Albuquerque, New Mexico
Encyclopedia
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico
, United States
. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County
and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande
. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As of June 2007, the city was the sixth fastest-growing in America. It has a metropolitan population of 907,775 as of 2011.
Albuquerque is the 57th-largest United States metropolitan area
. The Albuquerque MSA
population includes the city of Rio Rancho
.
Albuquerque is home to the University of New Mexico
(UNM), Kirtland Air Force Base
, Sandia National Laboratories
, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute
, and Petroglyph National Monument
. The Sandia Mountains
run along the eastern side of Albuquerque, and the Rio Grande
flows through the city, north to south.
, viceroy of New Spain
from 1653 to 1660. One of de la Cueva's aristocratic titles was Duke of Alburquerque, referring to the Spanish town of Alburquerque
.
The Alburquerque family name dates from pre-12th century Iberia (Spain
and Portugal
) and is habitational in nature (de Alburquerque = from Alburquerque). The Spanish village of Alburquerque
is within the Badajoz
province of Extremadura
region, and located just fifteen miles (24 km) from the Portuguese border. Cork trees dominate the landscape and Alburquerque is a center of the Spanish cork industry. Over the years, this region has been alternately under both Spanish and Portuguese rule. The name of the New Mexico city of Albuquerque follows the Portuguese
spelling with only one 'r' rather than the Spanish
one. Historically, the land around Alburquerque was invaded and settled by the Moors (711 AD) and the Romans (218 BC) before them. Thus, the word Alburquerque may be rooted in the Arabic
(Moorish) 'Abu al-Qurq', which means "father of the cork oak", or "land of the cork oak" (the land as father – fatherland). Alternatively, it may be Latin (Roman) in origin and from 'alba quercus' or "white oak" (the wood of the cork oak is white after the bark has been removed). The seal of the Spanish village of Alburquerque is a white oak tree, framed by a shield, topped by a crown.
Western folklore offers a different explanation, tracing the name Alburquerque to the Arabic
'Al-Barquq', meaning "the plum", and the derivative Galician
(Galicia = northwest Spanish Province) word 'albaricoque', the "apricot". The apricot was brought to New Mexico by Spanish settlers, possibly as early as 1743. As the story goes, the settlement of La Ciudad de Albaricoque was established near an apricot tree. As frontiersmen were unable to correctly pronounce the Spanish (Galician) word, they pronounced it as "Albuquerque."
Albuquerque was founded in 1706 as the Spanish
colonial outpost of Ranchos de Alburquerque, 18 families had resided in the area. Present-day Albuquerque retains much of its historical Spanish cultural heritage.
Albuquerque was a farming community and strategically located military outpost along the Camino Real. The town was also the sheep-herding center of the West. Spain established a presidio (military garrison) in Albuquerque in 1706. After 1821, Mexico
also had a military garrison there. The town of Alburquerque was built in the traditional Spanish village pattern: a central plaza surrounded by government buildings, homes, and a church. This central plaza area has been preserved and is open to the public as a museum, cultural area, and center of commerce. It is referred to as "Old Town Albuquerque
" or simply "Old Town." "Old Town" was sometimes referred to as "La Placita" ("little plaza" in Spanish).
After the American occupation of New Mexico, Albuquerque had a federal garrison and quartermaster depot, the Post of Albuquerque, from 1846 to 1867. During the Civil War
Albuquerque was occupied in February 1862 by Confederate
troops under General Henry Hopkins Sibley
, who soon afterward advanced with his main body into northern New Mexico. During his retreat from Union
troops into Texas
he made a stand on April 8, 1862, at Albuquerque and fought the Battle of Albuquerque
against a detachment of Union soldiers commanded by Colonel Edward R. S. Canby
. This daylong engagement at long range led to few casualties.
When the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad
arrived in 1880, it bypassed the Plaza, locating the passenger depot and railyards about 2 miles (3 km) east in what quickly became known as New Albuquerque or New Town. Many Anglo merchants, mountain men, and settlers slowly filtered into Albuquerque creating a major mercantile commercial center which is now Downtown Albuquerque
. Due to a rising rate of violent crime, gunman Milt Yarberry
was appointed the town's first marshal that year. New Albuquerque was incorporated as a town in 1885, with Henry N. Jaffa its first mayor, and it was incorporated as a city in 1891. Old Town remained a separate community until the 1920s when it was absorbed by the city of Albuquerque. Old Albuquerque High School
, the city's first public high school, was established in 1879.
campus on the East Mesa. In 1902, the famous Alvarado Hotel was built adjacent to the new passenger depot, and it remained a symbol of the city until it was razed in 1970 to make room for a parking lot. In 2002, the Alvarado Transportation Center
was built on the site in a manner resembling the old landmark. The large metro station functions as the downtown headquarters for the city's transit department. It also serves as an intermodal hub for local buses, Greyhound
buses, Amtrak
passenger trains, and the Rail Runner
commuter rail line.
New Mexico's dry climate brought many tuberculosis
patients to the city in search of a cure during the early 20th century, and several sanitaria sprang up on the West Mesa
to serve them. Presbyterian Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital, two of the largest hospitals in the Southwest, had their beginnings during this period. Influential New Deal
-era governor Clyde Tingley
and famed Southwestern architect John Gaw Meem
were among those brought to New Mexico by tuberculosis.
The first travelers on Route 66
appeared in Albuquerque in 1926, and before long, dozens of motels, restaurants, and gift shops had sprung up along the roadside to serve them. Route 66 originally ran through the city on a north-south alignment along Fourth Street, but in 1937 it was realigned along Central Avenue
, a more direct east-west route. The intersection of Fourth and Central downtown was the principal crossroads of the city for decades. The majority of the surviving structures from the Route 66 era are on Central, though there are also some on Fourth. Signs between Bernalillo
and Los Lunas
along the old route now have brown, historical highway markers denoting it as Pre-1937 Route 66.
The establishment of Kirtland Air Force Base
in 1939, Sandia Base
in the early 1940s, and Sandia National Laboratories
in 1949, would make Albuquerque a key player of the Atomic Age. Meanwhile, the city continued to expand outward onto the West Mesa, reaching a population of 201,189 by 1960. In 1990, it was 384,736 and in 2007 it was 518,271. In June 2007, Albuquerque was listed as the sixth fastest-growing city in America by CNN and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Albuquerque's downtown entered the same phase and development (decline, "urban renewal" with continued decline, and gentrification) as nearly every city across the United States. As Albuquerque spread outward, the downtown area fell into a decline. Many historic buildings were razed in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for new plazas, high-rises, and parking lots as part of the city's urban renewal phase. As of 2010, only recently has downtown come to regain much of its urban character, mainly through the construction of many new loft apartment buildings and the renovation of historic structures such as the KiMo Theater
, in the gentrification
phase.
During the 21st century, the Albuquerque population has continued to grow rapidly. The population of the city proper is estimated at 528,497 in 2009, up from 448,607 in the 2000 census. The Albuquerque metropolitan area has 907,775 residents, and it is projected to increase to 2 million people by 2030, according to projections from the University of New Mexico's Bureau of Business and Economic Research.
During 2005 and 2006, the city celebrated its tricentennial with a diverse program of cultural events.
The passage of the Planned Growth Strategy in 2002–2004 was the community's strongest effort to create a framework for a more balanced and sustainable approach to urban growth.
Urban sprawl is limited on three sides—by the Pueblo
of Sandia to the north, the Pueblo of Isleta and Kirtland Air Force Base
to the south, and the Sandia Mountains
to the east. Suburban growth continues at a strong pace to the west, beyond Petroglyph National Monument
, once thought to be a natural boundary to sprawl development.
Because of less-costly land and lower taxes, much of the growth in the metropolitan area is taking place outside of the city of Albuquerque itself. In Rio Rancho to the northwest, the communities east of the mountains, and the incorporated parts of Valencia County, population growth rates approach twice that of Albuquerque. The primary cities in Valencia County are Los Lunas
and Belen
, both of which are home to growing industrial complexes and new residential subdivisions. The mountain towns of Tijeras
, Edgewood
, and Moriarty
, while close enough to Albuquerque to be considered suburbs, have experienced much less growth compared to Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Los Lunas, and Belen. Limited water supply and rugged terrain are the main limiting factors for development in these towns. The Mid Region Council of Governments (MRCOG), which includes constituents from throughout the Albuquerque area, was formed to ensure that these governments along the middle Rio Grande would be able to meet the needs of their rapidly rising populations. MRCOG's cornerstone project is the New Mexico Rail Runner Express
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, Albuquerque has a total area of 181.3 square miles (469.6 km²). 180.6 square miles (467.8 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (0.35%) is water.
