governments. “TRB’s annual meeting is the largest conference of its kind in this part of the globe, and attracts both national and international researchers and practitioners. This award acknowledges MRCOG’s adopted methodology and findings for the climate change scenario planning project from both national and international standpoint. I expect that this work will generate ideas for future work in other regions and benefit them from our experiences.”

The central New Mexico climate change scenario planning project integrated climate change analysis into a land use and transportation scenario planning process in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area. The project found that in central New Mexico emphasizing growth in priority development areas, such as activity centers and transit nodes, not only reduced vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions, but also proved to be more sustainable by attracting additional development to desired locations and reducing the amount of growth in areas at-risk to climate change impacts such as wildfires and flooding.

In addition to traditional transportation and accessibility indicators, the Mid-Region Council of Governments and federal and local project partners utilized spatial analysis to test the benefits of a Preferred Scenario against climate change-related performance measures.

“This is quite an honor to be selected out of 36-entrants from across the country,” said Dewey Cave, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “The outstanding efforts of these two individuals bring recognition to the many great projects that are going on right here at the Mid-Region Council of Governments.”

Last week the Transportation Research Board confirmed that Siddiqui’s and Sussman’s work to be published in the TRB’s Journal – the Transportation Research Record.

Contact: Augusta Meyers, Communications Mgr., MRCOG (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

About the Mid-Region Council of Governments
The Mid-Region Council of Governments is a planning agency that serves the four in Central New Mexico: Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrance, and Sandoval. MRCOG provides planning services to its member governments in the areas of transportation, agriculture, workforce development, employment growth, land-use, water, and economic development.

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The emergence of advanced technologies for use in agency travel data collection, the widespread adoption of mobile communications and smart phones by travelers, and car manufacturers' inclusion of in-vehicle conditions apps that provide optimized routing options to one's destination have improved the traveler experience and improved safety on the roadways. Agencies that employ these technologies can better manage roadway operations and improve communications among traffic managers and first responders. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) - the use of these advances in support of better managing roadway operations and communication to drivers - is coordinated locally by the ITS Subcommittee. This committee is currently involved in the update of the Regional ITS Architecture that provides the policy framework for this coordination.

This effort is being led by MRCOG and the NMDOT ITS Bureau in close coordination with the ITS Subcommittee which includes all member agencies of MRCOG. Also part of the discussions are area first responders and maintenance departments, which although are not members of MRCOG directly, are regional stakeholders with a shared responsibility to improve roadway safety and incident response to manage the transportation system more effectively. The update is expected to be completed in June of this year.

Several examples of ITS "services" are currently in use by local agencies. These include:

• Dynamic message signs - the overhead message boards that alert drivers in "real time" of expected travel times or upcoming hazards to avoid. Surveys have shown that they have been proven invaluable to drivers to alert them of speeds, expected travel times, or crashes downstream to assist in better decision making or improved safety and accident congestion avoidance.
• Advanced Traffic Signal Optimization and Adaptive Signal Control deployments allow agencies to actively manage traffic signal timing based on current conditions. Improvements in travel speeds and reduced delays have been experienced on the corridors where they're deployed.
• HELP Courtesy Patrol Trucks on select interstates and arterials provide roadside assistance to stranded motorists but also support first responders on-scene with mobile message boards and crash clean-up to shorten incident duration and reduce the time an incident blocks the roadway.
• Traffic Management Centers allow local agencies to view, in realtime, the actual travel conditions on the roadways they maintain thus allowing operators to update travel conditions information shown via the message boards mentioned above. These centers also operate as a central repository for roadway information with connections to first responders dispatch to bridge the gaps between the roadway managers and emergency crews.

A map of these ITS Services was included in the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and is shown below:

View this and other transportation news in the March 2016 issue of Travel Times >

MRMPO has recently completed and published the Regional Traffic Safety Report updated through the years 2009-2013. This updated report is provided in a new format as a story map which will allow people reading the report to zoom into any one of a series of maps and click on locations of interest to see underlying information. This report provides an overall view of crashes in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area. Some highlight include the following:

• The number of crashes per capita have been decreasing nationally and in New Mexico, however in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning area there has been more variability with an increase from 2012 to 2013 of 8 percent.
• The most common top contributing factor to all crashes is diver inattention with 28% of all crashes between 2009-2013 being mainly attributed to driver inattention. The category of driver inattention includes cell phone use.
• The most common top contributing factor to fatal crashes in alcohol/drug involvement with 47% of all fatal crashes being mainly attributed to alcohol/drug involvement.
• The intersection with the highest rate of all types of crashes and the highest rate of more severe crashes involving a fatality or injury is Paseo del Norte & Coors Blvd.
• Men tend to be involved in crashes more frequently than women and this difference becomes more pronounced with fatal crashes.
• Fatal crashes involving teens, which has traditionally been very high had a significant decrease of 23% from 2012 to 2013.

The report also includes strategies to improve pedestrian safety and prioritize safety improvements.

View the report.

A report by the Mid-Region Council of Governments analyzes the regional benefits associated with the Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) project along Central Avenue in Albuquerque. A common criticism of the ART project is that it provides additional investment in a transit corridor that is already well-served rather than improving service in other locations. One under-evaluated component of the ART project, therefore, is the impact transportation investments on Central Ave will have across the rest of the system. As a planning agency concerned with issues across the entire Albuquerque metropolitan area, the Mid-Region Council of Governments chose to pursue such analysis.

The analysis found that the combined effect of increased service frequency, reduced transit travel times, and greater reliability results in substantial improvements in access to common destinations by public transit across Bernalillo County. Some key findings are that nearly 150,000 additional residents could access the University of New Mexico and Nob Hill areas respectively within 45 minutes by public transit as a result of ART than at present. Similarly, a transit user departing from Coors Blvd. and Central Ave. could access more than 50,000 additional jobs within 45 minutes once ART is implemented than they could today.

Read the full report.

Learn more about MRCOG's Congestion Management Process.

View this and other transportation news in the January 2016 issue of Travel Times >

The Mid-Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MRMPO) recently released an updated version of the Transportation Analysis Querying Application (TAQA). TAQA is a publicly-available interactive tool that allows users to query and access travel time and traffic counts data across the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area. Updates to the tool include more recent data and now features interactive mapping and data selection features.

TAQA data includes:

• Travel time data from 2011 to 2014
• Traffic counts data from 2012 to 2015
• Archive of Average Weekday Daily Traffic from 2000 to 2014

Data can also be exported into CSV files for use in Excel.

