ALBUQUERQUE- The City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express are pleased to announce the addition of a new bus route serving the new Bernalillo County/International Sunport Rail Runner station. The new bus route will begin on Friday, April 20, 2007. 

 

“There are thousands of commuters each day traveling from Valencia County into Albuquerque,” said Mayor Martin Chávez. “This new bus route will not only accommodate those commuters from the Rail Runner going to the airport, it will also benefit businesses along Spirit Drive and South Valley residents by providing an additional transit river crossing.”

 

“Bernalillo County is delighted to be partnering with the City of Albuquerque and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express to help provide funding for this new service that will connect south valley residents with the new Bernalillo County/International Sunport Rail Runner station,” said Bernalillo County Commissioner Teresa Cordova.

 

“This partnership between the City, County, and the Rail Runner represents a win for citizens of the region – particularly those in the south valley,” said Lawrence Rael, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “This is a true example of collaboration in which everyone’s working together for the good of the whole.”

 

The new bus route will extend from Rio Bravo and Coors to the Albuquerque International Sunport with a stop at the new Rail Runner station. The bus route will be called Route 222 – Rio Bravo/ Sunport. A westbound and eastbound bus will meet each northbound Rail Runner train in the morning and each southbound train in the evening. There will also be westbound and eastbound buses that will meet the northbound and southbound mid day Rail Runner trains. 

 

“Our partnership with the Rail Runner will now provide connecting train and bus service so people can depend on reliable public transportation and a relaxing commute,” said ABQ RIDE Director Greg Payne. “Also, this is the first time that direct transit options have been available to many people needing to travel between the South Valley and the airport.”

 

There will be a total of eight stops along the route: Rio Bravo/Coors, Rio Bravo/Del Rio, Rio Bravo/Isleta, the Rail Runner Rio Bravo station, University near Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Spirit near Southwest Airlines, Spirit/Clark Carr and the Albuquerque International Sunport.