Albuquerque lies within the northern, upper edges of the Chihuahuan Desert
ecoregion, based on long-term patterns of climate, associations of plants and wildlife, and landforms, including drainage patterns. Located in central New Mexico, the city also has noticeable influences from the adjacent Colorado Plateau
Semi-Desert, Arizona-New Mexico Mountains, and Southwest Plateaus and Plains Steppe ecoregions, depending on where one is located. Its main geographic connection lies with southern New Mexico, while culturally, Albuquerque is a crossroads of most of New Mexico.
Albuquerque has one of the highest elevations of any major city in the United States, though the effects of this are greatly tempered by its southwesterly continental position. The elevation of the city ranges from 4,900 feet (1,490 m) above sea level near the Rio Grande (in the Valley) to over 6,700 feet (1,950 m) in the foothill areas of Sandia Heights and Glenwood Hills. At the airport, the elevation is 5,352 feet (1,631 m) above sea level.
The Rio Grande is classified, like the Nile
, as an 'exotic' river because it flows through a desert. The New Mexico portion of the Rio Grande lies within the Rio Grande Rift
Valley, bordered by a system of faults, including those that lifted up the adjacent Sandia and Manzano Mountains
, while lowering the area where the life-sustaining Rio Grande now flows.
Albuquerque is located at 35°6′39"N 106°36′36"W (35.110703, -106.609991).
system one uses), meaning average annual precipitation is less than half of evaporation, and no month averages below freezing.
Albuquerque's climate is usually sunny and dry, with low relative humidity, with an average of 3,420 sunshine hours per year. Brilliant sunshine defines the region, averaging more than 300 days a year; periods of variably mid and high-level cloudiness temper the sun at other times. Extended cloudiness is rare. The heat and cold are mild compared to the extremes that occur more commonly in other parts of the country.
Winters are rather brief but definite; daytime highs range from the upper 40s to upper 50s Fahrenheit, while the overnight lows drop into the mid 30s to near 45 by sunrise; nights are often colder in the uppermost foothills by several degrees. The occasional snowfall, associated with low pressure areas, fronts and troughs, often melts by the mid-afternoon; over half of the scant winter moisture occurs in the form of light rain showers, usually brief in duration. In the much higher areas of the Sandia Mountains, moisture falls as snow; many years have enough snow to create decent skiing conditions at the local ski area.
Spring time starts off windy and warm. Spring is usually the driest part of the year in Albuquerque. March and April tend to see many days with the wind blowing at 20 mi/h, and afternoon gusts can produce periods of blowing sand and dust. In May, the winds tend to subside, as temperatures start to feel like summer.
Summer daytime highs range from the upper 90s to the 100's, while dropping into the mid 80s to high 70s overnight; the valley and uppermost foothills are often several degrees cooler than that. The heat is quite tolerable because of low humidity, except during the late summer during increased humidity from surges in the monsoonal pattern; at that time, daytime highs drop slightly but the extra moisture in the air can cause nighttime temperatures to increase.
Fall sees mild days and nights with less rain, though the weather can be more unsettled closer to winter.
The city was one of several in the region experiencing a severe winter storm on December 28–30, 2006, with locations in Albuquerque receiving between 10.5 and 26 in (26.7 and 66 cm) of snow.
Only the wettest areas of the Sandia foothills are barely semi-arid
, where precipitation is more than half of, but still less than, evaporation; such areas are localized and usually lie above 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) in elevation and often in arroyo drainages, signified by a slightly denser, taller growth of evergreen oak–juniper–pinon chaparral and rarely, woodland, often mixed with taller desert grasses. These elevated foothill areas still border arid areas, best described as desert grassland or desert shrub, on their west sides.
Traveling to the west, north and east of Albuquerque, one quickly rises in elevation and leaves the sheltering effect of the valley to enter a noticeably cooler and slightly wetter environment. One such area is still considered part of metro Albuquerque, commonly called the "East Mountain" area; it is covered in savannas or woodlands of low juniper and pinon trees, reminiscent of the lower parts of the southern Rocky Mountains, which do not actually contact Albuquerque proper.
Those mountains and highlands beyond the city create a "rain shadow" effect, due to the drying of descending air movements; the city usually receives very little rain or snow, averaging 8–9 inches (216 mm) of precipitation per year. Valley and west mesa areas, farther from the mountains are drier, averaging 6–8 inches of annual precipitation; the Sandia foothills tend to lift any available moisture, enhancing precipitation to about 10–17 inches annually. Most precipitation occurs during the summer monsoon season (also called a chubasco
in Mexico), typically starting in early July and ending in mid-September.
are the predominant geographic feature visible in Albuquerque. "Sandía" is Spanish
for "watermelon
", and is popularly believed to be a reference to the brilliant coloration of the mountains at sunset: bright pink (melon meat) and green (melon rind). The pink is due to large exposures of granodiorite
cliffs, and the green is due to large swaths of conifer forests. However, Robert Julyan notes in The Place Names of New Mexico, "the most likely explanation is the one believed by the Sandia Pueblo
Indians: the Spaniards, when they encountered the Pueblo in 1540, called it Sandia, because they thought the squash growing there were watermelons, and the name Sandia soon was transferred to the mountains east of the pueblo." He also notes that the Sandia Pueblo Indians call the mountain Bien Mur, "big mountain."
The Sandia foothills, on the west side of the mountains, have soils derived from that same rock material with varying sizes of decomposed granite, mixed with areas of clay and caliche
(a calcareous
clay common in the arid southwestern USA), along with some exposed granite
bedrock.
Below the foothills, the area usually called the "Heights" consists of a mix of clay and caliche
soils, overlain by a layer of decomposed granite, resulting from long-term outwash of that material from the adjacent mountains. This bajada is quite noticeable when driving into Albuquerque from the north or south, due to its fairly uniform slope from the mountains' edge downhill to the valley. Sand hills are scattered along the I-25 corridor and directly above the Rio Grande Valley, forming the lower end of the Heights.
The Rio Grande Valley, due to long-term shifting of the actual river channel, contains layers and areas of soils varying between caliche
, clay, loam, and even some sand. It is the only part of Albuquerque where the water table
often lies close to the surface, sometimes less than 10 feet (3 m).
The last significant area of Albuquerque geologically is the West Mesa
: this is the elevated land west of the Rio Grande, including the sandy terrace immediately west and above the river, and the rather sharply defined volcanic escarpment above and west of most of the developed city. The west mesa commonly has soils often referred to as "blow sand", along with occasional clay and caliche and even basalt, nearing the escarpment.
Albuquerque's drinking water
presently comes from a delicate aquifer
that was once described as an "underground Lake Superior
". The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) has developed a water resources management strategy, which pursues conservation
and the direct extraction of water from the Rio Grande for the development of a stable underground aquifer in the future.
The aquifer of the Rio Puerco is too saline
to be cost-effectively used for drinking purposes.
Much of the rainwater that Albuquerque receives does not recharge its aquifer. It is diverted through a network of paved channels and arroyo
s, and emptied into the Rio Grande
.
Of the 62780 acre.ft per year of the water in the upper Colorado River
basin entitled to municipalities in New Mexico by the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact
, Albuquerque owns 48,200. The water is delivered to the Rio Grande by the San Juan–Chama Project. The project's construction was initiated by legislation enacted by President John F. Kennedy
in 1962, and completed in 1971. This diversion project transports water under the continental divide
from Navajo Lake
to Lake Heron on the Rio Chama, a tributary of the Rio Grande. Presently, this water is resold to downstream owners in Texas
. These arrangements will end in 2008 with the completion of the ABCWUA's Drinking Water Supply Project.
This project will, using a system of adjustable height dam
s, skim water from the Rio Grande into sluice
s which will lead to water treatment
facilities for direct conversion to potable water
. Some water will be allowed to flow through central Albuquerque, mostly to protect the endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow
. Treated
effluent water will be recycled into the Rio Grande to the South of the city. The ABCWUA expects river water to comprise up to seventy percent of its water budget in 2060. Groundwater
will still be used. One of the policies of the ABCWUA's strategy is the acquisition of additional river water.
, credited with developing and popularizing the Pueblo Revival style, was based in Santa Fe
but received an important Albuquerque commission in 1933 as the architect of the University of New Mexico
. He retained this commission for the next quarter-century and developed the University's distinctive Southwest style.
Due to the nature of the soil in the Rio Grande Valley, the skyline is lower than might be expected in a city of comparable size elsewhere.
