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South Valley residents relying on public transit, or wanting to, will soon see more buses as a part of an expansion of the city’s ABQ RIDE Forward program creating a “microtransit zone” for the area.
Changes Starting May 16:
- New ABQ RIDE Connect zone – The South Valley zone will include the area south of Central, west of the Rio Grande River, north of Rio Bravo, and east of Coors.
- New Route 52 – This route will serve downtown, Barelas, the zoo, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Valle del Sol and Las Estancias shopping centers, and many neighborhoods including San Jose, Mountain View, and Valley Gardens.
- Discontinuation of Route 51 – The route will be replaced by microtransit service and Route 52.
- Route changes – Routes 53 and 155 will shift slightly to serve busier areas.
“This phase will better connect the South Valley,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “The area will greatly benefit from on-demand microtransit service, getting people where they need to go with convenient door-to-door rides. And the new Route 52 will efficiently link the neighborhood with downtown.”
ABQ RIDE Forward was developed over three years with extensive community input through dozens of public meetings, conversations with riders at bus stops and transit centers, and more than 3,000 completed surveys. The plan ultimately returns ABQ RIDE to pre-2019 levels of bus service, meaning more frequent arrivals and enhanced convenience. Changes vary in each of the 16-phases and include adjustments like adding, eliminating or modifying routes; reducing redundancies; increasing frequency; and strategically integrating microtransit. “Each phase of this massive plan strengthens bus service throughout Albuquerque,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These latest changes really open up options for the South Valley.”
Riders across the South Valley and nearby neighborhoods, including Downtown, may see changes to their routes starting this month. All changes are outlined on ABQRIDE.com, in the Transit app and Google Maps. Riders looking to book new microtransit rides can use the ABQ RIDE GO! App or by 243-RIDE.