Canada Rincon Trail Is Finished. Ribbon cutting on (oops) Friday.

 

From the city press release: The ribbon cutting for the Canada Rincon Trail will take place on Friday, February 14 at 11 a.m. at 1597 Avenida Rincon (intersection of Avenida Rincon and Canada Rincon Trail). Mayor Webber, Councilors Castro and Lindell, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Chair and members, Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization (SFMPO), Parks, and The Reserve Condominium Board Members are expected to be in attendance. Refreshments will be provided.

 This little trail segment opens up Calle Mejia as a way to get past the gated community at the north end of Calle Mejia and continue north into a great deal of bicycle friendly roads to the N and W of the city, including the roads around Tano and connections out to Las Campanas. Of course it also means those living north of the gated community can use the trail to connect to the city via Calle Mejia riding south.

 To get there from the south, proceed to the intersection of Alamo Drive and Calle Mejia, just a few feet west of the intersection of Alamo Drive and US 84/285 (St. Francis Drive). Head north on Calle Mejia, past The Lodge at Santa Fe. Eventually you will get to a gate at The Reserve at Santa Fe, a condo association. This gated community used to make Mejia an effective dead end. 

CLICK ON ANY OF THE PICTURES TO GET A BIGGER VIEW

Blue line approximates Calle Mejia, which leads to Canada Rincon Trail from Alamo Drive

 Just as you arrive at the gated community, look to the right of the little traffic circle and there is the South end of the Canada Rincon Trail.

Little traffic circle and condo gates dead ahead. Canada Rincon trail end to your right.

The Trail loops to the right of the condo association along an arroyo that runs between Calle Mejia and US 84/29-85. The arroyo can be seen in the first photo just to the right of the blue line I added. The trail lets you get up to Camino Francesca and beyond. Those cyclists riding south can catch the trail a few yards east of where Camino Francesca hits that t-intersection where Camino Francesca and Avenida Rincon come together. See below. Blue pencil line is approximately where the trail loops around the condos.

 When I clicked the link on the city press release for "1597 Avenida Rincon" it put me over by the NM 599 overpass. But that's nowhere near the trail. But at any rate, the north end of the trail is near the t-intersection below.

Approximate location of the trail as it bypasses the gated community

Nice, wide paved trail

 

North end of paved trail

North end of trail is at a T intersection where Francesca turns north and Rincon goes east

 

Chuck Malagodi killed in bicycle- truck hit and run. Memorial ride on saturday

 Devastating news to all of us who knew and admired chuck.  Got an email via the Santa Fe MPO saying Chuck was hit by a truck and left to die in Albuquerque. More here at the Albuquerque Journal.

Ghost Bike Dedication for Luis Quiroz on Saturday, June 29th

 
Snagged from the Seniors on Bikes web site.

As you know, Luis Quiroz was killed in April while riding on Camino de Los Abuelos in Galisteo. As part of the Santa Fe cycling community, I wanted to let the Seniors on Bikes club know of the installation of a ghost bike for Luis on June 29th at 9:00. The location of the installation is the intersection of Camino de Los Abuelos and La Jara Ranch road. Please join us to show support for Luis from the our biking community. Thanks

-Michele Ortega

Bicycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Seeks New Members from City Council District 1

 Hi, folks. Two of us are retiring from the BPAC this June. I'm term limited and the other District One representative has conflicting commitments. So we need new people.

Bicycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Seeks New Members from City Council District 1

Application Deadline: June 14, 2024 @ 5 PM

SANTA FE, NM, May 22, 2024 – Re-established in January 2021, the Bicycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), formerly known as the Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee (BTAC), is seeking two (2) new members from District 1. For the past two decades, since BTAC was formed in 2003, the ten-member Committee strives to make bicycling and walking safe, equitable, viable, and comfortable modes of transportation, commuting, and recreation. This includes the responsibility to deliberate on City projects, plans, and policies that impact both on-road and off-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and to advise the Governing Body on such matters.

Specific duties and responsibilities of the committee include:

(a) Assist in the prioritization of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects to be completed using city, state, and federal funds, through the development of the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization (SFMPO) Bicycle Master Plan and the SFMPO Pedestrian Master plan;

(b) Review preliminary designs for new Public Works projects involving public roadways and trails funded out of city, state, or federal sources to ensure designs comply with the City's commitment to make bicycling and walking safe, equitable, viable, and comfortable modes of transportation.

