Benefits of ART over traditional buses include level-floor boarding, off-board fare payment, and dedicated lanes.  
     EDo and Huning Highlands support ART, with conditions. Those conditions relate to some design details that could make a significant difference in whether ART benefits our 1/2-mile section of the project, or burdens it. Those conditions are outlined in detail in a September 29, 2015 letter to ABQ Ride.
     With the goal of finalizing a design for Central Avenue as a "Complete Street" under the City's ordinance, the EDo and Huning Highland neighborhoods are sponsoring a public charrette on Thursday, March 10th, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, at Botts Hall in the City's Special Collections Library, 423 Central Avenue NE. All citizens and interested parties are invited.  
     The charrette web site is EDoABQ.com. Details about the charrette will be posted there. We hope you can join us.  
     We have the opportunity to make Central Avenue an innovative corridor where citizens can live, work, walk, shop, and play, and where walking, cycling, riding transit, and driving are safe, enjoyable, and efficient.  
     We believe it's important to remember that transit is about developing economically strong neighborhoods as much or more than about just moving people. Build economically strong neighborhoods, centered around the pedestrian experience, and the transit system will build great ridership. It's time to "complete" Central Avenue for the benefit of all.

What could be healthier for our economy than supporting locally owned businesses, that keep their money in Albuquerque? And what could be healthier for us as citizens than eating tasty organic food that is mostly grown right here in our Rio Grande Valley? If you're thinking "nothing could be better!," you're right. If you're thinking "I should be ordering online from Skarsgard Farms," you get extra credit. With lots of weekly seasonal choices, easy ordering and payment, and delivery right to your door, the great folks at Skarsgard Farms make this simple for you. You will taste the difference, we promise! SkarsgardFarms.com

As reported in the New York Times this past December 7th, Mayor Berry and his Administration have initiated a program to hire and pay the homeless to perform needed tasks around our city. It is, in part, the result of our agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, but it's wise public policy and we thank the Mayor and his team for their creative and compassionate thinking. Read the full article

here.

Strong Towns is a great organization that focuses on "how can cities and their neighborhoods get the most economic activity out of each unit of infrastructure (formerly know as 'public works')?" Here's a great, short article on how people, diversity, and walkability strengthen our neighborhoods and our economy. This, we believe, must be the primary goal of the Albuquerque Rapid Transit. Read more here.

In what this publication believes will be someday seen as a most economically and socially sound decision, Stockholm has announced their decision to be fossil fuel free - not just climate neutral - by 2040. A short article from Huffington Post can be found here.
     We believe many cities around the globe will begin announcing similar decisions. When will Albuquerque decide to be a new economy leader, instead of an old economy follower? Put another way, when has Albuquerque ever been competitive in the old economy?  
     We think it's long past time for us to run in the front of the economic pack, not in the back. 
Editor's Note:  A number of U.S. cities have announced fossil fuel free goals, but as we read them, these apply to government functions only.  We do not believe this goes far enough for economic leadership.