By Scot

Looking further into Albuquerque’s transportation history as follow-up to yesterday’s “ABQ’s ‘Border Wall,'” a reader passed along a fascinating South Broadway Neighborhoods 1968 sector plan. That document led to another, which led to more old docs (at least the Internet is good for some things), which currently has me at this: A 1976 Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the “Bridge – Stadium Corridor, From Coors Road (Extension) to 1-25.”

In it, and remember this is 1976, we find the following road particulars planned (page 4):

A four-lane divided facility along Bridge-Stadium situated within an 80-foot right-of-way. The lanes consist of ll-foot driving surfaces with a 14-foot wide painted median; 2 – 2 1/2 foot curb and gutter sections; and 2 — 8 1/2 foot sidewalks and bikepaths on both sides.

Wow. If only that had happened. Yes, there’s the question of what is meant by “sidewalks and bikepaths,” but two 11-foot driving lanes in each direction with 8.5 ft. “sidewalks and bikepaths” instead of what Avenida Cesar Chavez looks like now?

A few hundred more old docs and BB should have some more about all this in the next few days. Enjoy your weekend, long or otherwise.