(c) Advise on policies, programs, and ordinances as they relate to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure safety, design, construction, and operation and maintenance;

(d) Develop, review, and advise on media and educational campaigns providing information and promoting bicycle- and pedestrian- related activities and education;

(e) Work with other agencies for the enhancement of city and county trail systems;

(f) Review and recommend updates to Bicycle Master Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Parks Master Plan related to trails, and the City’s Land Use Development Code as they pertain to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and associated regulations;

(g) Seek funding from city, state, and federal sources to implement the City-led projects identified in the SFMPO’s 2019 Bicycle Master Plan and 2020 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and consider reoccurring funding sources from the City to be applied to the implementation of policies, programs, and other projects that are supported by the plans;

(h) Pursue the League of American Bicyclists Diamond-level Bicycle Friendly Community designation for the City of Santa Fe, as well as any other local, state, or national awards or designations that the City deems worthy of pursuit;

(i) Advise on polices, projects, ordinances, and funding as they relate to bicycling and walking as safe, equitable, viable, and comfortable modes of transportation; and

(j) Educate the public on the work of the Committee.

BPAC is currently chaired by City Councilor Michael Garcia, and meets on the second Thursday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, 200 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Meetings are open to the public.

Members are recommended by Chair Garcia and appointed by Mayor Webber. We’re looking for members who can represent the varied interests of recreationists, youth and neighborhood group users, commuters, bicyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users; and those who can contribute to the development of an effective multi-modal transportation system in our City. There are currently two vacancies from District 1, and the terms are for a two-year commitment. Members are not compensated.

Interested District 1 residents may apply by submitting via e-mail: 1) letter of interest; and 2) resume to Romella Glorioso-Moss, BPAC Staff Liaison, rsglorioso-moss@santafenm.gov

DEADLINE for application is on June 14, 2024 at 5 PM.

Romella Glorioso-Moss, PhD, AICP, CPM
Capital Projects Manager & BPAC Staff Liaison
Public Works – Complete Streets
737 Agua Fria St.
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Tentative Temporary Closure of Rail Trail near St. Michaels for Geotechnical Work Towards the Tunnel Project

 
This is a heads-up for the Santa Fe Rail Trail closure at St. Michael’s Drive, 2nd Street and Siringo Rd TENTATIVELY scheduled from 10/30 through 11/10, 2023. This may change a bit as the city, consultant, and state are still working out some details.

The city consultants working on the St. Michael’s Drive-Rail Trail Underpass Project will be conducting geological auger boring for subsurface sampling, which is needed for designing the tunnel project.

Although there will not be any construction or demolition for this work, the Rail Trail @ St. Mike’s, 2nd Street and Siringo Rd needs to be closed during drilling operations for safety reason (see map for location). A truck mounted drill rig, CME 55 (see photo), will be driven over the designated boring locations and drill down at desired depths, blocking parts of the trail.

 The detour is pretty much what it was a couple months ago, using W. San Mateo, Calle Lorca, and Siringo to loop around the construction.  

 

League of American Bicyclists Solicits Your Input on Santa Fe's Bicycle Friendly Community Renewal

 Posted per Amelia Neptune of the LAB.

 

Thank you again for applying to have Santa Fe recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community!

Now that the Fall 2023 application deadline has passed, the BFC review process is officially underway. We look forward to working with you in the coming months as we review your community's application materials.

To help us gain a better understanding of local bicyclists' experiences in your community, we would greatly appreciate your help distributing the following public survey link so that bicyclists in your community can provide their input as well.

Public Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFC_Fall23

Please distribute this link as broadly as possible to residents and local area bicyclists.  See our tips and resources for promoting your survey.  We will also be sharing the survey with our network of local bike advocates, including those identified on your application, as well as to League members in your area.

The survey will remain open through Friday, October 20th.

This survey is open to anyone familiar with bicycling in your community, including those involved in submitting your BFC application. (Everyone receiving this email is encouraged to complete the survey and to share it broadly!) While strongly encouraged, distributing this survey link is not required.  

This survey is meant to provide context for our review team's decision-making process, as well as valuable feedback for you directly from bicyclists in your community. Anonymous aggregate survey results will be included in your feedback materials later this year.  More information about the public survey can be found here.