Motorcycle runs into ART bus

Incident is eighth crash involving a bus since Nov. 30

An eastbound motorcyclist turned north through a red arrow onto 52nd Street and crashed into the end of an eastbound ART bus on Monday afternoon, marking the eighth crash involving Albuquerque’s new public transportation system.

The motorcyclist — who is at fault, according to city officials — was wearing a helmet and is OK, but he had a passenger who was not wearing one. That person was taken to the hospital and was in stable condition Monday evening, said

Alicia Manzano, a spokeswoman for the city.

The Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus had only cosmetic damage and continued on its route after city and police officials tended to the scene, Manzano said.

The ART bus system started service Nov. 30, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The bus line ferries passengers east and west mostly on Central Avenue in two distinct lanes in the middle of the street. To achieve the rapid in rapid transit, the city had to significantly reduce the places where traffic could make left turns on either side of Central. And taking the turn requires a green arrow.

Not heeding the turn arrows has been

a factor in many of the wrecks involving the buses.

“If you are looking at the traffic signal, you can only make the turn on a green arrow,” Manzano said. “We keep seeing something very similar in the majority of these crashes, folks just taking a left.”

City officials said they are continuing to evaluate the system to see if any changes are needed to improve safety along the ART route.

A spokesman for the city’s Department of Municipal Development said crews have already placed temporary barriers near the ABQ BioPark and part of West Central to stop drivers from crossing the ART lanes, but is already planning more permanent fixes.

The city will install either “pin” curbing or flexible posts in strategic locations along the route within the next six to eight months, said spokesman Johnny Chandler. Potential areas include the section between San Mateo and San Pedro; Central west of Rio Grande; and West Central near Golden Pride restaurant.

“We do have some extra money for that, so it’s not going to come out of an operating fund,” Chandler said.