TAQA can be found at http://taqa.mrcog-nm.gov/.

Learn more about TAQA.

View this and other transportation news in the January 2016 issue of Travel Times >

A year after the installation of the region’s first pedestrian hybrid beacon in the South Valley, the Mid-Region Council of Governments, in cooperation with Healthy Here: Communities Leading Health Change, have studied the effectiveness of the beacon and have seen promising results. With the goal of improving pedestrian safety, the study found that pedestrians and drivers were responding well to this new traffic device. 

Read the Isleta Blvd. Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Evaluation.

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(September 29, 2015 – Albuquerque, NM) - Rail Passengers encouraged to “Be Aware and Report Anything Suspicious". It’s a pretty simple message – “If you See Something, Say Something”. And now that message is expanding to the New Mexico Rail Runner Express. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), NMDHS Emergency Management, New Mexico All Source Intelligence Center (NMASIC), Herzog Transit Services and New Mexico State Department of Transportation have joined together to announce the expansion of the “If You See Something, Say Something™” public awareness campaign.                                                                 

“National security begins with the local community,” said DHSEM Cabinet Secretary, Jay Mitchell. “Who better knows what constitutes normal or suspicious activity at the local level more than those that live, work or attend school in your community. This program has proven to be effective in engaging the public to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities and will help prevent terrorist attacks and other related criminal activity from occurring.”

Throughout the State of New Mexico and on the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, the campaign encourages commuters and the public to play a key role in protecting our communities just by maintaining awareness throughout their normal day. The campaign is in both English and Spanish.

“Being aware is something that all Rail Runner passengers can do quite easily on a daily basis,” said Terry Doyle, Director of the Rio Metro Regional Transit District. “Not just at times like Balloon Fiesta when we have an influx of extra activity on our trains, but throughout the year. It’s as simple as reporting something or someone’s behavior that “doesn’t seem quite right.”

Call 911 to report suspicious activity, or contact local authorities. Describe specifically what was observed, including: Who or What was seen; When it was observed; Where it occurred; and Why it appeared suspicious.

Informed, alert communities play a critical role in keeping our nation safe.

Karen Takai, PIO, NM Dept of Homland Security, (505) 470-4182, karen.takai@state.nm.us
Augusta Meyers, Communications Manager, NM Rail Runner Express (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

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A new report from MRCOG considers how local commuting patterns have changed in recent years, and finds evidence that transportation behaviors are indeed changing, but not always in ways that people might expect. The report follows a recent release from the Census Bureau that listed Albuquerque among the top 15 metro areas in the country for the largest declines in the percentage of workers commuting by automobile.

Read the full MRCOG report

Learn more about MRCOG's Congestion Management Process >

Ribbon Cutting held on September 18, 2015 in Estancia’s Arthur Park

(September 2, 2015 – Estancia, NM)- After years of hard work and a community led effort, the Salt Missions Trail Scenic Byway will soon see 51-signs installed along the historic route. “The Salt Missions Trail Scenic Byway winds through an interesting area of New Mexico both scenically and historically”, said NM Senator Ted Barela, (R)-District 39. “By creating a brand and adding signs to the Byway, we’re creating more opportunities to promote and encourage new visitors to experience the richness of this region.”

The Mid-region Council of Governments provides staff support to the Salt Missions Trail Scenic Byway Committee (SMT Committee), which is comprised of local officials and volunteers from Torrance, southern Santa Fe and east Bernalillo Counties. MRCOG and the SMT Committee have secured enough funding to purchase 51 Salt Missions Trail signs to be installed along the Byway.

 “A couple of years ago, COG staff assisted community stakeholders in and around Torrance County with the development of a logo for the Salt Missions Trail”, said Dewey Cave, Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “This symbol of collaboration will now be shared with those who venture to learn more about this historic area.”
 
The celebrated Byway lies approximately 30-miles east of Albuquerque in the central part of New Mexico connecting Old Route 66 with the Abo Canyon Trail along the roadway loop that runs from Moriarty south to Willard, west to Mountainair, north to Tijeras, and then east to Moriarty. The Byway also includes links west to the Abo Mission ruins and south to Gran Quivera, connecting a number of historic farming and Spanish land grant communities in the area. The transportation, trade, and use of salt from the salt lakes in the Estancia Basin provides the common link between these various points celebrating the communities and Spanish Missions along the way.

The Salt Missions Trail Scenic Byway Ribbon Cutting Ceremony took place on September 10, 2015 in Estancia's Arthur Park.

Learn more >

Contact:  Augusta Meyers, MRCOG Communications Mgr., 505-239-8612, ameyers@mrcognm.gov

Two additional BICI (pronounced “BEE-see”) bikeshare stations will roll out on Friday, July 17 – just two months after the initial launch of 65 bikes and 13 bikeshare stations in downtown Albuquerque. One station will be located at the Mid-Region Council of Governments at 809 Copper Ave. NW right across from Robinson Park and the second station will be at the Hyatt Regency hotel along 4th Street and Tijeras. These two new BICI stations bring the bikeshare totals to 75 bicycles and 15 stations.

“Even though Albuquerque’s first bikeshare program has only been in operation a little over two months, the data shows that people are really using the system!”, said Dewey Cave, Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “BICI has seen more than 1,100 trips and has accumulated more than 400 members – and they’re not just staying in the downtown area”.

Data shows riders using BICI bikes to go to the University of New Mexico area and Nob Hill, but also shows them on recreational trails in the South Valley -  and even as far west as Atrisco Vista Blvd. This kind of data and feedback will be taken into consideration when looking at the need to expand the program. 

“Already, we’ve (BICI) gotten more than  two dozen phone calls from cities across the United States who are interested in Albuquerque’s unique, innovative bikeshare model, inquiring largely about how we were able to implement an on-the-ground operational bikeshare in just a few months”, said Lola Bird, Executive Director of Downtown ABQMainstreet Initiative.

BICI’s bikeshare vendor, Zagster, provides an innovative low-cost model that is designed to expand as interest grows and additional resources become available, which made it possible for BICI to add two additional stations.

“The city has all the elements for a successful bike share program – great roads and streets, a sunny, temperate climate and great retailers and natural attractions, so it’s no surprise the program is off to a great start,” said Timothy Ericson, co-founder and CEO of Zagster. “It’s great to see the public and private sector come together to expand BICI.”

