Narrow single lane roads leading to and from Las Campanas: bicycle vs. eighteen wheeler

Tip of the brain bucket to Patrick O'Grady in return for once again pilfering his comic.

Monday, 26 Sept., 2022

To: Anna Hansen, Dist. 2 Commissioner (I think this is your district!)

    Erick Aune, SFMPO
    Ken Love, LCOA Board President
    Tom Van Berkem, LCOA Board Vice President

RE: narrow, single lane roadways leading in and out of Las Campanas

Dear Commissioner Hansen, LCOA Board leadership Love and Van Berkem, and MPO Officer Aune

Greetings and good day.

I've often been a little curious as to why the main roads leading in and out of Las Campanas (Camino La Tierra and Las Campanas Drive) often revert to a narrow single lane divided roadway with no shoulders and abrupt dropoffs. While this may seem like an interesting and somewhat aggressive form of traffic calming, it makes life interesting for bicyclists and motorists trying to safely negotiate around each other.

This loop is somewhat popular with bicyclists, given the number I see out there. As I live right near the north side of Santa Fe, it is one of my recreational bike loops.  When riding out your way, I normally try to shade as far right as I can when being overtaken to assist those who wish to pass but even then, with the lack of shoulder and often a sharp dropoff into a ditch, it is a little bit of a dance for the bicyclist and motorist but we make do.

Today, I briefly thought I was going to be hit and killed, hence this letter. Riding back from Las Campanas on one of those single lane, divided sections of Camino La Tierra after the Las Campanas Drive merge (location corrected from original email to the above folks) around 11:30, give or take ten minutes or so, I heard the toot of a horn behind me. I started to wave back but before I knew it, I quickly grabbed the handlebars with both hands as I was, without further warning, being passed by a full size 18 wheeler flatbed tractor trailer with very little room to spare and no way for me to look back to see how wide the flatbed might be. The truck driver apparently was not willing to wait till I could move over or for that matter find a wider section of road. This is not pleasant.

I was on the Transportation Board in Los Alamos for about 14 years, chair or vice chair for much of that time, working with county council and our public works department. I cannot imagine ever approving such a design as a "complete street". I am really curious as to how this design was approved, and whether when inevitably, someone gets killed out there, if anyone will ask the right questions.

Sincerely, and thank you for reading,

Khalil J. Spencer

Santa Fe, NM 87501

League of American Bicyclists Bicycling Instructor #1173
Los Alamos County Transportation Board, 2003-2017
Currently vice-Chair, Santa Fe Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee but speaking for myself, not with my committee hat on.

 Note added 10/2/2022. Someone left a comment that these roads are actually private roads. I suppose if they are, it is fair game to the Campanas community on how they are constructed. I'd be interested if someone could leave a comment as to where this information, i.e., that these are private roads, is documented, and pardon my ignorance if that is the case. I was surprised to read this as at least Camino la Tierra provides access to Old Buckman Rd. and BLM land.

Note added 10/3. The Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization has confirmed these are county roads, not private roads.

 --KJS 

A typical section, but visualize this with a full size tractor trailer passing you. Photo courtesy of Google Maps

 

Virtual Meeting To Discuss the St. Michael's Crossing Tunnel for the Rail Trail, 30 August

 Hi folks. If you have any interest in improving the functionality of the Santa Fe Rail Trail and eliminating that heart-in-your-throat crossing during heavy traffic, please attend this meeting. Its virtual, so not like you even have to go anywhere. 

Here is the direct registration link

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BbzQfb3kSPG14Bik2LTFbQ

also, 

https://project.bhinc.com/rail-trail

Bicyclist Hit On NM-4 Between Bandelier Entrance and Back Gate

 

This from yesterday's Los Alamos Reporter. Scant details so far. If you are on the Pajarito Riders list, that's another good place to check for updates if anyone saw anything. Or the Daily Post.

Be careful out there.

 

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

UPDATE: State Road 4 has reopened

New Mexico State Police, Los Alamos Police Department and Los Alamos Fire Department have responded to a traffic accident involving a vehicle and a bicyclist on State Route 4 between the Bandelier Campground and the LANL back gate.

That section of the road is expected to be closed for about two hours while the NMSP Crash Team conducts their investigation, however, State Route 4 to the Jemez remains open.

