Bicycle Coalition of New Mexico

  The current NM Driver Handbook does not do an adequate job stating the rights and responsibilites of bicyclists on New Mexico roads. Cat Downing (Santa Fe) brought this to the BCNM Board's attention in June. The BCNM decided to fully support an effort to get all major municipalities in NM to send a City Resolution to the Governor for

BCNM Board members met with Gary Girón, Secretary of the New Mexico Dept. of Transportation, and Max Valerio, NMDOT’s Deputy Secretary for Programs and Infrastructure, in Santa Fe on July 7, 2010.  The meeting came in response to a follow-up inquiry from BCNM Board President Diane Albert to the Office of Gov. Richardson.  It was noted that BCNM’s letter to the Governor on the topic of improving paved shoulders on state highways was already a year old and, despite clear direction from the Governor’s Office, there had been no action to date on NMDOT’s part.  Central to the discussion as usual was NMDOT’s practice of “partial paving” – not fully including paved shoulders in construction and maintenance overlays.  As pointed out in BCNM’s letter of June 26, 2009, this now-standard practice has led to a statewide proliferation of pavement edges within the very space that is most needed for safe and convenient bicycling on New Mexico highways.

The Durango 100 Century and 50 mile bicycle tour is right around the corner; July 25th. Read all about it at www.durango100.com .

I hope you enjoy this second edition of the new and improved "New Mexico Bicyclist."  Thanks to editor Christopher Marsh for his outstanding work! Click here to download: Downloadable PDF.

BCNM welcomes new Coalition members BikeABQ, SE NM Cyclists, Velo de Animas, Bike Santa Fe, and the Duke City Wheelmen Foundation who join long-time Coalition members the Pedal Queens. If your organization would like to become an official Coalition member, please contact membership chair, Keith Ashmore at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

BCNM is currently seeking funding from the Alliance for Biking and Walking (www.peoplepoweredmovement.org) to hire an Executive Director and aMembership/Outreach Director. Stay tuned - we'll know in September if we receive the $30,000 funding.  BCNM also is starting to draft "Bicyclist Bill of Rights" legislation that will be presented by sponsor legislators in the 2011 session.  If you're interested in volunteering to lobby, please contact me.

BCNM continues to work on the partial paving issue (see http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/krqe_mornings/mornings_krqe_albuquerque_shoulders_may_put_cyclists_at_risk_200908030645) and I  will be meeting with NMDOT Secretary Gary Giron on July 8, for the fourth time, to discuss the dangers of poor shoulders.

BCNM continues to work for bicyclists and friends of bicyclists in New Mexico. Won't you join us?