Albuquerque boasts a unique nighttime cityscape. Many building exteriors are illuminated in vibrant colors such as green and blue. The Wells Fargo Building is illuminated green. The DoubleTree Hotel and the Compass Bank building are illuminated blue. The rotunda
of the county courthouse is illuminated yellow, while the tops of the Bank of Albuquerque and the Bank of the West are illuminated reddish-yellow.
Albuquerque has expanded greatly in area since the mid 1940s. During those years of expansion, the planning of the newer areas has considered that people drive rather than walk. The pre-1940s parts of Albuquerque are quite different in style and scale from the post 1940s areas. These older areas include the North Valley, the South Valley, various neighborhoods near downtown, and Corrales. The newer areas generally feature four to six lane roads in a 1 mile (1.61 km) grid. Each 1 square mile (2.59 km²) is divided into four 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) neighborhoods by smaller roads set 0.5 miles (0.8 km) between major roads. When driving along major roads in the newer sections of Albuquerque, one sees strip malls, signs, and cinderblock walls. The upside of this planning style is that neighborhoods are shielded from the worst of the noise and lights on the major roads. The downside is that it is virtually impossible to go anywhere from home without driving.
took through the city) and the east-west dividing line is the BNSF Railway
tracks.
This quadrant has been experiencing a housing expansion since the late 1950s. It abuts the base of the Sandia Mountains and contains portions of the foothills neighborhoods, which are significantly higher, in elevation and price range, than the rest of the city. Running from Central Avenue and the railroad tracks to the Sandia Peak Aerial Tram
, this is the largest quadrant both geographically and by population. The University of New Mexico
, the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
, the Uptown area which includes two shopping malls (Coronado Center
and ABQ Uptown), Journal Center, Balloon Fiesta Park, and Albuquerque Academy
are all located in this quadrant.
Some of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city are located here, including Tanoan, High Desert
, Sandia Heights, and North Albuquerque Acres. (Parts of Sandia Heights and North Albuquerque Acres are outside the city limits proper.) A few houses in the farthest reach of this quadrant lie in the Cibola National Forest
, just over the line into Sandoval County
.
This quadrant contains historic Old Town Albuquerque
, which dates back to the 18th century, as well as the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
. The area has a mixture of commercial districts and low- to middle-income neighborhoods. Northwest Albuquerque includes the largest section of downtown
, Rio Grande Nature Center State Park
and the Bosque
("woodlands"), Petroglyph National Monument
, Double Eagle II Airport
, Martineztown, the Paradise Hills neighborhood, and Cottonwood Mall
.
Additionally, the "North Valley" area, which has some expensive homes and small ranches along the Rio Grande
, is located here. The city of Albuquerque engulfs the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque
and borders Corrales
in the North Valley. The rapidly developing area on the west side of the river is known as the "West Mesa
" or "Westside" and consists primarily of traditional residential subdivisions. The city proper is bordered on the north by the city of Rio Rancho
.
Sandia Science & Technology Park, Eclipse Aerospace
, Kirtland Air Force Base
, Sandia National Laboratories
, Central New Mexico Community College
, Albuquerque International Sunport
, Mesa del Sol
, Albuquerque Studios, Albuquerque Veloport, University Stadium, Isotopes Park
, and The Pit are all located in the Southeast (SE) quadrant.
The upscale neighborhood of Four Hills and the Four Hills Country Club are also located in Southeast Albuquerque, near the foothills. Nob Hill lies along Central Avenue and Carlisle Boulevard. Ridgecrest is located just south of Nob Hill. Other popular attractions that can be found in this quadrant include Hard Rock Casino, The Pavilion, Veterans' Memorial, and Talin Market. The area near Central Avenue and Louisiana Boulevard, known as the International District, has the highest concentration of Asian-owned businesses in the city.
Traditionally consisting of agricultural and rural areas, the Southwest quadrant is often referred to as the "South Valley." Although the city limits of Albuquerque do not include all of the area, the South Valley is considered to extend all the way to the Isleta Indian Reservation. This includes the old communities of Atrisco, Los Padillas, Kinney, Westgate, Mountainview, and Pajarito. The south end of downtown Albuquerque, the Bosque
("woodlands"), the Barelas
neighborhood, the National Hispanic Cultural Center
, and the Albuquerque Biological Park
are also located here.
of 2010, there were 545,852 people, 239,166 households, and 224,330 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3010.7 (1162.6/km²). There were 239,166 housing units at an average density of 1,556.7 per square mile (538.2/km²).
The racial makeup of the city was:
46.7% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
(of any race)
There were 239,116 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.02.
The age distribution was 24.5% under 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,272, and the median income for a family was $46,979. Males had a median income of $34,208 versus $26,397 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,884. About 10.0% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Albuquerque lies at the center of the New Mexico Technology Corridor, a concentration of high-tech private companies and government institutions along the Rio Grande. Larger institutions whose employees contribute to the population are numerous and include Sandia National Laboratories
, Kirtland Air Force Base
, and the attendant contracting companies which bring highly educated workers to a somewhat isolated region. Intel operates a large semiconductor factory or "fab" in suburban Rio Rancho
, in neighboring Sandoval County
, with its attendant large capital investment. Northrop Grumman
is located along I-25 in northeast Albuquerque, and TempurPedic is located on the West Mesa next to I-40.
The solar energy
and architectural-design innovator Steve Baer
located his company, Zomeworks, to the region in the late 1960s; and Los Alamos National Laboratory
, Sandia
, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
cooperate here in an enterprise that began with the Manhattan Project
. In January 2007, Tempur-Pedic opened an 800000 square feet (74,322.4 m²) mattress factory in northwest Albuquerque. SCHOTT Solar, Inc., announced in January 2008 they will open a 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) facility manufacturing receivers for concentrated solar thermal power plants (CSP) and 64MW of photovoltaic (PV) modules.
Forbes Magazine rated Albuquerque the best city in America for business and careers in 2006 and the 13th best (out of 200 metro areas) in 2008.
, Museum of Natural History and Science, and Old Town Albuquerque
. The majority of locally owned boutiques and fine dining establishments are scattered throughout Downtown, Old Town, and Uptown. Old Town features ghost tours performed by the Southwest Ghosthunters Association.
The Sandia and Manzano Mountains to the east offer trails, open spaces, and rock climbing. Climbs from one to ten pitches can be found at all ability levels. The Sandia Peak Tramway
, located adjacent to Albuquerque is the world's second-longest passenger aerial tramway. It also has the world's third-longest single span. It stretches from the Northeast edge of the city to the crestline of the Sandia Mountains
. Elevation at the top of the tramway is roughly 10300 ft (3,139.4 m).
above sea level.
The Albuquerque Isotopes
are a minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers
, having derived their name from The Simpsons
episode "Hungry Hungry Homer", which involves the Springfield Isotopes baseball team considering relocating to Albuquerque. Prior to 2002, the Albuquerque Dukes
served as the city's minor league team, having played at the Albuquerque Sports Stadium
. The stadium was torn down to make room for the current Isotopes Park
.
The city was ranked #1 as the fittest city in the United States, according to a March 2007 issue of Men's Fitness magazine. The critera used in the study included the availability of gyms and bike paths, commute times, and federal health statistics on obesity-related injuries and illnesses.
Albuquerque is a charter city
. City government is divided into an executive branch, headed by a Mayor
and a nine-member Council
that holds the legislative authority. The form of city government is therefore mayor-council government
. The mayor is Richard J. Berry, a former state legislator, who was elected in 2009.
The Mayor holds a full-time paid elected position with a four-year term.
The Council members hold part-time paid positions and are elected from the nine Council districts for four-year terms, with four or five Councilors elected every two years. Elections for Mayor and Councilor are nonpartisan
. Each year in December one of the Council members is elected by the members of the Council to be the Council President, and one is elected to be the Vice-President. On December 1, 2008, Isaac Benton was elected President of the Council for the next year and Sally Mayer was elected Vice-President.
The Council is the legislative authority of the city, and has the power to adopt all ordinances, resolutions, or other legislation.
The Council meets two times a month, with meetings held in the Vincent E. Griego Council Chambers in the basement level of Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Center.
Ordinances and resolutions passed by the Council are presented to the Mayor for his approval. If the Mayor veto
es an item, the Council can override the veto with a vote of two-thirds of the membership of the Council.
Each year, the Mayor submits a city budget
proposal for the year to the Council by April 1, and the Council acts on the proposal within the next 60 days.