Cities around the world are using bike sharing programs to make bicycling a mainstream form of transportation for everyone - from novices to experienced riders. Bikeshare trips are typically short in distance and a brief amount of time, but can also be used for longer recreational rides.

BICI is the result of the collective efforts of The DowntownABQ Main Street Initiative, the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) and the City of Albuquerque. The pilot program is being funded through a hybrid approach by a PNM grant, local private sponsorship and support from the City of Albuquerque. It will run for one year, but has the potential to continue and expand because the City/County recently applied for grant funding for a city-wide bike share.

Contact: Augusta Meyers, MRCOG, (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov
Zagster, John Williams, Scoville PR, (206) 625-0075 x1, jwilliams@scovillepr.com

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The 2040 Socioeconomic Forecast by Data Analysis Subzone (DASZ) is final with the approval of the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and is now the official forecast for transportation planning purposes in the MRCOG region. The region is projected to gain 460,000 people to reach 1.375 million by 2040, and gain 185,000 jobs to total 582,000 jobs by 2040.

Some additional highlights include:

• Bernalillo County is expected to capture 68 percent of the region’s population growth and 72 percent of its job growth between 2012 and 2040.
• Led by Rio Rancho, Sandoval County’s total employment is expected to more than double.
• Valencia County will see fast paced growth in both population (65 percent) and employment (64 percent).
• Service employment will be the fastest growing segment of the economy. Led by the healthcare and education sectors, it is expected to grow by 61 percent between 2012 and 2040.
• The job-to-housing ratio on the Westside of the Rio Grande is projected to improve from 0.56 to 0.65.
• The jobs-to-housing ratio on the Eastside of the Rio Grande is projected to decline from 1.39 to 1.35

The existing and forecast population and employment for each county in the region is shown below.

Certainly, growth has slowed substantially since 2008 and the impacts of the Great Recession continue to weigh heavily on the region. After updating assumptions and accounting for changes in the primary drivers behind population and employment growth, the growth outlook has been reduced by approximately 16 percent from the 2035 MTP. Nonetheless, the forecast assumes that over time, migration will rebound and employment growth will resume throughout central New Mexico.

MRCOG develops socioeconomic forecasts to assist regional planners and decision-makers as they evaluate future transportation needs, perform land use and transportation project planning, and develop local land use and transportation policy.

More about the forecast >> 

Access the 2040 socioeconomic forecast >>

Final action was taken on April 17th and the Metropolitan Transportation Board (MTB) approved both the Futures 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the 2016-2021 Transportation Improvement Program for the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area. The Futures 2040 plan now awaits a “conformity determination” from the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board to certify that the costs of the projects contained within the plan do not exceed future revenues and that the region will meet necessary air quality standards.

Futures 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan

 View the final version of the Futures 2040 Plan >>

Futures 2040 is the long-range transportation plan for the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area. It identifies challenges, strategies, and transportation projects to improve mobility, quality of life and economic development throughout the region through the year 2040. The plan covers the entire Metropolitan Planning Area, which includes all of Valencia County, Bernalillo County, and southern Sandoval County.

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the short-range list of major transportation projects to be funded with federal, state and local funding through the year 2021. 

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About the Mid-Region Council of Governments

The Mid-Region Council of Governments is a planning agency that serves the four in Central New Mexico:
Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrance, and Sandoval. MRCOG provides planning services to its member governments in the areas of transportation, agriculture, workforce development, employment growth, land-use, water,
and economic development.

Valerie Hermanson, MRCOG
Regional Planner(Albuquerque, NM – March 27, 2015) – Mid-Region Council of Governments Planner Valerie Hermanson was named as one of the 40 under 40 for Next City’s prestigious Vanguard Conference - a gathering of the top urban innovators under the age of 40 working to make change in cities.

The international nonprofit media organization Next City will host its sixth annual Vanguard Conference in Reno, Nevada, on May 6-8, 2015. The conference is designed to bring together professionals working across disciplines and sectors, each Vanguard class includes policymakers and politicians, architects and urban planners, artists and mediamakers, all selected through a highly competitive application process.

“I’m extremely honored and excited to be selected for this year’s Vanguard,” said Valerie Hermanson, Planner, Mid-Region Council of Governments. “It’s an incredible opportunity to meet and learn from other enthusiastic leaders and it’s the type of experience that will only further my enthusiasm for planning and creating quality places. I look forward to expanding and developing my skillset that can be used in the Albuquerque region.”

Hermanson, a transportation planner at the Mid-RegionCouncil of Governments, is planning and implementing Albuquerque’s pilot bike share in partnership with the DowntownABQ MainStreet Initiative and the City of Albuquerque. She also provides technical and transportation planning assistance to local governments. She co-planned Albuquerque’s first open streets event aka ABQ CiQlovía, serves on the on the New Mexico Complete Streets Leadership Team and the Albuquerque 2030 District Advisory Board, and volunteers with MiABQ.

“Valerie’s efforts have really put us (MRCOG) on the map – not just regionally, but nationally – as a leader among regional planning agencies throughout the nation”, said Dewey Cave, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “The 40 Under 40 designation speaks volumes of the exceptional work being done by Valerie and the rest of our staff at the Council of Governments.”

This year there were applicants from across the U.S., as well as Canada, Mexico, Australia and Brazil. The 2015 Vanguard participants are drawn from the private sector and all levels of government, from the U.S. White House on down to the mayoral cabinets and city councils of major cities including New York, Montreal, Washington D.C., Portland and Los Angeles.

The Vanguards will convene in Reno for a three-day series of presentations, workshops and neighborhood tours organized around the theme: Tactical Growth for a Smarter Future.  Additionally and importantly, the Vanguard conference will provide each member the opportunity to connect and network with their Vanguard cohort, develop relationships for future collaboration and learn new skills and strategies that can be taken back home to each member’s respective communities to make better places. 

This year’s Vanguard Class can be found here: http://nextcity.org/vanguard/members/year/2015

Contact: Augusta Meyers, Communications Mgr., MRCOG (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov                                                     

About the Mid-Region Council of Governments

The Mid-Region Council of Governments is a planning agency that serves the four in Central New Mexico:
Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrance, and Sandoval. MRCOG provides planning services to its member governments in the areas of transportation, agriculture, workforce development, employment growth, land-use, water, and economic development.

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Derrick Webb, MRCOG Senior PlannerMRCOG Senior Planner submitted application based on climate impacts and challenges for Jemez Springs, NM (Albuquerque, NM – March 24, 2015) – Mid-Region Council of Governments Senior Planner Derrick Webb was notified last week  that he and three members from the Jemez Springs administration will be attending  a very prestigious event at the Sonoran Institute in Phoenix, Arizona next month – the Resilient Communities Workshop!

