Singeli Agnew
Feature
The Downside of a Difficult Commute
Some folks think extending Paseo del Norte will alleviate Westside traffic problems, while others say the area is an urban planning nightmare that's only getting worse
People are funny. Take Albuquerque's Westside as an example. Every year for more than a decade, the area north of I-40 and west of I-25 breaks the previous year's record for new home construction. Starter homes keep sprouting like weeds after a spring storm all over the escarpment, and folks keep buying them even while it's common knowledge that a guaranteed traffic disaster comes free with the purchase. To live out there, residents must be, remarkably, willing to accept what District 5 City Councilor Michael Cadigan refers to as "the downside of a very difficult commute."