, the largest public flagship university in the state. UNM includes a School of Medicine which was ranked in the top 50 primary care-oriented medical schools in the country. Albuquerque is also home to the National American University
, Trinity Southwest University
, and the University of St. Francis College of Nursing and Allied Health Department of Physician Assistant Studies. The Central New Mexico Community College
serves most of the area, as do several technical schools including ITT Technical Institute
and the University of Phoenix
. Furthermore, The Art Center Design College
offers bachelor's degrees in Graphic and Interior Design, animation, illustration, Photography as well as several other disciplines. Albuquerque is also home to the Ayurvedic Institute
, one of the first Ayurveda
colleges specializing in Ayurvedic medicine outside of India.
Albuquerque Public Schools
, one of the largest school districts in the nation, provides educational services to over 87,000 children across the city.
, and several smaller daily and weekly papers, including the alternative Weekly Alibi
. Albuquerque is also home to numerous radio and television stations that serve the metropolitan and outlying rural areas.
The interchange
between I-40 and I-25 is known as the "Big I
". Originally built in 1966, it was rebuilt in 2002.
There are six road bridges that cross the Rio Grande
and serve the municipality on at least one end if not both. The eastern approaches of the northernmost three all pass through adjacent unincorporated areas, the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque
, or the North Valley
. In downstream order they are:
Two more bridges serve urbanized areas contiguous to the city's perforated southern boundary.
The state owns most of the city's rail infrastructure which is used by a commuter rail system, long distance passenger trains, and the freight trains of the BNSF Railway
.
Amtrak
's Southwest Chief
, which travels between Chicago
and Los Angeles
, serves the Albuquerque area daily with one stop in each direction at the Alvarado Transportation Center
in downtown.
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express
, a commuter rail line, began service between Sandoval County and Albuquerque in July 2006 using an existing BNSF
right-of-way which was purchased by New Mexico in 2005. Service expanded to Valencia County in December 2006 and to Santa Fe
on December 17, 2008. Rail Runner now connects Santa Fe, Sandoval, Bernalillo, and Valencia Counties with twelve station stops, including three stops within Albuquerque.
The trains connect Albuquerque to downtown Santa Fe with eight roundtrips per weekday. The section of the line running south to Belen
is served less frequently.
ABQ RIDE is the local transit agency in the city. ABQ RIDE operates a variety of bus routes, including the Rapid Ride
express bus service.
In 2006 the City of Albuquerque under the mayorship of Martin Chavez
had planned and attempted to "fast track" the development of a "Modern Streetcar" project. Funding for the US$270 million system was not resolved as many citizens vocally opposed the project. The city and its transit department maintain a policy commitment to the streetcar project. The project would run mostly in the southeast quadrant on Central Avenue and Yale Boulevard.
As of 2011, the city is working on a study to develop a BRT
(bus rapid transit) system through the Central Ave. corridor. This corridor currently carries 44% of all bus riders in the ABQ Ride system, making it a natural starting point for enhanced service.
Albuquerque was one of two cities in New Mexico to have had electric street railways. Albuquerque's horse
-drawn streetcar lines were electrified during the first few years of the 20th century. The Albuquerque Traction Company assumed operation of the system in 1905. The system grew to its maximum length of 6 miles (9.7 km) during the next ten years by connecting destinations such as Old Town
to the west and the University of New Mexico
to the east with the town's urban center near the former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway depot. The Albuquerque Traction Company failed financially in 1915 and the vaguely named City Electric Company was formed. Despite traffic booms during the first world war, and unaided by lawsuits attempting to force the streetcar company to pay for paving, that system also failed later in 1927, leaving the streetcar's "motorettes" unemployed.
network. In and around the City there are trails, bike routes, and paths that provide the residents and visitors with alternatives to motorized travel. The city was recently reviewed as having a major up and coming bike scene in North America. The City of Albuquerque also recently opened its first Bicycle Boulevard on Silver Avenue. There are plans for more investment in bikes and bike transit by the city in the coming years.
Albuquerque is served by two airports, the larger of which is Albuquerque International Sunport
. It is located 3 miles (5 km) southeast of the central business district
of Albuquerque. The Albuquerque International Sunport served over 6,000,000 passengers in 2008. Double Eagle II Airport
is the other airport. It is primarily used as an air ambulance
, corporate flight, military flight, training flight, charter flight, and private flight facility.
, New Mexico's largest electricity provider, is based in Albuquerque. They serve about 487,000 electricity customers statewide.
New Mexico Gas Company provides natural gas services to more than 500,000 customers in the state, including the Albuquerque metro area.
and the treatment of wastewater
.
is the only level I trauma center in the state.
:
and Brothers and television shows including Breaking Bad
and In Plain Sight
. Songs about Albuquerque have been recorded by Neil Young
, The Partridge Family
and Atmosphere
.
The humorous song "Albuquerque
" by Weird Al Yankovic tells the epic tale of a man moving to the city, and his many absurd misadventures while living there. Albuquerque is also mentioned in the songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix
" by Glen Campbell
, "Everywhere
" by country music singer Tim McGraw
, "Bring Em Out" by rapper T.I and "The King of Rock 'n' Roll
" by the British alternative rock band Prefab Sprout
.
Many Bugs Bunny
cartoon
shorts have featured Bugs traveling around the world by burrowing underground. He often gets lost while traveling and remarks, while consulting a map, "I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque!"
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*69.4% White*3.0% Black*4.8% Native American*2.3% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.4% Two or more races*16.0% Other races*47.9% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As of June 2007, the city was the sixth fastest-growing in America. It has a metropolitan population of 907,775 as of 2011.
Albuquerque is the 57th-largest United States metropolitan area
United States metropolitan area
In the United States a metropolitan statistical area is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are not legally incorporated as a city or town would be, nor are they legal administrative divisions like...
. The Albuquerque MSA
Albuquerque metropolitan area
The Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in central New Mexico centered on the city of Albuquerque that covers four counties - Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 729,649...
population includes the city of Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
There were 18,995 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had...
.
Albuquerque is home to the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
(UNM), Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
, Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories
The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute
LRRI is a private, not-for-profit biomedical research organization dedicated to improving public health through research on the prevention, treatment, and cure of respiratory disease. LRRI employs over 500 staff in New Mexico and in 2008 is spending more than $60 million in the fight against...
, and Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument stretches along Albuquerque, New Mexico's West Mesa, a volcanic basalt escarpment that dominates the city’s western horizon. Authorized June 27, 1990, the 7,236 acre monument is cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and the City of Albuquerque...
. The Sandia Mountains
Sandia Mountains
The Sandia Mountains name posu gai hoo-oo, "where water slides down arroyo") are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the east of the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The range is largely within the Cibola National...
run along the eastern side of Albuquerque, and the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
flows through the city, north to south.
Etymology
It is generally believed that the growing village that was to become Albuquerque was named by the provincial governor Don Francisco Cuervo y Valdes in honor of Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva y Enríquez de CabreraFrancisco Fernández de la Cueva, 8th Duke of Alburquerque
Francisco Fernández de la Cueva y Enriquez de Cabrera , 8th Duke of Alburquerque, Marquis of Cuéllar, Count of Ledesma and of Huelma was a Spanish military officer and viceroy of New Spain from August 15, 1653 to September 15, 1660...
, viceroy of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
from 1653 to 1660. One of de la Cueva's aristocratic titles was Duke of Alburquerque, referring to the Spanish town of Alburquerque
Alburquerque, Badajoz
Alburquerque is a town in the province of Badajoz in Spain. It has 5,600 inhabitants. It is very close to the border with Portugal and was an ancient dominion of the kings of this country...
.
The Alburquerque family name dates from pre-12th century Iberia (Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
) and is habitational in nature (de Alburquerque = from Alburquerque). The Spanish village of Alburquerque
Alburquerque, Badajoz
Alburquerque is a town in the province of Badajoz in Spain. It has 5,600 inhabitants. It is very close to the border with Portugal and was an ancient dominion of the kings of this country...
is within the Badajoz
Badajoz (province)
The province of Badajoz is a province of western Spain located in the autonomous community of Extremadura. It was formed in 1833. It is bordered by the provinces of Cáceres, Toledo, Ciudad Real, Córdoba, Seville, and Huelva, and by Portugal....
province of Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
region, and located just fifteen miles (24 km) from the Portuguese border. Cork trees dominate the landscape and Alburquerque is a center of the Spanish cork industry. Over the years, this region has been alternately under both Spanish and Portuguese rule. The name of the New Mexico city of Albuquerque follows the Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
spelling with only one 'r' rather than the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
one. Historically, the land around Alburquerque was invaded and settled by the Moors (711 AD) and the Romans (218 BC) before them. Thus, the word Alburquerque may be rooted in the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
(Moorish) 'Abu al-Qurq', which means "father of the cork oak", or "land of the cork oak" (the land as father – fatherland). Alternatively, it may be Latin (Roman) in origin and from 'alba quercus' or "white oak" (the wood of the cork oak is white after the bark has been removed). The seal of the Spanish village of Alburquerque is a white oak tree, framed by a shield, topped by a crown.