Word of the award comes after Webb submitted an application to the Western Lands and Communities Program responding to a call to hear from communities across the west that regularly face challenges related to climate change - such as prolonged drought, wildfire, extreme heat, and flash flooding events. Webb’s application was chosen based on a couple of key challenges faced by the Village of Jemez Springs, New Mexico, that as Webb said in his application “threaten the future of the community”. Those two specific threats include the increasing drought conditions and the impending frequency and scale of wildfires throughout the area.

“I’m very excited that we were chosen to present the climate challenges of Jemez Springs at this workshop”, said Derrick Webb, Senior Planner, Mid-Region Council of Governments. “This is a great opportunity to share best practices and learn from other community leaders across the west to help us better prepare Jemez Springs for climate related impacts and help build resilience to these events. The results of the workshop will dovetail nicely into the current work for the Village Comprehensive Plan Update.”

The Resilient Communities Workshop is a two-day training that gives community leaders the knowledge and tools necessary to build their community resilience. Workshop participants will build a better understanding of how climate change will impact their community, and the areas in their city or town that are most vulnerable to climate impacts. Case study examples of what other communities are doing will help participants develop a plan of action for implementation in their own community.

“This is quite an honor to be selected as one of only two applications chosen from throughout the west to attend this very important conference,” said Dewey Cave, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “Our planning team’s outstanding efforts bring recognition to the many New Mexico communities that make up the Mid-Region Council of Governments.”

After participating in the workshop, community teams will:

• Gain a deeper understanding of resilience, climate adaptation, and other related topics.
• Identify key current and future climate impacts, such as drought, wildfire, extreme heat, flooding, and others.
• Identify parts of the community that will be most impacted by climate change.
• Network and learn from another community who is tackling similar issues.
• Create a community plan of action to help mitigate your most critical climate impacts.

The three members attending the Resilient Communities Workshop from the administration of the Village of Jemez Springs include: Mayor Robert Wilson, Pam Grider, Mayor Pro-Tem/Planning and Zoning Commission Chair, and Thomas Gonzales, Planning and Zoning Commissioner.

For more information on the Resilient Communities Workshop, visit: westernlandsandcommunities.org

Contact: Augusta Meyers, Communications Mgr., MRCOG (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov                                                     

About the Mid-Region Council of Governments

The Mid-Region Council of Governments is a planning agency that serves the four in Central New Mexico:
Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrance, and Sandoval. MRCOG provides planning services to its member governments in the areas of transportation, agriculture, workforce development, employment growth, land-use, water, and economic development.

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Residents of Albuquerque could see the city’s first bike share program by the Spring thanks to the collective efforts of The DowntownABQ Main Street Initiative, the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) and the City of Albuquerque. Albuquerque Bike Share- or BICI (pronounced “BEE-see”) - is working with bike sharing leader Zagster to provide 35-50 bicycles that can be shared by residents and visitors - initially within the downtown area.

"This is a very cool new feature for Downtown Albuquerque. This promotes convenience, fitness, and the overall livelihood of our city”, says Mayor Richard J. Berry, City of Albuquerque.

“We’re honored to have been selected by the DowntownABQ MainStreet Initiative, the Mid-Region Council of Governments and the City of Albuquerque to bring bike sharing to the residents of Albuquerque,” said Tim Ericson, co-founder and CEO of Zagster. “Our next generation model for bike sharing enables cities like Albuquerque to quickly launch services at a fraction of the cost of other models, giving managers real-world data and experiences that will help us expand the program in the coming months and years.”

BICI will utilize an innovative low-cost model designed to expand as interest grows and additional resources become available. Cities around the world are using bike sharing programs to make bicycling a mainstream form of transportation for everyone from novices to experienced riders. Bike share trips are typically short in distance and a brief amount of time, but can also be used for longer recreational rides.

 “With more than 300 days of sunshine, and a growing network of business and retail, downtown Albuquerque is the prime location for the state’s very first pilot bike share program,” said Dewey Cave, MRCOG Executive Director. “Bike sharing improves access to businesses and promotes healthy lifestyle options for visitors and local users.”

To rent a bike, riders simply log-in to their account, enter the unique ID number of the bike they wish to use and the app provides an access code for the lock box mounted on the back. Riders can use the code of their rental to lock and unlock the bike anywhere along their trip. Once the bike is returned to the Zagster station, the touch of a button ends the rental and releases the bike for the next rider.

Zagster features the Breezer Uptown, an award-winning bike known for its lightweight, yet durable construction, specifically designed for city riding. Bikes come with spacious baskets perfect for groceries, take out, or any number of other items. Each bicycle has an attached lock allowing riders the convenience to park most anywhere they’d like.

Plans are currently underway on station site selection for the pilot program, which is being funded through a hybrid approach by a PNM grant, local private sponsorship and support from the City of Albuquerque. The BICI pilot program will run for one year, but has the potential to continue and expand because the City/County recently applied for grant funding for a city-wide bike share.

Although BICI is in the initial stages of planning, an official launch is planned for May 15th – this year’s date for the annual Bike to Work Day. For more information, please visit: http://www.abqmainstreet.org/bici/ or /transportation/pilot-bike-share-program. 

Contact: Augusta Meyers, MRCOG, (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

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President Obama recognizes “Talent Albuquerque” initiative as part of a larger Multi-Sector Call to Action to Give Americans Pathways to Well-Paying Technology Jobs

(March 9, 2015 – Albuquerque, NM) – Earlier today, President Obama announced his TechHire initiative, including a new campaign to work with communities to get more Americans rapidly trained for well-paying technology jobs. One of those programs included in that announcement is the “Talent Albuquerque” initiative (Talent ABQ) – a demand-driven enterprise launched back in 2013 by Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry in partnership with Innovate+Educate and the New Mexico Workforce Connection (NMWC) Business and Career Center, in which the industry partners are recognizing skills and competencies in their job postings, rather than only four-year degrees or years of experience.

“This partnership is an important step in continuing to provide job seekers the best resources available, while helping them to learn how their skills can connect them with high demand employment opportunities in IT across Albuquerque. Incorporating the Talent ABQ model into the Business and Career Center is just another great investment in our people, and a smart way to help them succeed”, said Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry.

