Giving Thanks

There hasn't been much to say this year.  Albuquerque and New Mexico are still in the recession that the gov'ment says ended years ago.  I look around me and home prices are stagnant and homes in my neighborhood are not selling anything like as fast as they once were.  The job guide in the Sunday paper is down to two pages, with at least 20 column-inches used up by an ad for, what else, putting ads in the newspaper.  Albuquerque is about to lose it's passenger train, Amtrak's Southwest Chief, because some people think that passenger rail is an anachronism and do not believe in a comprehensive multi-mode transportation policy for our country. They are shortsighted at best, and criminal in their assumptions at worst.

Nonetheless, in the coming few years we may get BRT (that's bus rapid transit, not bean rolled tacos) east and west on Central, the showplace of Albuquerque that shows a lot of places the city should not be proud of.

Nevertheless, in this time of Thanksgiving, I want to give thanks.  I am thankful that former Gov. Richardson's Rail Runner Express commuter train boondoggle has not yet bankrupted the state.  I'm thankful that we reelected a conservative governor and still have a conservative mayor of the City of Burque. I'm thankful that the Justice Department, the absolute last word in impeccable police work, has stepped in and told the APD (Albuquerque Police Dept., not another person dead) how to do its job.  Thank you Mr. Holder;

the citizens of Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico are certainly too stupid to figure this out for themselves.

I'm thankful that gas prices are falling.  It'll make up for all the money we now have to put into buying food.  I'm thankful that, according to the feds, there is no inflation, there is no inflation.  If something is repeated often enough, you will believe it.  I'm thankful that New Mexico set up an insurance exchange so that Obamacare can finance the uninsurable with my money.  At least they'll get great care at Kaseman Hospital or UNM Emergency Room (UNM stands for under nano-minute, the time it takes them to ask for your insurance card).

Sarcasm, innuendo, and outright snide comments aside, I am very thankful for my wonderful family and friends, my life, my liberty (such as still exists) and the free Blogger platform on which to spill my guts.  My all who stumble upon this blog and my regular reader have a happy, safe and sane Thanksgiving.

Traffic Calming

An Op-Ed piece by City Councilor Roxanne Meyers published in the 3/28/13 Albuquerque Journal (about a so-called roundabout) got me thinking about this strange phenomenon we call traffic calming, and how our city has pursued some street alternatives that are incomprehensibly inconsistent with a reasonable goal of growing our city economy.  While there are more policies with specific goals in mind, I’d like to mention three that I think fall under this category.

The first is a trend that I began to notice during the Baca mayoralty in which street lanes are either reduced in width or eliminated altogether.  In some cases, bicycle lanes are added – via striping – but in general the area of pavement available to motor vehicles is reduced or eliminated.  Examples are Indian School between Wyoming and Pennsylvania and Morris north of Candelaria, both lane reductions.  I understand that it is green policy to promote bicycle use, but note how many bicycles actually use the allotted space compared to motor vehicles!  I have to wonder if this is a good or proper allocation of resources, when we should be more concerned about having a vibrant city with quick commutes and thriving businesses where people can get to their jobs in a timely and non-frustrating manner.  Slowing down traffic by eliminating lanes is not only counter to this, but it logically has to produce substantially more potential air pollution as a result of slow running (cars are more efficient at 40 mph than at 20mph) and increased stop-and-go traffic.

The second trend is what I call SpeeBuRBoo (Speed bumps, road blocks and one-way.)  Some of the most beautiful residential streets in the city have been reduced to ugliness by grotesque bands of bloated asphalt that only serve to throw the occupants of cars going above 20mph into the headliners and by amoeba-like shapes of concrete and curb topped by huge arrows, red slashed circles, and the stationary equivalent of orange visibility vests to keep residents and visitors alike in perpetual confusion and need to re-Google their routes.

Finally, there are the “roundabouts.”  Back in the day, we used to call these traffic circles.  In big cities, and I mean BIG cities, traffic circles historically have been part of grand designs for parks and vast open areas.  In theory, a vehicle in the circle could keep going around counterclockwise in perpetuity without ever having to yield to another vehicle, as depicted so memorably in one of the Vacation movies.  Therein is the humor.  Sticking a “roundabout” in the existing space of a small, non-vast intersection becomes hysterical as drivers attempt to figure out where other vehicles are actually coming from and going to in a confined space with less room than allowed a bumper car in a street carnival.  Both of the last two trends have got to have negative effects on the quality of life perceived by visitors and those businesses and individuals who might relocate to the Duke City. 

I realize there may be safety arguments for all of the above and more, but I say, “Educate.”  Using one of many possible metaphors:  Train the dog to heel rather than using a choke chain!  But education arguments are for a different piece.

Budget Better Left Undone

NM gov plans special legislative session next week – BusinessWeek

I don’t know about anyone else, but for me, no legislation is good legislation, even when there is no budget. The fiction is that the state will grind to a halt. The fact is that our government will continue to spend money faster than a Vegas drunk (see Harry Reid) even without the budget.

In the mean time, the Albuquerque Journal points out that it might be better to just wait. In today’s editorial, they suggest that maybe reconvening in April when more revenue projections are in, would be the ticket.

That is juxtaposed with an editorial about the winter meeting of state governors in DC. A kernel of truth is there, and I hope our legislators see it. Fact is that New Mexico should be selling off assets to balance the budget.

Start with the Railrunner Express. This albatross is no good for New Mexico, but could be good for private enterprises. Warren Buffet just bought BNSF (see Passenger Rail), on whose former tracks runs the “runner.” Maybe he’d like to bid on Railrunner. Maybe even buy back those tracks for which I believe NM paid $50 million. (We won’t use more than a third of the mileage this century.)

The next to go should be the New Mexico Space Port. And then any real estate owned by a school district that isn’t being used – now!

Instead, I’m sure, the legislature will meet on Wednesday and raise taxes. Business as usual in NM.