ABQ RIDE officials announced the second phase of its ABQ RIDE Forward — a once-in-a-generation plan to improve the city’s transit system — will launch May 16.

“Each phase of this massive plan strengthens bus service throughout Albuquerque,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These latest changes really open up options for the South Valley.”

ABQ RIDE Forward

ABQ RIDE Forward is the first transit system overhaul in more than 25 years. This latest phase marks 15% completion of the 16-phase rollout, which will continue over the next several years.

Changes set to take place include:

• New ABQ RIDE Connect zone – The South Valley zone will include the area south of Central, west of the Rio Grande River, north of Rio Bravo, and east of Coors.
• New Route 52 – This route will serve downtown, Barelas, the zoo, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Valle del Sol, and Las Estancias shopping centers, and many neighborhoods, including San Jose, Mountain View, and Valley Gardens.
• Discontinuation of Route 51 – The route will be replaced by microtransit service and Route 52.
• Route changes – Routes 53 and 155 will shift slightly to serve busier areas.

“This phase will better connect the South Valley,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “The area will greatly benefit from on-demand microtransit service, getting people where they need to go with convenient door-to-door rides. And the new Route 52 will efficiently link the neighborhood with downtown.”

Developing the Move Forward

ABQ RIDE Forward was developed over three years with extensive community input through dozens of public meetings, conversations with riders at bus stops and transit centers, and more than 3,000 completed surveys.

The plan ultimately returns ABQ RIDE to pre-2019 levels of bus service, meaning more frequent arrivals and enhanced convenience. Changes vary across the 16 phases and include adding, eliminating, or modifying routes; reducing redundancies; increasing frequency; and strategically integrating microtransit.

Each ABQ RIDE Forward update was designed with equity and maximizing impact at heart to serve the highest ridership and those who need transit most, explained Principal Planner Andrew de Garmo. 

“What we’re essentially doing with our route network is making city bus service more consistent throughout each day of the week and into the evenings. That means riders can hop on the bus daily and get where they need to go at flexible times, not just peak commuting hours,” he said. “The new transit system is for an Albuquerque that moves throughout the day and night. Our city is constantly evolving, and so are our riders.”

The addition of ABQ RIDE Connect in the South Valley is the most anticipated change in this phase, officials said. Since the microtransit service launched in Albuquerque, this service has provided more than 27,000 on-demand door-to-door rides in designated zones.