ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The city is constantly trying to fix up its downtown and lure more residents and businesses down, but some say the streets aren’t very inviting, saying the dressed-up crosswalks are falling apart. “The streets definitely could be smoother, it’s really nice to ride on a newly paved street where they’ve repaved it, and it’s nice and smooth, so that’s super good, but I don’t know why they don’t do it,” said Albuquerque local, Steven Severance.
Most of the intersections from Coal up to Lomas and Second Street up to Sixth Street all contain the same design. A Department of Municipal Development spokesperson says the colored concrete pattern crosswalks were installed in the early 2000s, and they were meant to last for ‘several decades.’ However, a look around downtown shows a lot of the concrete installed 20 years ago isn’t holding up.
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While people who frequent the downtown area say the rundown crosswalks are a bad look, the city’s trying to market it. They also say it’s a hazard. “It just makes it more dangerous for the cyclist. You have to pay attention to traffic and the light and make sure you have room to go around the pothole,” added Severance.
According to a recent city litigation report, an Albuquerque man sued the city after tripping on a cracked brick crosswalk at Second St. and Gold. He ended up with a $7,500 settlement for his injuries. Despite the various cracks and potholes in many of these crosswalks, the city says there are no plans to fix them now. The city says crews do try to fill in cracks and potholes as needed.
