ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –- For years, the City of Albuquerque fought to create an ordinance to keep people off medians. The measure was passed in 2022 but is it doing anything to combat the problem? It’s been a little over a year and a half since the city implemented a “Pedestrian Safety Ordinance” designed to keep […]
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –- For years, the City of Albuquerque fought to create an ordinance to keep people off medians. The measure was passed in 2022 but is it doing anything to combat the problem?
Story continues below
Business: Three prominent Nob Hill restaurants close their doors
Health: Syphilis surges in New Mexico, NMDOH orders increased testing
Community: Roswell residents pick up the pieces after record breaking rain and deadly flooding
News: APD’s report on deadly crash involving BCSO deputy said deputy is partly to blame
It’s been a little over a year and a half since the city implemented a “Pedestrian Safety Ordinance” designed to keep people off medians deemed unsafe, including those less than four feet wide, and medians on high-speed streets.
“I know that our fatalities to pedestrians are still up and that is our focus is to try and bring those down so it’s really part of what is the bigger picture for the city when we are talking about vision zero,” said Deputy Chief of Field Services, Cecily Barker, Albuquerque Police Department
To date, APD has written 261 citations for occupying medians and it doesn’t seem like people are learning their lesson.”It certainly can be frustrating but officers, like I said, we genuinely are trying to help those that we come in contact with,” said Barker.
Barker said officers try to connect offenders with resources through Albuquerque Community Safety or other city departments but just because a citation is written, it doesn’t mean the offender faces consequences. “They are officer-prosecuted cases. Unfortunately, we’re not seeing a lot of them make it to court and the officers are ready and available and certainly try to attend court when they have those,” said Barker.
A spokesperson with Metro Court, where these cases are heard, explained what could be happening in some cases, is the person doesn’t show up for court and that’s what they end up being penalized for, possibly spending a short time in jail.
Even so, APD sees the same offenders back on the same medians, month after month. “We’re trying to prevent those fatalities and so we’re really trying to again just focus on the big picture and ensure the safety of pedestrians, regardless of how many times we’re issuing a citation or seeing arrests, we just have to continue to put forth that effort,” said Barker.
APD said the most common places for median violations are along the Central Ave. corridor and along Coors Blvd. So far this year, APD said they’ve responded to 68 fatal crashes—33 of those involved pedestrians.