Transportation & Connectivity

Infrastructure & Facilities

Objective: Collaborate with transportation partners to connect Albuquerque neighborhoods for better resident and visitor accessibility.

Albuquerque, known for its distance between neighborhoods, faces unique transportation challenges that impact residents and visitors. Although most residents travel by private vehicle, traffic congestion in the city is minimal compared to other urban areas. Perhaps because of the ease of getting around by car, the 188-square-mile city has limited public transportation options, with a bus system serving as the main form of mass transit. While efforts have been made to improve public transportation infrastructure and expand service routes, gaps in coverage and frequency still exist.

Support Enhancements to Transportation Services by Engaging with Applicable Entities and Providing a Visitor Lens

Strategy 1: Explore public-private partnerships with the following transportation modes and entities in Albuquerque to expand transportation services to further visitor mobility beyond the Downtown core, especially between neighborhoods such as Uptown, Old Town, Nob Hill, Sawmill and Barelas.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Partners	Progress Made
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rail Runner) New Mexico Rail Runner Express
Strategy 2: Public Transportation Support the Transit Department in expanding the Connect Program to zones frequently visited by visitors and explore the potential for expanding the service on the weekends as well. Collaborate with the Transit Department to share visitor-related data for improved planning and advocate for increased weekend public transportation services and expanding service coverage to popular visitor areas.* ^ Encourage the Transit Department to develop transportation plans and special routing to be implemented during larger conventions and events, creating connectivity between Downtown and other neighborhoods. To this end, Visit Albuquerque can share data and information with the Transit Department on bigger events and conventions for pre-planning. Continue working with Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rail Runner) and ABQ RIDE on supporting efforts to make the Alvarado Transportation Center visitor-friendly. *www.Abqrideforward.com ^Bellevue
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) City of Albuquerque Department of Arts & Culture Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rail Runner)
Strategy 3: Shuttle Services and Connectors Encourage the City of Albuquerque to proactively involve Visit Albuquerque and the tourism industry on their effort in researching shuttle services, such as the proposed expansion to the BioPark’s existing people mover, the proposed Cultural Tourism Connector as a complementary service to the existing people mover and other future initiatives, to develop visitor-related routes and scheduling for popular attractions and seasons. An existing example of this includes The Clyde Hotel’s creation of a pilot shuttle program to connect hotel guests to the Sawmill district. Collaborating with the City as well as The Clyde Hotel will allow for sharing best practices to potentially expand and increase shuttle services in Albuquerque.
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) The Clyde Hotel (Learning from Best Practices) Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rail Runner) All Aboard America
Strategy 4: Ride-Sharing and Rental Cars Activate partnerships with Uber/Lyft/Z-Trip to negotiate lower rates or provide a discount code during conventions and signature events in ABQ and its vicinity. Collaborate with ride-sharing platforms to address the shortage of Uber drivers in Albuquerque and encourage more drivers to join. Raise awareness of companies shared rental car services and rental car companies in targeted marketing campaigns as alternative options to get around ABQ. Implement a flexible, pilot-based approach with Z-trip to help Albuquerque recover from the pandemic transit and driver shortage. This strategy includes: Launching short-term pilot programs that don't require long-term commitments, allowing Visit Albuquerque and the City to test and refine the Z-trip integration with minimal financial risk. Customizing the app for each convention or major event, allowing attendees to register for Z-trip when they sign up for conferences. Working with Z-Trip on including key tourism assets in the Z-Trip app for leisure and business visitors to be connected to more easily. Developing a dynamic "Discover ABQ" feature within the app for when major conventions and meetings are in Albuquerque, highlighting attractions and experiences. Collaborating with the airport to create a seamless arrival experience, including transportation options and immediate access to city information through the app.
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) Rental Car Companies Shared Rental Car Services Z-trip, Uber and Lyft (ridesharing services)
Strategy 5: Bike Sharing Reintroduce shared biking programs in collaboration with City leadership, Rail Trail planners and local bike rental companies to promote biking as an alternative and sustainable option for visitors to access attractions in ABQ. Throughout the master planning process, feedback from stakeholders and the community demonstrated interest and openness in exploring shared biking programs in Albuquerque. Encourage hotels and accommodations to provide bike rental and storage options for visitors. This initiative could gain more momentum with the continuous development of Rail Trail.
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) Bicycle rental companies (e.g., Zagster) ABQ Rail Trail Project Friends of Rail Trail

Collaborate with the City on Establishing a Neighborhood Circulator Shuttle System

Strategy 1: Advocate for and support the establishment of a neighborhood circulator shuttle system connecting different neighborhoods in ABQ, funded through public-private partnerships, with a fee attached to it, such as offering weekend passes and $1 rides.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Partners	Progress Made
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) The Clyde Hotel (Learning from Best Practices) Albuquerque Lodging and Hotel Partners Private Transportation Partners and Shuttle Companies All Aboard America
Strategy 2: Seek public and private partners through a Request for Information (RFI) process to collaborate on funding this initiative, potentially through a public-private partnership or sponsorship agreements.
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) Private Shuttle Companies
Strategy 3: Offer weekend passes for the shuttle system, allowing residents, tourists and office workers to easily commute between neighborhoods.
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department)
Strategy 4: Focus initial pilot routes around Civic Plaza to facilitate access to Downtown amenities and promote vibrant community activities.
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA)

Advocate for Upgrades to ABQ’s Tourism Infrastructure

Strategy 1: Explore partnerships with the New Mexico Tourism Department through the State Capital Outlay process to fund tourism infrastructure improvement projects.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Partners	Progress Made
	New Mexico Tourism Department ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Albuquerque International Sunport Albuquerque Convention Center
Strategy 2: Encourage the City to develop special routing plans for signature events, coordinating with event organizers and transportation providers.
	ABQ RIDE (City of Albuquerque Transit Department) Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA) City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department Albuquerque Convention Center (ACC) Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta EXPO New Mexico Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rail Runner)

Improve Capture of Visitors to Santa Fe by Raising Awareness of Transit Options Available in ABQ

Strategy 1: Capture visitors to Santa Fe through targeted marketing that encourages them to add an overnight stay in Albuquerque, emphasizing transit options and potential itineraries.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Partners	Progress Made
	Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rail Runner) Albuquerque International Sunport
Strategy 2: Enhance connectivity between Albuquerque and Santa Fe by offering additional “express” Rail Runner trains or shuttle services, making it easier for visitors to explore both cities.
	Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rail Runner)

Transportation & Connectivity

Infrastructure & Facilities

Support Enhancements to Transportation Services by Engaging with Applicable Entities and Providing a Visitor Lens

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Partners

Progress Made

Collaborate with the City on Establishing a Neighborhood Circulator Shuttle System

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Partners

Progress Made

Advocate for Upgrades to ABQ’s Tourism Infrastructure

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Partners

Progress Made

Improve Capture of Visitors to Santa Fe by Raising Awareness of Transit Options Available in ABQ

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Partners

Progress Made