SF transit center likely to be built

Albuquerque Journal (NM), 2013-08-01

Aug. 01--The Santa Fe City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved, with little discussion, a pair of public transportation-related measures that should make getting around Santa Fe a little more convenient.

Councilors unanimously agreed to move forward with a plan to build a public transit center on city property in south Santa Fe.

The city had initially hoped to construct a hub in the parking lot of Santa Fe Place Mall, where south Santa Fe bus service is currently based. However, the city hasn't yet reached an agreement with the mall's owners to purchase property and federal funding could be in jeopardy unless the city moves ahead with the alternative plan.

The new location is on vacant city-owned land at the intersection of Camino Entrada and Cerrillos Road, across Cerrillos from the shopping mall.

The City Council also approved the details of a program that will provide a bus pass rebate on Santa Fe Trails buses for locals who buy or fix up a bicycle, or provide volunteer services in return for a bike or equipment.

People who provide the city with a receipt for $20 or more from a participating vendor will get a 31-day bus pass. Those who turn in a receipt for at least $240 will get a bus pass good for one year.

Any local business or nonprofit that sells or deals with bicycles can participate in the program.

The City Council approved the concept of the program in June. It's designed to encourage people to get around in ways that don't involve automobiles and help the economy, according to city officials.

Workers with economic and environmental justice organization Chainbreaker Collective, the driving force behind the idea for the program, have also said it will help lowincome people who can't afford both a bike and the bus.

The program will be funded with $50,000 in capital improvements project money originally set aside for a bike sharing program.

Also Wednesday:

The council agreed to move forward with implementing a program that would divert low-level opiate drug offenders from jail and instead provide them with treatment, case management and other support.

The program is a recommendation of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Task Force, a group created to examine substance abuse in the area and related problems and solutions.

According to the task force, a recent study found that 100 individuals arrested by the city over the past three years for opiate sales or possession cost the public more than $4.2 million in jail and other expenses, or an average of $42,000 per person.

City staff will need to find $100,000 in funding for the program over the 2013-2014 fiscal year and $200,000 for the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

City officials say Santa Fe would be just the second city in the country, after Seattle, to try the program.

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(c)2013 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.)

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