Talent ABQ has more than 300 local employer partners, and the City of Albuquerque will be including $200,000 in its FY16 budget to fund Talent ABQ’s work. The goal is to fill at least 5 percent of IT jobs based on skills and competencies rather than just degree and experience, opening up job opportunities for candidates in the area that would not have had the opportunity for IT jobs and fields. The city’s goal for 2015 is training/ upskilling at a minimum 350 candidates for IT jobs.

“The New Mexico Workforce Connection is proud to be part of this initiative to connect more New Mexicans to well-paying technology jobs through an exciting combination of new tools and training models, while also promoting competency-based employment opportunities.”, said Jerilynn Sans, Administrator for the NM Workforce Connection.

As part of that agenda, TechHire is a bold multi-sector effort and call to action to empower Americans with the skills they need, through universities and community colleges but also nontraditional approaches like “coding bootcamps,” and high-quality online courses that can rapidly train workers for a well-paying job, often in just a few months. Employers across the United States are in critical need of talent with these skills. Many of these programs do not require a four-year degree.

"TalentABQ will continue to focus on high demand fields and growth areas including IT and applaud Mayor Berry’s vision in leading the nation toward skills-based pathways to employment,” Jamai Blivin, CEO, Innovate+Educate. Ron Painter, CEO of the National Association of Workforce Boards, added, “The New Mexico Workforce Connection’s work with Talent ABQ is exactly the kind of bold and innovative leadership exhibited by workforce boards across the nation, as they engage in meeting the talent needs of businesses. We are very confident New Mexico Workforce Connections can help meet the goals of TechHire.” The goal is to fill at least five percent of IT jobs based on skills and competencies rather than just degree and experience, opening up job opportunities for candidates in the area that would not have had the opportunity for IT jobs and fields. Talent ABQ is mapping courses and curriculum across the City to IT jobs to ensure that people have access to training opportunities in IT. This includes the “coding bootcamps“, the President referred to, as well as certifications including Oracle, Cisco, and others. The city’s goal for 2015 is training/ upskilling at a minimum 350 candidates for IT jobs.

While we are seeing an economic resurgence, the President has made clear that there is still work left to do. America has about five million open jobs today, more than at any point since 2001. Over half a million of those job openings are in information technology fields like software development, network administration, and cybersecurity- many of which did not even exist just a decade ago. The average salary in a job that requires information technology (IT) skills – whether in manufacturing, advertising, retail or banking – is 50 percent higher than the average private-sector American job. Helping more Americans train and connect to these jobs is a key element of the President’s middle-class economics agenda.

CONTACT: Augusta Meyers, MRCOG Communications Mgr., (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

For more information, visit /workforce and www.talentabq.org, or https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/technology/techhire 

A draft of the new Metropolitan Transportation Plan, called Futures 2040, was released and comments were accepted through the end of January. Staff is now working on revising the draft plan, including considering and incorporating all comments where possible. A final draft plan will be released in the first week of March and will be the public's last chance to provide comment on the 2040 MTP.

Futures 2040:

• Covers the entire Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area, including all of Valencia County, Bernalillo County, and southern Sandoval County;
• Examines transportation and other challenges the region will face over the next 25 years;
• Identifies the transportation investments that have been proposed in the planning horizon; and
• Presents strategies for addressing those challenges.

Three public meetings were held in January in conjunction with the draft plan release. Meetings were held in Rio Rancho, Belen, and Albuquerque. MRMPO thanks all of those who participated in the draft plan process, either by submitting comments, attending meetings, or both. 

More information + view a copy of the draft >>

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Improving transportation options is vital to Albuquerque’s future quality of life and economic development. In cities like Cleveland, Phoenix, Denver, Salt Lake, and Charlotte, transit-oriented development (TOD) has been useful in attracting direct investment and in growing locally-owned businesses, providing jobs, and increasing employment and sales tax revenues. In previous years, the City of Albuquerque evaluated other transit options to spur economic development, but like other cities, determined that trolleys and light rail were not cost-effective compared to bus rapid transit. Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) is a flexible, pennies-on-the-dollar investment to improve transit service. ART can improve the on-time performance of bus service, make trip times shorter and spur economic development along Albuquerque’s Central Avenue corridor.

The decision to pursue ART is based on a City Council resolution and on actions taken by the Metropolitan Transportation Board to place ART on Central in the approved Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Learn more about ART >>

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Santa Fe residents will now see an even higher level of safety at Rail Runner crossings in their area – this move following a collaborative four-month review of those crossings by Rio Metro Regional Transit District, the Federal Railroad Administration, the NM Department of Transportation, the NM Public Regulation Commission, and the City of Santa Fe.

“The amount of pedestrian and bicycle activity in and around these crossings had increased in the last couple of years”, said Terry Doyle, Director of Rio Metro Regional Transit District. “We wanted to make sure we were doing all we could in the way of making these crossings as safe as possible for those who use them.”

Over the last 120 days, all agencies involved conducted a diagnostic review of the 14 crossings in the Santa Fe area, and gathered input from Federal Railroad Administration safety experts to make sure that the highest appropriate level of safety was being provided at the crossings. Improvements were identified and then implemented as necessary. During that time, trains operated at slower speeds through the crossings, and there were flaggers regularly stationed at the crossings to provide warning.

“Throughout this whole effort, maintaining safety in the Rail Runner was our number one concern” said Dewey Cave, Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments, the agency that operates the NM Rail Runner Express. “We were very fortunate to have members of the Federal Railroad Administration, the PRC, NMDOT and the City of Santa Fe working with us to review these crossings. We wanted to make sure we were doing all we could to ensure that our crossings are as safe as they can be for bicyclists and pedestrians, as well as those traveling through them in their vehicles.”

Improvements to the crossings ranged from sign and pavement marking improvements - to new gates at rail trails. Beginning with today’s afternoon commute, all Rail Runner trains will resume operating at normal speeds through the corridor.

Contact: Augusta Meyers, Mid-Region Council of Governments at (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

The Uptown Pedestrian Study was recently completed. The study was initiated by Albuquerque City Councilor Diane Gibson and was undertaken in response to concerns raised about pedestrian safety in the Uptown area, particularly across Indian School near ABQ Uptown and Target, and also across Louisiana between office and retail areas, and Uptown Boulevard west of Louisiana.

The study includes potential improvements for pedestrian safety and discussion of the effects on traffic operations. It also includes a prioritization of the improvements along with cost estimates.

