Lead and Coal Avenues, from Downtown Albuquerque to Washington Street, function as a pair of one-way principal arterials which together carry up to 27,000 vehicles per day. Over the years numerous concerns have been voiced about their impact on the livability of the neighborhoods they traverse. A number of studies of the corridor have been completed, the last in 1996. Because of continuing citizen concern about Lead and Coal, the Mayor’s office in late 2005 asked Wilson & Company to assess the corridor. A Public Involvement Meeting was held and a resident Task Force was formed.

The Task Force, along with Wilson & Company, first summarized the problems along the
corridor, second identified goals for the re-design of Lead and Coal, and then examined various design options. After a planning level analysis and discussion, the Task Force recommends that the City Administration select one of the following alternatives:

1. One-Way Roadways, Each with Two Driving Lanes
2. Two-Way Roadways, Each with One Driving Lane in Each Direction

Either alternative will bring the neighborhoods along Lead & Coal toward our re-design goals which are to:

• Reduce speed
• Make roadway pedestrian & bicyclist friendly
• Reduce accidents adjacent to homes
• Provide consistent roadway typical section
• Improve sight distance issues
• Give corridor neighborhood feel
• Address air & noise pollution
• Reduce traffic volumes
• Widen sidewalks
• Meet ADA requirements

The Task Force intends to continue its involvement in the decisions made regarding Lead and Coal Avenues as the project proceeds through the detailed design phase and on to
construction.