Western folklore offers a different explanation, tracing the name Alburquerque to the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
'Al-Barquq', meaning "the plum", and the derivative Galician
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
(Galicia = northwest Spanish Province) word 'albaricoque', the "apricot". The apricot was brought to New Mexico by Spanish settlers, possibly as early as 1743. As the story goes, the settlement of La Ciudad de Albaricoque was established near an apricot tree. As frontiersmen were unable to correctly pronounce the Spanish (Galician) word, they pronounced it as "Albuquerque."
Early settlers
Albuquerque was founded in 1706 as the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
colonial outpost of Ranchos de Alburquerque, 18 families had resided in the area. Present-day Albuquerque retains much of its historical Spanish cultural heritage.
Albuquerque was a farming community and strategically located military outpost along the Camino Real. The town was also the sheep-herding center of the West. Spain established a presidio (military garrison) in Albuquerque in 1706. After 1821, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
also had a military garrison there. The town of Alburquerque was built in the traditional Spanish village pattern: a central plaza surrounded by government buildings, homes, and a church. This central plaza area has been preserved and is open to the public as a museum, cultural area, and center of commerce. It is referred to as "Old Town Albuquerque
Old Town Albuquerque
Old Town is a historic district in Albuquerque, New Mexico, dating back to the founding of the city by the Spanish in 1706. Today it is a popular shopping and tourist destination. Old Town comprises about ten blocks of historic adobe buildings grouped around a central plaza...
" or simply "Old Town." "Old Town" was sometimes referred to as "La Placita" ("little plaza" in Spanish).
After the American occupation of New Mexico, Albuquerque had a federal garrison and quartermaster depot, the Post of Albuquerque, from 1846 to 1867. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Albuquerque was occupied in February 1862 by Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
troops under General Henry Hopkins Sibley
Henry Hopkins Sibley
Henry Hopkins Sibley was a brigadier general during the American Civil War, leading the Confederate States Army in the New Mexico Territory. His attempt to gain control of trails to California was defeated at the Battle of Glorieta Pass...
, who soon afterward advanced with his main body into northern New Mexico. During his retreat from Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
troops into Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
he made a stand on April 8, 1862, at Albuquerque and fought the Battle of Albuquerque
Battle of Albuquerque
The Battle of Albuquerque was a small engagement of the American Civil War in April 1862 between General Henry Hopkins Sibley's Army of New Mexico and a Union Army under Edward R. S. Canby.-Battle:...
against a detachment of Union soldiers commanded by Colonel Edward R. S. Canby
Edward Canby
Edward Richard Sprigg Canby was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War, Reconstruction era, and the Indian Wars...
. This daylong engagement at long range led to few casualties.
When the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
arrived in 1880, it bypassed the Plaza, locating the passenger depot and railyards about 2 miles (3 km) east in what quickly became known as New Albuquerque or New Town. Many Anglo merchants, mountain men, and settlers slowly filtered into Albuquerque creating a major mercantile commercial center which is now Downtown Albuquerque
Downtown Albuquerque
Downtown Albuquerque is the central business district of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is where a large number of the city's highrise buildings are located, as well as being the center of government and business for the region....
. Due to a rising rate of violent crime, gunman Milt Yarberry
Milton J. Yarberry
Milton J. Yarberry was an outlaw, gunman and lawman of the Old West, best known for having been the first Town Marshal for Albuquerque, New Mexico.-Early life:...
was appointed the town's first marshal that year. New Albuquerque was incorporated as a town in 1885, with Henry N. Jaffa its first mayor, and it was incorporated as a city in 1891. Old Town remained a separate community until the 1920s when it was absorbed by the city of Albuquerque. Old Albuquerque High School
Old Albuquerque High School
Old Albuquerque High School is a former school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is protected by the city as a historic landmark. It is located on the northeast corner of Central and Broadway NE, at the center of an area that has become known as East Downtown or EDo. The campus comprises five...
, the city's first public high school, was established in 1879.
Early 20th century
New Albuquerque quickly became a tidy southwestern town. By 1900, it boasted a population of 8,000 inhabitants and all the modern amenities, including an electric street railway connecting Old Town, New Town, and the recently established University of New MexicoUniversity of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
campus on the East Mesa. In 1902, the famous Alvarado Hotel was built adjacent to the new passenger depot, and it remained a symbol of the city until it was razed in 1970 to make room for a parking lot. In 2002, the Alvarado Transportation Center
Alvarado Transportation Center
The Alvarado Transportation Center is a multimodal transit hub located at 100 1st Street SW in Downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.The complex was built as a hub for Albuquerque's regional transit system and as a replacement for Albuquerque's previous bus depot and train station...
was built on the site in a manner resembling the old landmark. The large metro station functions as the downtown headquarters for the city's transit department. It also serves as an intermodal hub for local buses, Greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
buses, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
passenger trains, and the Rail Runner
New Mexico Rail Runner Express
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a commuter rail system serving the metropolitan areas of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is administered by the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the Mid Region Council of Governments , a regional government planning association, while...
commuter rail line.
New Mexico's dry climate brought many tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
patients to the city in search of a cure during the early 20th century, and several sanitaria sprang up on the West Mesa
West Mesa
right|300px|thumb|View of downtown Albuquerque and the Manzano Mountains from the West MesaThe West Mesa is an elevated landmass lying west of the Rio Grande River stretching from south of Albuquerque northward to Bernalillo in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The eastern edge of the West Mesa is...
to serve them. Presbyterian Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital, two of the largest hospitals in the Southwest, had their beginnings during this period. Influential New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
-era governor Clyde Tingley
Clyde Tingley
Clyde K. Tingley was a U.S. politician who served as the 11th Governor of the State of New Mexico. He was a children's healthcare advocate.-Biography:...
and famed Southwestern architect John Gaw Meem
John Gaw Meem
John Gaw Meem IV was an American architect based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is best known for his instrumental role in the development and popularization of the Pueblo Revival style...
were among those brought to New Mexico by tuberculosis.
Decades of growth
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
appeared in Albuquerque in 1926, and before long, dozens of motels, restaurants, and gift shops had sprung up along the roadside to serve them. Route 66 originally ran through the city on a north-south alignment along Fourth Street, but in 1937 it was realigned along Central Avenue
Central Avenue (Albuquerque)
Central Avenue is a major east-west street in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which historically served as the city's main thoroughfare and principal axis of development. It runs through many of Albuquerque's oldest neighborhoods, including Downtown, Old Town, Nob Hill, and the University of New Mexico...
, a more direct east-west route. The intersection of Fourth and Central downtown was the principal crossroads of the city for decades. The majority of the surviving structures from the Route 66 era are on Central, though there are also some on Fourth. Signs between Bernalillo
Bernalillo, New Mexico
Bernalillo is a town in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 6,611. It is the county seat of Sandoval County.Bernalillo is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and Los Lunas
Los Lunas, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.1% White*2.0% Black*2.5% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*18.3% Other races*57.9% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
along the old route now have brown, historical highway markers denoting it as Pre-1937 Route 66.
The establishment of Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
in 1939, Sandia Base
Sandia Base
Sandia Base was, from 1946 to 1971, the principal nuclear weapons installation of the United States Department of Defense. It was located on the southeastern edge of Albuquerque, New Mexico...
in the early 1940s, and Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories
The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
in 1949, would make Albuquerque a key player of the Atomic Age. Meanwhile, the city continued to expand outward onto the West Mesa, reaching a population of 201,189 by 1960. In 1990, it was 384,736 and in 2007 it was 518,271. In June 2007, Albuquerque was listed as the sixth fastest-growing city in America by CNN and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Albuquerque's downtown entered the same phase and development (decline, "urban renewal" with continued decline, and gentrification) as nearly every city across the United States. As Albuquerque spread outward, the downtown area fell into a decline. Many historic buildings were razed in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for new plazas, high-rises, and parking lots as part of the city's urban renewal phase. As of 2010, only recently has downtown come to regain much of its urban character, mainly through the construction of many new loft apartment buildings and the renovation of historic structures such as the KiMo Theater
KiMo Theater
The KiMo Theatre is a theatre located at 423 Central Avenue NW in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico and it is probably the city's best-known landmark...