Uptown Pedestrian Study Report

Uptown Pedestrian Study Appendices

The Transportation Analysis Querying Application (TAQA) is a user-friendly web application that allows users to query and display MRCOG transportation data. TAQA uses an interactive mapping interface to filter and display data on:

• Travel time
• Traffic counts
• Average weekday daily traffic

The goal is to help make informed decisions regarding transportation infrastructure and to assist in the project development process. TAQA makes a range of transportation data easily accessible to member agencies and the general public, and is free to use.

Learn more about TAQA >>

Access the TAQA database at http://taqa.mrcog-nm.gov 

Just in time for Veterans Day, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express is launching a pilot program that gives veterans with a VHIC (VA Medical ID card an annual pass to ride the train for free! The program starts this Veterans’ Day, Tuesday, November 11th and runs through December 31st of next year.

"The Rail Runner initiative is another key link the veterans of our highly rural state”, says Secretary Timothy Hale, NM Department of Veterans’ Services. “The ability for veterans all along the Rail Runner corridor to utilize a variety of regional and community transit systems will enable them to efficiently travel to VA appointments, job interviews, school and training. This is a great example of all levels of government joining forces to meet veteran needs.”  

A Veteran can bring their VHIC card to the New Mexico Rail Runner Express Customer Service office at 809 Copper Avenue NW in Downtown Albuquerque, and get their picture taken. Within minutes the Veteran will have his or her own free pass on the Rail Runner. For those who cannot gain easy access to the Rail Runner Customer Service office, there will be a number of planned community events in which eligible veterans can get their pass on site. This pass has been made possible by the ongoing collaborative efforts between the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) and the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services (NMDVS), the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS), and the City of Albuquerque.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to serve those who have served us”, says Albuquerque City Councilor Rey Garduño, Chair of the Rio Metro Board. “The Rail Runner provides a 100-mile corridor to connect New Mexico’s veterans to many places they need to go. There are also a number of other transit connections from the many Rail Runner stations that will also get them connected to much needed services", adds Councilor Garduño.

NM Rail Runner Veterans Free Pass News Conference

Date: Monday, November 10, 2014
Time: 1:15pm
Location: NM Rail Runner Station at Montaño Transit Center, 180 Montaño NW (Montaño & 2nd Street NW)

There are a number of other efforts underway aimed at assisting New Mexico’s veterans – especially for those in rural communities throughout the state - including the development of a well-branded easy-to-use website that puts a direct and comprehensive focus on helping veterans connect to services online and in their community. This website, which will be supported by a call center, is being funded by Federal Transportation Administration grant funds. Additionally, NMDVS is providing the support to sustain ongoing staffing and maintenance of the website into the future.  Completion of the “Vet Connect” website is slated for the summer of 2015.

Contact: Augusta Meyers, MRCOG Communications Mgr. (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

Learn more at nmrailrunner.com >>

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The final Paseo del Norte High Capacity Transit Study Alternatives Analysis Report is now available on our website. This milestone marks the end of a multi-agency effort to identify a preferred alignment for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that uses Paseo del Norte to link northwest Albuquerque and southern Rio Rancho with the Journal Center, UNM, CNM, and other destinations east of the Rio Grande.

Locally Preferred AlternativeWhile the Central Ave. and UNM/CNM BRT projects have been prioritized by Rio Metro’s Board of Directors, the Report details the Paseo del Norte BRT project’s next steps to explore capital and operations funding options, advance environmental studies and design, and acquire right-of-way (e.g. future park-and-ride locations).
 

• Read the Paseo del Norte High Capacity Transit Study Alternatives Analysis Report
• Learn more about the Paseo del Norte Transit Study >>

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It’s official! The rest of the world will discover that Central New Mexico is now home to a new economic development brand – “Ingenuity Central”. The brand was officially launched on Facebook this week.

www.facebook.com/ingenuitycentral

“We are very excited about becoming known as “Ingenuity Central” here in Central New Mexico”, says Dewey Cave, Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “I have to give our elected officials and economic developers from across the region a lot of credit for coming together to decide on one collective phrase that pretty much says it all when it comes to how we want the rest of the world to see us – and they will see us, now that the word is out on Facebook!”, adds Cave.

The effort to develop the brand came in September of 2012 when the community asked for the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) to lead an effort to increase public relations, marketing, and brand identity for economic development purposes in the MRCOG region. With funding from a grant from the US Economic Development Administration, the MRCOG then hired Jim Glover of the Idea Group to begin to look at a moniker for the region that would be the basis for a marketing campaign. Creative branding and marketing guru Steve Wedeen, a partner in Vaughn Wedeen LLC, took the ideas developed by Glover, modified them and, together with the stakeholders, came up with Ingenuity Central as the best way to encapsulate all the innovation efforts occurring in the region today.

“Branding is critically important to economic development efforts and we have worked diligently to develop Albuquerque’s identity,” City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Director Gary Oppedahl said. “But branding is also essential for our region as a whole. Ingenuity Central is an incredibly accurate and relevant descriptor for our four county region and it complements the City of Albuquerque’s existing marketing efforts. Everyone involved with this is committed to enhancing the region’s economic future and we are excited to be part of this effort.”

"As an Economic Developer in a rural community the marketing tagline, "Ingenuity Central" provides me the additional tools to attract new business and high wage jobs to the Village of Los Lunas", says Ralph Mims, Economic Development Manager, Village of Los Lunas.

“Ingenuity Central depicts the originality of the Central area of New Mexico. The region is woven together in urban and rural collaboratives that accentuate the resourcefulness of the people, businesses and quality of life”, says Myra Pancrazio, Estancia Valley Economic Development Assoc. 

About the Ingenuity Central Facebook Page

On the Ingenuity Central Facebook page, visitors will find the region described as “The Albuquerque regional innovation hub, where great ideas come to start”. The description goes on to say that “People have a habit of reinventing the world here”…and cites examples such as the Atomic Age and the Space Age.

The page also explains the cooperative branding endeavor: “Ingenuity Central is a regional collaborative effort comprised of partners from New Mexico's Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia counties, to advance the region's future through the promotion of economic development”.

The page further describes the region as “an entire sector devoted to engendering, supporting and nurturing breakthrough thinking”…and then offers this challenge to the Facebook enthusiast: “Looking to give birth to something completely new? Come to a place where that's an old way of thinking.”

“The roll-out of this branding also includes a visual component that demonstrates what brand developer Steve Wedeen has referred to as a “flash of brilliance”, says Ann Simon, MRCOG Economic Development Program Manager. “It is our hope that all the stakeholders in the region continue to support and use this brand to market our region.”

