ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Albuquerque leaders are taking another approach to keep people safe at one of the most notorious corridors in the city – Central between Louisiana and Eubank.

Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina says, based on the current pace, the city could see nearly 90 pedestrian deaths by the end of 2024.

“The loss of life that we’re on the pace of right now is very similar to the loss of life from our homicides last year,” Medina said at a news conference Thursday. “We have to do everything we can to reduce that number by the end of the year.”

The city had added hundreds of new street lights to the area, as well as medians to provide a refuge when crossing the street.

To try to prevent deaths, the city will soon implement the first PAWS signal in New Mexico – a system used to protect wildlife crossings up in the Four Corners.

“It really stands for Pedestrian Activated Warning System,” said Patrick Montoya, director of the city’s Department of Municipal Development.

There will also be a HAWK signal, which lets pedestrians press a button and almost instantly stop traffic at special crossings.

“It’s a new technology that we’re using to make sure people have enough time to get from one side to the other,” Montoya said.

The pedestrian safety features along Central include:

• Two new additional pedestrian signals east of Louisiana. The signals are at Central and Conchas and Central and San Pablo. (Bernalillo County added a third at Utah)
• PAWS: The Pedestrian Activated Warning System lights are AI-powered and will recognize when a pedestrian starts to cross Central and light up yellow.
• Restriped Central Ave. east of Juan Tabo to slow traffic and make the roadway safer. The city narrowed the lanes and created right-turn-only lanes that give drivers extra time to notice pedestrians. Preliminary data shows fewer crashes in this area.
• Median Refuge Islands on Central that will give pedestrians a safer place in the middle of Central. The city is also adding mid-block signals to warn drivers.

“At the end of the day, no one should lose their life crossing the street,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said.