, in the gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
phase.
New millennium
During 2005 and 2006, the city celebrated its tricentennial with a diverse program of cultural events.
Urban trends and issues
Alvarado Station provides convenient access to other parts of the city via the city bus system, ABQ RIDE. And the city plans to provide better public transportation opportunities to ease the city's growing traffic woes. A streetcar system is being considered, as of 2009. It would initially extend up the Central Avenue corridor from the West Side, through downtown, past UNM and the Nob Hill district, and into the Uptown Area.The passage of the Planned Growth Strategy in 2002–2004 was the community's strongest effort to create a framework for a more balanced and sustainable approach to urban growth.
A critical finding of the study is that many of the 'disconnects' between the public's preferences and what actually is taking place are caused by weak or non-existent implementation tools -- rather than by inadequate policies, as contained in the City/County Comprehensive Plan and other already adopted legislation.
Urban sprawl is limited on three sides—by the Pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
of Sandia to the north, the Pueblo of Isleta and Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
to the south, and the Sandia Mountains
Sandia Mountains
The Sandia Mountains name posu gai hoo-oo, "where water slides down arroyo") are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the east of the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The range is largely within the Cibola National...
to the east. Suburban growth continues at a strong pace to the west, beyond Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument stretches along Albuquerque, New Mexico's West Mesa, a volcanic basalt escarpment that dominates the city’s western horizon. Authorized June 27, 1990, the 7,236 acre monument is cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and the City of Albuquerque...
, once thought to be a natural boundary to sprawl development.
Because of less-costly land and lower taxes, much of the growth in the metropolitan area is taking place outside of the city of Albuquerque itself. In Rio Rancho to the northwest, the communities east of the mountains, and the incorporated parts of Valencia County, population growth rates approach twice that of Albuquerque. The primary cities in Valencia County are Los Lunas
Los Lunas, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.1% White*2.0% Black*2.5% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*18.3% Other races*57.9% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
and Belen
Belen, New Mexico
Belen is a city in Valencia County, New Mexico, United States. Belen is Spanish for Bethlehem, and over time has gained the nickname "Hub City" because of the Belen Cutoff of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The Cutoff made it possible for many more trains to travel east and west across...
, both of which are home to growing industrial complexes and new residential subdivisions. The mountain towns of Tijeras
Tijeras, New Mexico
Tijeras is a village in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 474 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Edgewood
Edgewood, New Mexico
Edgewood is a town in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,375 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
, and Moriarty
Moriarty, New Mexico
Moriarty is a city in Torrance County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,910 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Moriarty is located at ....
, while close enough to Albuquerque to be considered suburbs, have experienced much less growth compared to Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Los Lunas, and Belen. Limited water supply and rugged terrain are the main limiting factors for development in these towns. The Mid Region Council of Governments (MRCOG), which includes constituents from throughout the Albuquerque area, was formed to ensure that these governments along the middle Rio Grande would be able to meet the needs of their rapidly rising populations. MRCOG's cornerstone project is the New Mexico Rail Runner Express
New Mexico Rail Runner Express
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a commuter rail system serving the metropolitan areas of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is administered by the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the Mid Region Council of Governments , a regional government planning association, while...
.
Geography
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, Albuquerque has a total area of 181.3 square miles (469.6 km²). 180.6 square miles (467.8 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (0.35%) is water.
Albuquerque lies within the northern, upper edges of the Chihuahuan Desert
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert, and an ecoregion designation, that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border in the central and northern portions of the Mexican Plateau, bordered on the west by the extensive Sierra Madre Occidental range, and overlaying northern portions of the east range, the Sierra...
ecoregion, based on long-term patterns of climate, associations of plants and wildlife, and landforms, including drainage patterns. Located in central New Mexico, the city also has noticeable influences from the adjacent Colorado Plateau
Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. The province covers an area of 337,000 km2 within western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico,...
Semi-Desert, Arizona-New Mexico Mountains, and Southwest Plateaus and Plains Steppe ecoregions, depending on where one is located. Its main geographic connection lies with southern New Mexico, while culturally, Albuquerque is a crossroads of most of New Mexico.
Albuquerque has one of the highest elevations of any major city in the United States, though the effects of this are greatly tempered by its southwesterly continental position. The elevation of the city ranges from 4,900 feet (1,490 m) above sea level near the Rio Grande (in the Valley) to over 6,700 feet (1,950 m) in the foothill areas of Sandia Heights and Glenwood Hills. At the airport, the elevation is 5,352 feet (1,631 m) above sea level.
The Rio Grande is classified, like the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
, as an 'exotic' river because it flows through a desert. The New Mexico portion of the Rio Grande lies within the Rio Grande Rift
Rio Grande Rift
The Rio Grande Rift is a north-trending continental rift zone. It separates the Colorado Plateau in the west from the interior of the North American craton on the east. The rift extends from central Colorado in the north to the state of Chihuahua, Mexico in the south. The rift zone consists of four...
Valley, bordered by a system of faults, including those that lifted up the adjacent Sandia and Manzano Mountains
Manzano Mountains
The Manzano Mountains are a small mountain range in the central part of the US State of New Mexico. They are oriented north-south and are about 40 miles long. The center of the range lies about 25 miles southeast of Albuquerque, and the northern foothills are just a few miles east of the edge of...
, while lowering the area where the life-sustaining Rio Grande now flows.
Albuquerque is located at 35°6′39"N 106°36′36"W (35.110703, -106.609991).
Climate
Albuquerque's climate is classified as arid (BWk or BWh, depending on the particular scheme of the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
system one uses), meaning average annual precipitation is less than half of evaporation, and no month averages below freezing.
Albuquerque's climate is usually sunny and dry, with low relative humidity, with an average of 3,420 sunshine hours per year. Brilliant sunshine defines the region, averaging more than 300 days a year; periods of variably mid and high-level cloudiness temper the sun at other times. Extended cloudiness is rare. The heat and cold are mild compared to the extremes that occur more commonly in other parts of the country.
Winters are rather brief but definite; daytime highs range from the upper 40s to upper 50s Fahrenheit, while the overnight lows drop into the mid 30s to near 45 by sunrise; nights are often colder in the uppermost foothills by several degrees. The occasional snowfall, associated with low pressure areas, fronts and troughs, often melts by the mid-afternoon; over half of the scant winter moisture occurs in the form of light rain showers, usually brief in duration. In the much higher areas of the Sandia Mountains, moisture falls as snow; many years have enough snow to create decent skiing conditions at the local ski area.
Spring time starts off windy and warm. Spring is usually the driest part of the year in Albuquerque. March and April tend to see many days with the wind blowing at 20 mi/h, and afternoon gusts can produce periods of blowing sand and dust. In May, the winds tend to subside, as temperatures start to feel like summer.
Summer daytime highs range from the upper 90s to the 100's, while dropping into the mid 80s to high 70s overnight; the valley and uppermost foothills are often several degrees cooler than that. The heat is quite tolerable because of low humidity, except during the late summer during increased humidity from surges in the monsoonal pattern; at that time, daytime highs drop slightly but the extra moisture in the air can cause nighttime temperatures to increase.
Fall sees mild days and nights with less rain, though the weather can be more unsettled closer to winter.
The city was one of several in the region experiencing a severe winter storm on December 28–30, 2006, with locations in Albuquerque receiving between 10.5 and 26 in (26.7 and 66 cm) of snow.
Only the wettest areas of the Sandia foothills are barely semi-arid
Semi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
, where precipitation is more than half of, but still less than, evaporation; such areas are localized and usually lie above 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) in elevation and often in arroyo drainages, signified by a slightly denser, taller growth of evergreen oak–juniper–pinon chaparral and rarely, woodland, often mixed with taller desert grasses. These elevated foothill areas still border arid areas, best described as desert grassland or desert shrub, on their west sides.
Traveling to the west, north and east of Albuquerque, one quickly rises in elevation and leaves the sheltering effect of the valley to enter a noticeably cooler and slightly wetter environment. One such area is still considered part of metro Albuquerque, commonly called the "East Mountain" area; it is covered in savannas or woodlands of low juniper and pinon trees, reminiscent of the lower parts of the southern Rocky Mountains, which do not actually contact Albuquerque proper.