Support for the Project

The entire regional economic development branding effort was a collaborative public-private process with support, participation, and financial contributions from Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties, the Cities of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Belen, and the Village of Los Lunas.  Also contributing to the process was the economic development organizations, Albuquerque Economic Development, The Estancia Valley Economic Development Association, and the former Rio Rancho Economic Development Corporation.  Finally, the Public Service Co. of NM also provided support and financial contribution. 

‘Like’ the Page and Learn More

Visit: Ingenuity Central Facebook page and share this page with your friends!

Contact: Augusta Meyers, Communications Mgr., MRCOG, (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

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From October 2013 to January 2014, the Mid‐Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) conducted a questionnaire among a representative sample of 1,371 individuals to gather views on the current transportation system in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area. Results from the questionnaire were complied into the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan Questionnaire Results report. In addition to satisfaction rates, this report includes a breakdown of desired transportation improvements, as well as the types of issues respondents encounter when taking various transportation modes. 

The information collected will be used in the regional transportation planning process led by MRCOG, which includes the development of the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP).

Read the Questionnaire Results Report >>

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MRCOG recently completed a literature review and annotated bibliography of studies that look at the public health impacts related to transportation. The purpose of this literature review is to provide quick access to some of the plentiful research in this area. It was produced as part of the Bernalillo County Complete Streets Project, a collaborative effort to expand the knowledge base around Complete Streets and active transportation.

This literature review contains an annotated bibliography of 22 articles. Each article lists the author(s) and title, then an abstract.  This is followed by direct quotes from text covering various aspects of active transportation and health.  

Read the Literature Review

View other Health and Safety projects in our region >>

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Bernalillo County and MRCOG are teaming up to improve the health of the region through active transportation. Funded through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Community Transformation Grant (CTG), MRCOG is producing a series of documents and activities to promote Complete Streets principles.

The CDC as well as many national advocacy groups have identified active transportation policies and design approaches as an effective intervention for reducing obesity and chronic disease. This initiative is intended to provide Complete Streets tools and resources to expand the local knowledge base around Complete Streets and emphasize the health and social benefits of integrating a variety of transportation modes.

Comparison of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)

Below are two links to comparison matrices of various MPOs. Included are MPOs in New Mexico and El Paso, Denver, Tucson and Phoenix areas along with MPOs with highly rated policies from the National Complete Streets Coalition. Data collected for this comparison comes from adopted, published documents. The first document is a comparison of other MPOs efforts to integrate walking and bicycling into their policies and practices.

• Summary MPO Comparison – This document can be printed out on 8.5” x 11” paper and used as a handout. It includes the MPO’s plans, the policy type, its unique features and design standards if any.
• MPO Comparison Full Document – Although not printer friendly, this document also includes much more from implementation to promotion.

Contact: Dave Pennella, dpennella@mrcog-nm.gov 

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(July 21, 2014 – Albuquerque, NM) – A New Mexico man who credits his job success to assistance he received from a government-funded local workforce program is now on his way to Washington D.C. to witness history as President Obama gets ready to sign new legislation authorizing the “Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act”, recently passed by the Senate. This new legislation replaces the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

After being laid off from his job as a fence erector back in 2012, Sergio Olivas received On-the-Job retraining assistance through New Mexico Workforce Connection under the federal Workforce Investment Act. Today, Sergio has become a valued employee at a local company that provides reclamation and erosion control services.

“Workforce Connection of Central NM is happy to be able to provide job related training and assistance to Sergio and the hundreds of other New Mexicans that have found themselves in similar situations without work resulting in loss of family income.” says Odes Armijo-Caster, Chairman of the Board of the NM Workforce Connection. “We are also proud to be able to assist small businesses in the training of their existing workforce that will allow them to be competitive, securing more work which allows them to retain more of those employees who would’ve been laid off.”

About the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

On May 21^st, a group of lawmakers announced a bipartisan agreement on legislation to reauthorize and overhaul the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Here are a few highlights of the new legislation of which the President will sign into law tomorrow:   

• reauthorizes the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998;
• retains the 15 percent WIA state allocation authorization;
• retains and improves the Wagner-Peyser Act;
• streamlines or eliminates existing programs, such as the Workforce Innovation Fund (WIF);
• restructures the Workforce Information Council (WIC);
• reduces the number of required members on state and local workforce boards;
• repeals the “sequence of services” provision; and
• applies common performance measures to all federal workforce programs.

The 811-page WIOA generally aims to streamline existing workforce system funding streams, while the bill authorizes most of the existing programs under the old WIA workforce, employment service, adult education and vocational rehabilitation titles from fiscal year 2015 through FY 2020.

Watch the signing >>

Contact: Augusta Meyers, MRCOG Communications Mgr. (505) 239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

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The City of Albuquerque and the Rio Metro Regional Transit District are pursuing the Central Ave. and University Blvd. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines as two parts of one system, and are exploring future expansions to Paseo del Norte and other corridors. The agencies are collaborating on funding, the design of stations and busses, and to ensure that the service will be coordinated to best serve the region’s transportation needs. These transit services are being considered for development and no final placement or design decisions have been made.

Download BRT brochure

Learn more about the Central Ave. BRT line >>

Learn more about the University Blvd. BRT line >>

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The City of Albuquerque and the Rio Metro Regional Transit District collaborated on a grant application seeking funding for “Innovation Central”, which would provide better pedestrian connections from the Downtown Albuquerque Rail Runner station and improve Rail Runner travel times and on-time performance. 

Combined with the other elements of Innovation Central, the Rail Runner improvements will make Downtown’s destinations and services more accessible to populations along the Belen to Santa Fe corridor.

More information

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The Alternatives Alignment Identification and Assessment report has been updated to reflect the comments submitted and the final version the report is now available on the study webpage. The report describes a potential BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) route that would efficiently service the UNM, CNM, and Sunport corridor. The proposed solution is a 6.5 mile corridor that will run from University and Menaul  (North End) to the Sunport Airport Terminal (South End). The BRT route will consist of both, bus only lanes, mixed flow, and curbside business access. 

This report and supplemental reports describing ridership, existing transit services, and demographic characteristics- which are also available on the webpage - have been prepared for submittal to the Federal Transit Administration. 

For more information, and to read the full report and other related documents visit the study website. For questions and comments please contact the project manager Tony Sylvester at tsylvester@mrcog-nm.gov or 505-247-1750. 

