By DAVID HAMPTON
Chair
Los Alamos Transportation Board
At our last Transportation Board meeting, Sept. 5, 2024, we received a presentation and took public comments on the Pedestrian Master Plan Update. The County has tasked Wilson and Co. to conduct the plan update that will replace the current plan from 1998.
The previous plan focused mainly on Safe Routes to School, which has largely been implemented and continues to this day. This update aims to enhance safety, infrastructure and accessibility in the Los Alamos Townsite and White Rock Town Center. Essential tasks include reviewing past planning documents, conducting an inventory of existing pedestrian infrastructure, analyzing crash and safety data, identifying gaps in infrastructure, and delivering an updated master plan along with a priority list of pedestrian projects. Anticipated changes will incorporate Vision Zero principles and the Federal Safe Systems Approach focusing on improving road network infrastructure within both townsites.
We also received a presentation on the Bus Stop Improvement Plan Update. This plan outlines a detailed strategy, standards, and methods for identifying and enhancing bus stops throughout Los Alamos County, including White Rock. It acts as a reference for both Los Alamos County and Atomic City Transit, and is adaptable, allowing for modifications as the usage of stops evolves. The focus of the bus stop improvement plan is on enhancing accessibility, expanding amenities for passengers, and maintaining consistent design. The plan establishes bus stop criteria and continues cataloging existing stops, assesses bus stop usage through boarding/alighting surveys and integrates findings from the 2023 Short-Range Transit Plan for amenity enhancements, and identifies areas of concern and pinpoint opportunities for improvements.
Also of note this month was the County Council passing a resolution of support for NMDOT to build a hybrid road diet along with improvements on Trinity Drive between Oppenheimer and Knecht. This plan includes 2 lanes going out of town, one coming in, a left-hand turn lane, bike paths on either side, an expanded sidewalk along Ashley Pond, the possible relocation of the large bus stop from Central to Trinity, and re-evaluation of existing curb cuts from a safety standpoint. This followed a June presentation to collect T-Board and public comments, which were split on the issues, and a presentation to County Council in which staff was directed to prepare the resolution supporting the hybrid road diet. T-Board also received 9 emails supporting a full road diet (1 lane in either direction) and expanded bicycle infrastructure, 2 opposing any change to the existing configuration, and 1 encouraging a reduction in curb cuts.
Our next meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3 in Council Chambers. The agenda will include a discussion on this year’s Snow and Ice Control Plan.
With the addition of Nancy Talley in September, T-Board still needs one new member. If you are interested, please apply on the County website under Boards and Commissions. You can also get more information by emailing us at tb@lacnm.us.
