ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A Nob Hill neighborhood is getting a $1.8 million upgrade. On Monday, District 6 City Councilor Pat Davis unveiled the new road project designed to improve the look and overall safety of Monte Vista Boulevard in northeast Albuquerque.

The city’s looking to create more of a grand entrance to Nob Hill through that neighborhood. It’s something they say has been in the plans for a long time. But they’re also hoping that by narrowing the lanes, drivers will slow down. 

City leaders said the stretch between Lomas and Central is dangerous. As it sits, Monte Vista Boulevard is a wide-open stretch. It’s a three-lane road, neighborhood residents say, is inviting to drivers with a lead foot.

“The traffic has gotten a little bit worse and also, they go pretty fast,” said Jason Rigby, a neighborhood resident.

Davis said it’s the launch of one of his final projects as a city councilor. His term ends at the end of the year.
       
“What this means for this neighborhood though, for those folks that live here and use this, is there’s a new median. It means that there’s landscaping, but it also means that there’s safe cross walks,” said Davis.

The $1.8 million improvement will add 11 medians from Lomas to Campus. It will narrow the lane, slowing drivers down, while adding landscaping and new bike and turn lanes.

“Monte Vista from Lomas to Campus sees more crashes than many other streets,” said Pat Montoya, director of the City of Albuquerque’s Department of Municipal Development. “That’s one of the reasons we’re improving this stretch.”

But that street is not actually listed among the dozens of roads the city’s Vision Zero has marked or identified as a one, two, three, four or even five priority.

KOB 4 asked how they could justify spending millions on this road instead of others.

“We may not have the highest number of actual crashes or interaction between a pedestrian or a vehicle, but that’s one of the factors we look at,” said Montoya.

Montoya pointed to nearby schools and said this project will create safer crossings for students. Nearby residents are excited to see what comes next.

The city has about $1.5 million secured for this project. For the rest, they’ll turn to lawmakers or pull from the city’s next budget cycle. 

The final design is expected in the next couple of months. They hope to have it completed by fall 2024.