Read more about the UNM/CNM/Sunport Transit Study >>

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We’re delighted to invite you to join the brand new Mid-Region Council of Governments Facebook page, a place for you to explore the latest news, and keep updated on current MRCOG activities, initiatives and events.

Find out about our regional projects, get the latest planning news and learn about the many ways that you can support local planning initiatives in your community. Our new Facebook page will give you access to announcements and important dates, and you’ll be able to connect with other MRCOG fans and join the conversation.

Be part of the planning experience – ‘Like’ the page and get involved!

Visit: Mid-Region Council of Governments Facebook page and share this page with your friends!

See other ways to connect >>

The Mid-Region Council of Governments’ Metropolitan Planning Organization is the only MPO in the nation to be awarded a federal grant to participate in a scenario planning pilot project that investigates the challenges of congestion, sprawl, energy-use, vehicle emissions, and water scarcity exacerbated by climate change. As part of this project, MRCOG will receive $45,000 in funding from FHWA and MRCOG and federal land management agencies in the region will receive over $500,000 in technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Transportation‘s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center and a scenario planning consultant.

Scenario planning allows participants to consider the impacts of growth and evaluate the costs and benefits of various future development patterns. The project will inform transportation and land use decision-making in the Albuquerque region by using potential growth scenarios to analyze strategies to reduce carbon pollution and prepare for the impacts of climate change. 

“There were a few reasons that made us an ideal choice for this type of project,” says Dewey Cave, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “In addition to having a sensitive desert climate, there is also the fact that we are home to many of the federal partner agencies. More importantly, we were singled out because of our excellent staff and their innovative processes for long-range planning programs.”

More specifically, the goals of the project are to:

• Advance climate analysis in scenario planning - The project will analyze options such as expanded public transportation, mitigating jobs-housing imbalance, and mixed-use compact development to reduce carbon pollution.
• Impact decision-making - Results will be used in the development of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, which guides investment of federal, state, and local funding for transportation investments. 
• Develop a transferrable process - The process developed and lessons learned through the project will be transferrable to other regions.
• Build partnerships - The project will build and strengthen partnerships between federal, state, local and tribal governments.

This project builds off of and complements an earlier scenario planning and climate change pilot in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  This new project will undertake a more detailed climate change analysis on an inland area in order to explore impacts due to water scarcity, heat waves, wildfires, and extreme weather events.

The following federal agencies will provide funding and/or technical assistance to the project: Federal Highway Administration, US Department of Transportation Volpe Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Army Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, US Forest Service, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

More Information:

• Learn more about the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan >>
• More information on the U.S. Federal Highway Administration website:
  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/adaptation/ongoing_and_current_research/

The Mid-Region Council of Governments will present a draft locally preferred alternative for the UNM/CNM/Sunport Transit Study at a series of public meetings in September. The draft alternative will include some Bus Rapid Transit features, including bus lanes, fewer stops, and designated stations with rider amenities. This draft alternative reflects over a year of analysis and public feedback.

The meetings will be held:

• Tuesday, September 10, 12pm-1pm
  UNM Student Union Building, Lobo Room A/B (map)

• Wednesday, September 11, 12pm-1pm
  CNM Student Resource Center, Room 204 (map)

• Thursday, September 12, 6pm-8pm
  Loma Linda Community Center, 1700 Yale Blvd. SE (map)

The study team will ask for feedback, and once the alternative is finalized, the project will enter its development phase.

More information:

• UNM/CNM/Sunport Transit Study
• Study Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/transitstudy

For questions, please contact Tony Sylvester at (505) 247-1750 or tsylvester@mrcog-nm.gov. To request Americans with Disabilities Act related accommodations for these meetings, please contact Lesley Maurer with Parsons Brinckerhoff by September 3, 2013 at (505) 878-6523.

Site selectors spoke and we responded.

The regional economic development website, nmsitesearch.com, features a dynamic mapping tool of available commercial properties, in addition to newly added mapping layers that convey information that is vital to site selectors and business owners. Therefore, in addition to available properties, website visitors can also see relevant, relational information such as:

Enhancements to the commercial property search now include helpful layers as seen here

• public and private schools, colleges, and universities
• hospitals
• railroads
• zoning
• energy capacity
  • biomass
  • solar
• broadband footprint 
• demographics (by postal code, city, county, and MSA)
  • population density
  • household income
  • unemployment rate
  • median age
  • home value
• airports
• research centers
• parcels
• traffic counts, and
• broadband coverage
  • DSL
  • Copper wire
  • Cable
  • Fiber
  • Satallite
  • Terrestrial Fixed Wireless
  • Mobile Wireless

The Metro New Mexico Development Alliance is committed to growing the economy in central New Mexico.  The group is made up of prominent economic development and commercial real estate organizations in the region, and was one of the first organizations to provide cutting edge property search information for site selectors online. The Metro New Mexico Development Alliance has overseen a website for over 10 years.  The site is designed to utilize modern search engine optimization techniques, and a Google Ad campaign helps draws business owners to the site using industry-targeted keywords (such as "business relocation", "aviation and aerospace", and "defense".)

Members include:

• Albuquerque Economic Development
• Estancia Valley Economic Development Association
• Greater Belen Economic Development Corporation
• Los Lunas Economic Development Center
• Rio Rancho Economic Development Corporation
• PNM Economic Development Department
• Mid-Region Council of Governments
• National Association of Industrial and Office Properties- New Mexico

Visit the greater Albuquerque area regional economic development website, nmsitesearch.com >>

Go directly to the property search >>

Questions:  Ann Simon (asimon@mrcog-nm.gov)

Check out the Local Food CalendarOne of the hottest food trends in recent years has been increased demand of locally grown fruits, vegetables, and value-added products.  Grower's markets have long existed, but in recent years have gained popularity with consumers who want a better understanding and connection to their food.  Instead of buying garlic from China, more consumers are seeking to buy their food directly from farmers in their own community.

However, an ongoing challenge for farmers is finding the time to get the word out about the high quality products they offer. In order to help, we are now offering a collaborative and comprehensive calendar of local food events.  While the events largely focus on the greater Albuquerque region, some of the events offered are statewide. 

The calendar represents a combined effort between these organizations:

• MRCOG Agriculture Collaborative
• New Mexico Farmer's Marketing Association
• Old School Albuquerque
• La Abeja Herbs

To have your event added, or if you wish to display this calendar on your website, please contact:  localfoodnm@mrcog-nm.gov