Those mountains and highlands beyond the city create a "rain shadow" effect, due to the drying of descending air movements; the city usually receives very little rain or snow, averaging 8–9 inches (216 mm) of precipitation per year. Valley and west mesa areas, farther from the mountains are drier, averaging 6–8 inches of annual precipitation; the Sandia foothills tend to lift any available moisture, enhancing precipitation to about 10–17 inches annually. Most precipitation occurs during the summer monsoon season (also called a chubasco
Chubasco
A chubasco is a violent squall with thunder and lightning, encountered during the rainy season along the Pacific coast of Mexico, Central America, South America and the American Southwest. It is also widely used when rain is accompanied by strong winds in other Spanish-speaking countries.The word...
in Mexico), typically starting in early July and ending in mid-September.
Geology
The Sandia MountainsSandia Mountains
The Sandia Mountains name posu gai hoo-oo, "where water slides down arroyo") are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the east of the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The range is largely within the Cibola National...
are the predominant geographic feature visible in Albuquerque. "Sandía" is Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
", and is popularly believed to be a reference to the brilliant coloration of the mountains at sunset: bright pink (melon meat) and green (melon rind). The pink is due to large exposures of granodiorite
Granodiorite
Granodiorite is an intrusive igneous rock similar to granite, but containing more plagioclase than orthoclase-type feldspar. Officially, it is defined as a phaneritic igneous rock with greater than 20% quartz by volume where at least 65% of the feldspar is plagioclase. It usually contains abundant...
cliffs, and the green is due to large swaths of conifer forests. However, Robert Julyan notes in The Place Names of New Mexico, "the most likely explanation is the one believed by the Sandia Pueblo
Sandia Pueblo
Sandia Pueblo is a tribe of Native American Pueblo people inhabiting a 101.114 km² reservation of the same name in the eastern Rio Grande Valley of central New Mexico, located three miles south of Bernalillo off Highway 85 in southern Sandoval County and northern Bernalillo County, at...
Indians: the Spaniards, when they encountered the Pueblo in 1540, called it Sandia, because they thought the squash growing there were watermelons, and the name Sandia soon was transferred to the mountains east of the pueblo." He also notes that the Sandia Pueblo Indians call the mountain Bien Mur, "big mountain."
Caliche (Mineral)
Caliche is a sedimentary rock, a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate cements together other materials, including gravel, sand, clay, and silt. It is found in aridisol and mollisol soil orders...
(a calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
clay common in the arid southwestern USA), along with some exposed granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
bedrock.
Below the foothills, the area usually called the "Heights" consists of a mix of clay and caliche
Caliche (Mineral)
Caliche is a sedimentary rock, a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate cements together other materials, including gravel, sand, clay, and silt. It is found in aridisol and mollisol soil orders...
soils, overlain by a layer of decomposed granite, resulting from long-term outwash of that material from the adjacent mountains. This bajada is quite noticeable when driving into Albuquerque from the north or south, due to its fairly uniform slope from the mountains' edge downhill to the valley. Sand hills are scattered along the I-25 corridor and directly above the Rio Grande Valley, forming the lower end of the Heights.
The Rio Grande Valley, due to long-term shifting of the actual river channel, contains layers and areas of soils varying between caliche
Caliche (Mineral)
Caliche is a sedimentary rock, a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate cements together other materials, including gravel, sand, clay, and silt. It is found in aridisol and mollisol soil orders...
, clay, loam, and even some sand. It is the only part of Albuquerque where the water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
often lies close to the surface, sometimes less than 10 feet (3 m).
The last significant area of Albuquerque geologically is the West Mesa
West Mesa
right|300px|thumb|View of downtown Albuquerque and the Manzano Mountains from the West MesaThe West Mesa is an elevated landmass lying west of the Rio Grande River stretching from south of Albuquerque northward to Bernalillo in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The eastern edge of the West Mesa is...
: this is the elevated land west of the Rio Grande, including the sandy terrace immediately west and above the river, and the rather sharply defined volcanic escarpment above and west of most of the developed city. The west mesa commonly has soils often referred to as "blow sand", along with occasional clay and caliche and even basalt, nearing the escarpment.
Hydrology
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
presently comes from a delicate aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
that was once described as an "underground Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
". The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) has developed a water resources management strategy, which pursues conservation
Water conservation
Water conservation refers to reducing the usage of water and recycling of waste water for different purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural irrigation.- Water conservation :Water conservation can be defined as:...
and the direct extraction of water from the Rio Grande for the development of a stable underground aquifer in the future.
The aquifer of the Rio Puerco is too saline
Brackish water
Brackish water is water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in brackish fossil aquifers. The word comes from the Middle Dutch root "brak," meaning "salty"...
to be cost-effectively used for drinking purposes.
Much of the rainwater that Albuquerque receives does not recharge its aquifer. It is diverted through a network of paved channels and arroyo
Arroyo (creek)
An arroyo , a Spanish word translated as brook, and also called a wash is usually a dry creek or stream bed—gulch that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Wadi is a similar term in Africa. In Spain, a rambla has a similar meaning to arroyo.-Types and processes:Arroyos...
s, and emptied into the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
.
Of the 62780 acre.ft per year of the water in the upper Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
basin entitled to municipalities in New Mexico by the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact
Colorado River Compact
The Colorado River Compact is a 1922 agreement among seven U.S. states in the basin of the Colorado River in the American Southwest governing the allocation of the water rights to the river's water among the parties of the interstate compact...
, Albuquerque owns 48,200. The water is delivered to the Rio Grande by the San Juan–Chama Project. The project's construction was initiated by legislation enacted by President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
in 1962, and completed in 1971. This diversion project transports water under the continental divide
Continental divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not connected to the open sea...
from Navajo Lake
Navajo Lake
Navajo Lake is a reservoir located in San Juan County and Rio Arriba County in northwestern New Mexico, in the southwestern United States. Portions of the reservoir extend into Archuleta County in southern Colorado...
to Lake Heron on the Rio Chama, a tributary of the Rio Grande. Presently, this water is resold to downstream owners in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. These arrangements will end in 2008 with the completion of the ABCWUA's Drinking Water Supply Project.
This project will, using a system of adjustable height dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s, skim water from the Rio Grande into sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
s which will lead to water treatment
Water treatment
Water treatment describes those processes used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use. These can include use as drinking water, industrial processes, medical and many other uses. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing contaminants in the water, or reduce the...
facilities for direct conversion to potable water
Water purification
Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants from contaminated water. The goal is to produce water fit for a specific purpose...
. Some water will be allowed to flow through central Albuquerque, mostly to protect the endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow
Rio Grande Silvery Minnow
The Rio Grande Silvery Minnow is a small herbivorous North American fish. It is one of the seven North American members of the genus Hybognathus....
. Treated
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
effluent water will be recycled into the Rio Grande to the South of the city. The ABCWUA expects river water to comprise up to seventy percent of its water budget in 2060. Groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
will still be used. One of the policies of the ABCWUA's strategy is the acquisition of additional river water.
Cityscape
Tallest buildings
| Rank | Building | Height | Floors | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bank of Albuquerque Tower | 351 feet (107 m) | 22 | 1990 | |
| 2 | Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Hyatt Regency Albuquerque is a 20-story highrise hotel located at 330 Tijeras Avenue NW in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. The building is tall, making it Albuquerque's second tallest building and tallest hotel... |
256 feet (78 m) | 21 | 1990 | |
| 3 | Compass Bank Tower | 240 feet (73 m) | 18 | 1968 | |
| 4 | Bank of the West Tower, West | 235 feet (72 m) | 15 | 1986 | |
| 5 | Bank of the West Tower, East | 213 feet (65 m) | 17 | 1963 | |
| 6 | Gold Building Gold Building The Gold Building is a 14-story office building located at 320 Gold Avenue SW in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. When the building was completed in 1968 it was one of the tallest in the city at 62 m . It now ranks sixth.The building is rectangular in plan and sits on a larger one-story base... |
203 feet (62 m) | 14 | 1967 | |
| 7 | Dennis Chavez Federal Building Dennis Chavez Federal Building The Dennis Chavez Federal Building, named for a long time former United States Senator, is a highrise building located at 500 Gold Avenue SW in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. The building was built in 1972 to concentrate various federal agencies, including the post office and federal courthouse,... |
197 feet (60 m) | 13 | 1972 | |
| 8 | PNM Resources Tower PNM Building The PNM Building is a 12-story office tower located at 414 Silver Avenue SW in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is 56 m tall, making it the eighth tallest building in the city... |
184 feet (56 m) | 12 | 1974 | |
| 9 | Simms Building Simms Building The Simms Building in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico was the city's first modern, International Style skyscraper. It was built in 1954, making it a contemporary of the similar Lever House in New York City. The building is located at 400 Gold Avenue SW, which was originally the location of the old... |
180 feet (55 m) | 13 | 1954 | |
| 10 | Pete V. Domenici U.S. Courthouse Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse The Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse is a federal courthouse located at 333 Lomas Boulevard NW in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. The building was completed in 1998 and named in honor of Senator Pete Domenici at a ceremony in 2004... |
176 feet (54 m) | 7 | 1997 |
Architecture
John Gaw MeemJohn Gaw Meem
John Gaw Meem IV was an American architect based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is best known for his instrumental role in the development and popularization of the Pueblo Revival style...
