Roundabout proposal stalls

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The neighbors living near Rio Grande Blvd. in Northwest Albuquerque can agree on something, they are worried about Rio Grande becoming a racetrack.

But they can't seem to come together on a planned roundabout at Rio Grande and Candelaria.

It's supposed to slow down drivers, including the neighbors who drive the streets everyday. Some say it's going to slow down their daily commutes too much.

"The roundabout is going to momentarily congest traffic at the roundabout itself," said Jerry Ginsburg, President of the Thomas Village Neighborhood Association.

But the design has already been decided.

The Rio Grande Boulevard Neighborhood Association wants to take out the stop lights and put in the roundabout so drivers would have to yield. They even got the $1.1 million needed from the Federal government.

But it's still not a done deal.

After a town hall meeting in July, more questions were raised and more people brought up different solutions.

But those are not paid for and the roundabout would be. If the money doesn't go to the roundabout, it goes back to the Feds for other projects in New Mexico.

"It is going to be a momentary solution for a very small area. The rest of Rio Grande is not going to be seriously affected for the better, by it," said Ginsburg.

The city has done some work to cut down the speeding. They've had more patrols and traffic studies. Those studies found accidents happen three times more often at Rio Grande and Candelaria than other similar intersections around Albuquerque.

Neighbors are also concerned about the proposed idea of reducing the lanes down to one-way roads. Councilor Debbie O'Malley, who is a proponent for the project, says the roundabout is the only firm decision that will be made.

There will be another town hall meeting about this project, that is expected to take place in late September.