2022 Albuquerque traffic data has good and bad news
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – There’s some good and bad news when it comes to traffic trends since the pandemic. That’s according to data from the Mid-Region Metropolitan Transportation Organization, covering 2022 data from Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia Counties.
The data shows in the Albuquerque metro area, there were 135 fatal crashes in 2022, down from 171 the year before. “So, we’re seeing some progress being made but we’re still well above where we were in 2019,” said Willy Simon, Transportation Planner at the Mid-Region Metropolitan Transportation Organization.
Some of the data over recent years has left experts scratching their heads. “What has surprised us since COVID-19 is that the amount of cars on the roadway has gone down but the number of fatal crashes has gone up,” said Simon.
He does have a theory on what could be driving the trend. “COVID-19 and the reduction in traffic gave people more space to speed and drive aggressively on our roadways,” he said.
The data also shows pedestrian fatalities are higher in under-served areas. Additionally, 16% of pedestrian fatalities in the metro are on Central from San Mateo to Eubank. “It’s a very short stretch of central and it’s home to a lot of the worst outcomes in terms of pedestrian safety in our region,” said Simon.
The east portion of Central is also a big priority for the city, which recently installed a hawk signal there. Simon said it’s too early to see how much of a difference that signal has made. “It’ll just take some time for pedestrians to start to trust them and for drivers to start to understand them and start to yield to pedestrians there,” he said.
In the meantime, experts are reminding drivers to be more mindful behind the wheel. “Everyone has a place to be, and everyone’s lives are busy and people are stressed out but we need to be our brother’s keeper and look out for one another and make sacrifices for one another,” said Simon.
The report also showed fewer alcohol-only deadly related crashes but drug-only related crashes are going up. The group plans to continue using their data alongside cities and counties to make roads safer.
