I would like to repeat Aku Oppenheimer’s My View article (“Where does water flow for the Zia station?” June 20). Let’s try to see what is not shown in the rhetorically compelling, in-depth presentation by the developers for the Zia Station project during several past public hearings.
As before, the Candlelight Neighborhood Association has requested a review of the submitted traffic study by the New Mexico Department of Transportation. This was rejected by the department, which stated that it was not considered necessary due to the distances of the entrance to the project from the motorway corridors.
However, in the review of the department, which was completed in 2014, it was deemed necessary and was based solely on the question of opening the Zia station itself for Rail Runner train traffic (see “Zia platform VISSIM-Analyze-St. Francis Drive Intersection Assessment”) . On the last page it was recommended that “a fuller assessment of the functionality and operation of the site from a security perspective should be performed”
Remember, this was without adding more than 400 residential units along with businesses or adding 7,900 vehicle trips per day as estimated by the developer. In addition, in 2017 the average daily traffic between Galisteo and VoTech streets was measured at 17,100 vehicle journeys per day. The result is that the daily traffic count on Zia Road would be over 25,000 vehicles. In addition, the station makes several stops every day. The flow of traffic out of the community would allow U-turns on Zia Road, increasing dangerous conditions for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
One thing you won’t see in the developer’s traffic study is a full analysis of how the extra traffic and U-turns are affecting adjacent neighborhoods. This is because city ordinances did not oblige the developer to consider the many neighborhoods that flow into Zia Road and the congestion that will more than double with the development currently proposed. We have questions about this and the lack of a viable plan for the residents of the candlelight district. Many residents do not have the opportunity to leave Zia safely. The proposed transport plan and our concerns have remained unanswered.
The pedestrian problems surrounding current and future disabled people are not even remotely addressed by the traffic study or the developers at this intersection. One of our disabled neighbors submitted multiple ADA compliance assessment letters that went unanswered.
Another problem not addressed is how it actually feels. Go to the intersection and check out the beautifully painted paintings of the apartments, three floors in violation of an important regulation. A regulation was issued for relevant reasons and ignored for zero relevant reasons. Imagine these buildings on this small strip of land – you will probably feel, like many of us, that it is a huge, dense block of matter falling on this particularly small piece of land. The drawings do not tell you how it will feel on site to have over 400 residential units on two plots together with many commercial establishments.
It certainly can’t tell you how it will feel when trains stop, cyclists cross, pedestrian traffic is greatly increased by the construction, and the extra cars are just feet from an already chaotic intersection, including the increase in vibration and noise that are caused by the traffic shut down Zia. To introduce.
Christine Malcolm has lived in the candlelight district since 1989. She founded her own company in Santa Fe in 1987 and does research and development in the field of fragrance design.
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