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Regional Transit Board's 1st Meeting Is Today

Posted on: Wednesday, 2 November 2005, 12:00 CST

By LLOYD JOJOLA Journal Staff Writer

The future of mass transit in the middle Rio Grande Valley could begin taking shape today, as the Mid-Region Transit District Board of Directors meets for the first time.

Formed by neighboring governments, a Regional Transit District, or RTD, allows its members to plan and develop a public transportation system, pooling their resources to provide better service, said Lawrence Rael, Mid-Region Council of Governments executive director.

"The idea is... that it can create a system that is regionalized as opposed to having a system within one single community," he said.

In 2003, Gov. Bill Richardson signed legislation allowing the creation of RTDs.

The state Transportation Commission approved the formation of the Mid-Region Transit District in March. It's made up of 10 entities: Sandoval County, the town of Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo County, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Valencia County, Bosque Farms, Los Lunas and Belen. Each has representation on the board.

At today's meeting, two issues will be taken up.

The board will be asked to approve a resolution between the transit district and the Mid-Region Council of Governments. It would allow the council of governments to act as the transit district's "administrative entity," being that the transit district has no staff at this point. The second measure would allow the transit district to enter into an agreement with the state, so the transit district can tap money to create a "service and financial plan."

About $250,000 in seed money is available from the state to pay for the transit district studies, Rael said.

In the coming months, the transit district will design a system, determining what type of service is going to be provided and where, at what cost and how it could be financed, said Bruce Rizzieri, regional transit manager with the Mid-Region Council of Governments.

"This will be a major change, probably 12 months in the works," said Rizzieri, who added that much public involvement will take place.

Once the final plans are approved, including a financial structure, member governments have the ability to withdraw from the transit district within 60 days.

Meeting location

The Mid-Region Transit District Board of Directors meets today at 5 p.m. in the Mid-Region Council of Governments board room, 809 Copper NW.

Source: Albuquerque Journal

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