ART buses involved in two more crashes

City considering additional safety measures on Central

There were two more Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus crashes on Central in Nob Hill on Wednesday, making 10 so far since the service started.

Alicia Manzano, a city spokeswoman, said that neither crash resulted in serious injuries and that both buses continued on the route.

As with many of the other recent crashes, she said both drivers made illegal turns beforehand.

The first crash occurred around 7:50 a.m., between Washington and Monroe, when a car turned left in front of an ART bus as it headed east on Central.

Manzano said one bus passenger was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

She said damage to the bus was just “a scratch.”

Manzano said the second crash happened around 12:40 p.m. at Central and Wellesley when a truck turned left on a red arrow and crashed into the bus. There were no injuries. She said drivers turning left when they shouldn’t is the common problem in a lot of these crashes.

“We’re continuing to see this same issue,” Manzano said.

City officials have said they are considering additional safety measures along the ART route.

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

He said the city will install either “pin” curbing or flexible posts in strategic locations along the route within the next eight months.

The ART bus system started service Nov. 30. 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.