The cyclist has been transported by helicopter and no other information is available at this time.

LANL officials alerted employees to an LAPD request that they avoid the area.

 

Bishop's Lodge Rd meeting notification, June 22nd, 5:30 p.m.

Sent to me from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

Come one, come all, to the Bishop’s Lodge Rd. Reconstruction Project’s Open House on June 22nd, 5:30-7:30 pm, Coronado Rm, Santa Fe Convention Center. This is one of BPAC’s priority projects. Please see attached flyer, which I have done a screenshot of below. The project starts at Paseo de Peralta and stops just north of Brownell-Howland Road, which might be easier to see on a Google Map.

City Opens Trails, At Long As It Rains...

 

This just in my Inbox. Excellent. What I wish I had seen in the email I got from the city was a short paragraph imploring trail users to act as community watchpeople, looking for any signs of people doing dumb things (smoking, etc) or lightning strikes, etc, and reporting these promptly. More eyes on the trails is a good concept, as long as they are good people's eyes.

 

City to Close Many Hike-Bike Trails Due To Fire Danger

 Sigh. Just got this.

 

City to Close Select Trails Due to

Extreme Fire Conditions

Emergency Proclamation Effective May 28, 2022

SANTA FE, May 26, 2022 — Mayor Alan Webber will issue Emergency Orders proclaiming extreme fire conditions and closing select City trails due to fire danger effective Saturday, May 28, 2022. Pursuant to the proclamation, the Orders complement federal and County actions and restrictions; the Santa Fe National Forest is closed and the County has closed trails that lead to the Forest. City trailheads will be marked as closed with signs and, where appropriate, with ropes.    The Santa Fe Fire Department reports that hot, dry, windy conditions forecast for the weekend indicate the necessity of taking precautionary measures to protect life and property in Santa Fe from the extreme fire danger that the United States Forest Service has declared for the region. The danger of range fires, grass fires, forest fires, and structure fires are very high or extremely high in and around the city of Santa Fe.   Mayor Alan Webber says: “We’re facing unprecedented fire dangers and for that reason I’m asking everyone to take extra precautions. We can all still enjoy the Memorial Day weekend and the summer season as long as we all put fire safety first.” Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya says: “I’ve never seen such extreme fire conditions so early—the winds came in big, the fuel loads are heavy, and the drought conditions are extraordinary. Parts of these closed trails are remote and difficult to access, which can increase the amount of time it would take to respond to an emergency. All of those factors went into this decision. I’m also reminding the public to observe the fire restrictions that are in place—no open burning and no fireworks!”   The following trails and trails systems will be closed: The Dale Ball Trails (which are accessed off of Hyde Park Road, Cerro Gordo Road, Upper Canyon Road, and Camino Cruz Blanca, including the Atalaya and Dorothy Stewart trails);  The Sun Mountain Trail; La Tierra Trails; MX/BMX trails at La Tierra and the Metropolitan Recreation Complex (MRC)   While the existing fires do not put the city of Santa Fe at immediate risk, new fires can be easily started in the city’s vegetated open spaces through irresponsible human use, such as discarded cigarettes, sparks from vehicles and machinery, and behavior or actions that could cause a fire incident to break out.    To prevent fires, the City is also under Fire Restrictions that were implemented in March. The following are prohibited within city limits while the restrictions are in place: Smoking in public parks, recreation areas, or on any public trail;  Using charcoal barbecue grills in public parks and recreation areas; The sale or use of some fireworks within the city of Santa Fe  Open burning, including campfires, bonfires, pit barbecues; Burning of weeds, trash, or other vegetation; Using any motorized all-terrain vehicle or motorcycles on city owned open space, parks, trails, or other recreational areas

While the trails and open spaces listed above are closed, the Mayor’s Proclamation encourages residents and visitors to utilize the City’s robust network of inner-city trails, open spaces, parks, and recreation centers.

 

Click here for a map of trails that remain accessible and suitable for biking, hiking, and dog-walking.

 

Of course, the fires are seeming to follow me around. Pic taken yesterday at the south end of the improved Rail Trail at  Spur Ranch Road.

So what else can a mountainbike do? I threw on these Mavic Speed City hoops to find out.