DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE IS ABOUT TO GET A NEW LOOK. STARTING IN MID JUNE, WORK WILL BEGIN ON TRANSFORMING THE 4TH STREET MALL. MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR MICHAEL RIORDAN SAYS THE PEDESTRIAN MALL MAY HAVE BEEN A GOOD IDEA 30 YEARS AGO, BUT IT ISN'T ANYMORE. HE SAYS THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WALKING SPACE, THE PLANTERS ARE TOO BIG, THE TREES ARE TOO BIG AND TIRED AND THE MALL ISN'T GENERATING THE KIND OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY WANTED IN A DOWNTOWN. BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE MALL HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSIENTS WHO'VE SCARED AWAY CUSTOMERS.
THE PLAN IS TO ADD ONE LANE OF VEHICLE TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION BETWEEN CENTRAL AND TIJERAS. RIORDAN SAYS THE PROJECT SHOULD BE FINISHED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
