A.R.T. -- Central's Death Knell

Last night, we drove down Central, as we often do, and discovered that the controversial Abq Rapid Transit (A.R.T.) project has begun in the form of 2 of the 3 lanes of traffic being closed for construction. They have closed miles of lanes but construction is only happening in a small portion of those miles. Drivers are more than a little irritated. For the next 15 months, I think, no one will be driving down Central. They will use alternate routes.

I listened to the radio this morning and the horror stories are too hard to hear. People whose commute to work was always 20 minutes are now looking at an hour or more. This is RIDICULOUS! Every person who called in said they are against A.R.T.

Do we have a voice?
There was no democracy in the decision to go ahead with this ludicrous project that is way too big for little old Central Avenue, for little old Albuquerque. If there were democratic processes in the decision to do this, then the decision would have been made NOT to do it. All you have to do is look in all the windows of the businesses along Central to see all of the No A.R.T. signs.

There's your vote, people, a vote by those who work on Central and whose businesses are on the line because of a project that is simply overkill, designed to make someone money but not them.

Blogging Central
Needless to say, this stupid A.R.T thing is going to affect my Blogging Central project. I can deal with it but I need to work faster to get the information I want before the project causes even more changes. I want to reflect what's been happening on Central in the past 20 years or so. I don't want to deal with A.R.T.

But it is what it is, and I'm sure I will be thinking long and hard about how this stupid project is affecting a city I'm just starting to truly love. I don't want to lose it so soon. Damn you, A.R.T!

That's all I've got for now. I'm including a photo I took on my walk through the Los Poblanos open space today. Something peaceful.