Santa Fe MPO news & updates
October 2022 Fall updates
Please enjoy the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization's Quarterly Newsletter, where people-powered transportation planning happens! Each quarter we share developments in our programs, plans, and projects driven by the voice of the public.
Para leer este boletín en español, haga clic aqui.
Safe Routes to School Builds Momentum!
Amy Biel students and staff gather before a group ride to school.
90+ students and volunteers walk the Tierra Contenta Trail to Nina Otero.
Last week Santa Fe students celebrated National Walk & Roll to School Week with seven events around the city. The Santa Fe Conservation Trust has been leading this effort via a contract with the City of Santa Fe since May 2021. Since then, they have actively engaged 12 SFPS schools, provided 67+ educational sessions with K-8 classes reaching 1,632+ students; and supported 110 walk- or bike-to-school events with 2,000 participants including over 1,600 students!

So far, they have helped coordinate six weekly walk- or bike-to-school events, with more weekly or monthly events in the making. Stay tuned for forthcoming route assessments and recommendations for infrastructure improvements; more parent, student, and school engagement; and completion of the Santa Fe Safe Routes to School Action Plan.  

Find more information on the Safe Routes to School website, for regular pictures of happy kids walking and biking, follow along on facebook, and learn more from the draft action plan, or spring 2022 progress report.
MPO Adopts Local Road Safety Plan
The Santa Fe MPO Transportation Policy Board adopted the Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) on August 25th, 2022. The MPO received free technical assistance from the Federal Highways Administration to write the LRSP, a Proven Safety Countermeasure.

The LRSP provides a framework for identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing safety improvements on local streets and roads that can be used to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

Detailed crash data analysis was conducted to identify the regional High Injury Network (right). Unsurprisingly, our busy arterials roads, designed with higher speeds, are also the most dangerous!

This plan will be used to help guide future transportation planning and projects, and improves eligibility for federal grants.
City of Santa Fe Contemplates Adding E-Bikes to the Uniform Traffic Ordinance
With e-bikes (electric bikes) surging in popularity, the City of Santa Fe Bicycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) worked to incorporate e-bikes into the Uniform Traffic Ordinance (UTO). The proposed changes include:

  • including e-bikes in the definition of a bicycle
  • adding at 10mph speed limit on sidewalks (biking on sidewalks is allowed except where otherwise posted)
  • restricting Class 3 e-bikes (up to 28mph with assist) to riders 16 and older
  • increasing some fines to $100

The ordinance is undergoing a few revisions following the October 13th BPAC meeting. The ordinance will return to BPAC on November 10th with adoption by the Governing Body in December of 2022.
Local Projects Make Progress
Try saying that 10 times fast!
City and County Examine Bishop's Lodge Road
The City of Santa Fe is redesigning Bishop's Lodge Road from Paseo de Peralta to the City limits to address safety and multimodal concerns. Now is a good time to provide public comment as the design team is still considering options.

Santa Fe County is conducting a road safety audit of major Tesuque Village roads, also with a focus on speeding and multimodal safety. The next public meeting will be Thursday, October 27th, 4pm-5:30pm, in person at 100 Catron St; Plaza Room, Floor 2, or virtual.
St. Michael's Rail Trail Underpass
The much-awaited Rail Trail underpass crossing St. Michael's Drive is moving forward! The design team presented concepts to the public on August 30th. Check out the presentation materials and then send any feedback to stmichaelsrailtrailunderpass@bhinc.com.
Cerrillos Phase I-A/B Final Report
The NMDOT has been working closely with the City of Santa Fe on the redesign of Cerrillos Road from St. Michael's to St. Francis. After extensive public and stakeholder engagement, the Phase I-A/B Alignment Study is complete. The next steps include environmental review and design, with construction anticipated in 2024.

Once the road reconstruction is complete, ownership will be transferred to the City.
Plan and Program Updates
Public Participation Plan

How and when do we involve the public in our processes? It's all described in our Public Participation Plan, plus some bonus material about the MPO!
Spotlight on the Pedestrian Master Plan (PMP)

The 2015 Pedestrian Master Plan contains a wealth of information! The plan identified the below areas of critical concern. At least three areas (Guadalupe Street, Cerrillos, St. Michael's/St. Francis) have forthcoming pedestrian improvements!
Fun stuff
See your art here! The City of Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department is soliciting applications for a permanent sculpture at the Siler roundabout.
Free Bikes 4 Kidz NM is at it again! They're looking for volunteers to help clean and fix the donated bikes, donations, and are accepting applications to receive bikes!
Santa Fe Complete Streets for the win! The City approved the Complete Streets Resolution in August, joining the County and MPO in adopting an updated resolution.
Upcoming Meetings
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