, credited with developing and popularizing the Pueblo Revival style, was based in Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
but received an important Albuquerque commission in 1933 as the architect of the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
. He retained this commission for the next quarter-century and developed the University's distinctive Southwest style.
Due to the nature of the soil in the Rio Grande Valley, the skyline is lower than might be expected in a city of comparable size elsewhere.
Albuquerque boasts a unique nighttime cityscape. Many building exteriors are illuminated in vibrant colors such as green and blue. The Wells Fargo Building is illuminated green. The DoubleTree Hotel and the Compass Bank building are illuminated blue. The rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
of the county courthouse is illuminated yellow, while the tops of the Bank of Albuquerque and the Bank of the West are illuminated reddish-yellow.
Albuquerque has expanded greatly in area since the mid 1940s. During those years of expansion, the planning of the newer areas has considered that people drive rather than walk. The pre-1940s parts of Albuquerque are quite different in style and scale from the post 1940s areas. These older areas include the North Valley, the South Valley, various neighborhoods near downtown, and Corrales. The newer areas generally feature four to six lane roads in a 1 mile (1.61 km) grid. Each 1 square mile (2.59 km²) is divided into four 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) neighborhoods by smaller roads set 0.5 miles (0.8 km) between major roads. When driving along major roads in the newer sections of Albuquerque, one sees strip malls, signs, and cinderblock walls. The upside of this planning style is that neighborhoods are shielded from the worst of the noise and lights on the major roads. The downside is that it is virtually impossible to go anywhere from home without driving.
Quadrants
Albuquerque is geographically divided into four quadrants which are officially part of the mailing address. They are NE (northeast), NW (northwest), SE (southeast), and SW (southwest). The north-south dividing line is Central Avenue (the path that Route 66U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
took through the city) and the east-west dividing line is the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
tracks.
Northeast Quadrant
This quadrant has been experiencing a housing expansion since the late 1950s. It abuts the base of the Sandia Mountains and contains portions of the foothills neighborhoods, which are significantly higher, in elevation and price range, than the rest of the city. Running from Central Avenue and the railroad tracks to the Sandia Peak Aerial Tram
Sandia Peak Tramway
The Sandia Peak Tramway is located adjacent to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It stretches from the northeast edge of the city to the crestline of the Sandia Mountains and has the world's third longest single span.-History:...
, this is the largest quadrant both geographically and by population. The University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology is an anthropology museum located on the University of New Mexico campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The museum was founded in 1932 as the Museum of Anthropology of the University of New Mexico, becoming the first public museum in Albuquerque...
, the Uptown area which includes two shopping malls (Coronado Center
Coronado Center
Coronado Center is a 2 level super-regional enclosed shopping mall owned by General Growth Properties located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Coronado is one of 3 malls located in the Albuquerque area.-Background:...
and ABQ Uptown), Journal Center, Balloon Fiesta Park, and Albuquerque Academy
Albuquerque Academy
Albuquerque Academy is an independent co-educational day school for grades six through twelve located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest and the New Mexico State Department of Education. Albuquerque Academy is also a member of...
are all located in this quadrant.
Some of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city are located here, including Tanoan, High Desert
High Desert, Albuquerque, New Mexico
High Desert is a master-planned community built by High Desert Investment Corporation in the Far Northeast Heights of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The boundaries of the High Desert neighborhood are Tramway Blvd...
, Sandia Heights, and North Albuquerque Acres. (Parts of Sandia Heights and North Albuquerque Acres are outside the city limits proper.) A few houses in the farthest reach of this quadrant lie in the Cibola National Forest
Cibola National Forest
The Cibola National Forest is a United States National Forest in western and central New Mexico, USA. The forest also manages four National Grasslands that stretch from northeastern New Mexico eastward into the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma. It is administered by the United States Forest...
, just over the line into Sandoval County
Sandoval County, New Mexico
-Indian reservations:Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of any county in the United States -Indian reservations:Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of...
.
Northwest Quadrant
This quadrant contains historic Old Town Albuquerque
Old Town Albuquerque
Old Town is a historic district in Albuquerque, New Mexico, dating back to the founding of the city by the Spanish in 1706. Today it is a popular shopping and tourist destination. Old Town comprises about ten blocks of historic adobe buildings grouped around a central plaza...
, which dates back to the 18th century, as well as the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, located in Albuquerque, is owned and operated by the 19 Indian Pueblos of New Mexico and dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of Pueblo Indian Culture, History and Art...
. The area has a mixture of commercial districts and low- to middle-income neighborhoods. Northwest Albuquerque includes the largest section of downtown
Downtown Albuquerque
Downtown Albuquerque is the central business district of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is where a large number of the city's highrise buildings are located, as well as being the center of government and business for the region....
, Rio Grande Nature Center State Park
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park is a state park of New Mexico, USA, located on the Rio Grande in Albuquerque. A visitor center designed by architect Antoine Predock in 1982 contains exhibits on the area's riparian environment and a glass-walled library that overlooks a wildlife pond...
and the Bosque
Bosque
Bosque is the name for areas of gallery forest found along the riparian flood plains of stream and river banks in the southwestern United States...
("woodlands"), Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument stretches along Albuquerque, New Mexico's West Mesa, a volcanic basalt escarpment that dominates the city’s western horizon. Authorized June 27, 1990, the 7,236 acre monument is cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and the City of Albuquerque...
, Double Eagle II Airport
Double Eagle II Airport
Double Eagle II Airport is a public airport located seven miles northwest of the central business district of Albuquerque, a city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It is owned by the City of Albuquerque....
, Martineztown, the Paradise Hills neighborhood, and Cottonwood Mall
Cottonwood Mall (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Cottonwood Mall is a shopping mall located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. The mall is anchored by Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's , and Sears...
.
Additionally, the "North Valley" area, which has some expensive homes and small ranches along the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
, is located here. The city of Albuquerque engulfs the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, known locally simply as "Los Ranchos," is a village in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 6,024 at the 2010 Census. Part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area, Los Ranchos is located on the east side of the Rio Grande, adjacent to...
and borders Corrales
Corrales, New Mexico
Corrales is a village in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 8,329 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area. With proximity to the Rio Grande, the village was founded for agricultural purposes. The Rio Grande Bosque on the eastern...
in the North Valley. The rapidly developing area on the west side of the river is known as the "West Mesa
West Mesa
right|300px|thumb|View of downtown Albuquerque and the Manzano Mountains from the West MesaThe West Mesa is an elevated landmass lying west of the Rio Grande River stretching from south of Albuquerque northward to Bernalillo in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The eastern edge of the West Mesa is...
" or "Westside" and consists primarily of traditional residential subdivisions. The city proper is bordered on the north by the city of Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
There were 18,995 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had...
.
Southeast Quadrant
Sandia Science & Technology Park, Eclipse Aerospace
Eclipse Aerospace
Eclipse Aerospace is an American aircraft maintenance and upgrade company, with the expressed intention of becoming a future aircraft manufacturer if and when the Eclipse 500 is returned to production...
, Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
, Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories
The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
, Central New Mexico Community College
Central New Mexico Community College
Central New Mexico Community College , formerly Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute, is the community college for metropolitan Albuquerque, New Mexico....
, Albuquerque International Sunport
Albuquerque International Sunport
Albuquerque International Sunport is a public airport located 3 miles southeast of the central business district of Albuquerque, a city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It is the largest commercial airport in the state, handling 5,888,811 passengers in 2009...
, Mesa del Sol
Mesa del Sol
Mesa del Sol is a proposed mixed use community in Albuquerque, New Mexico.-History:Mesa del Sol was approved as part of a public-private partnership strategy with the State of New Mexico, City of Albuquerque and University of New Mexico and has been planning stages since the 1980s...
, Albuquerque Studios, Albuquerque Veloport, University Stadium, Isotopes Park
Isotopes Park
Isotopes Park is a minor-league baseball stadium located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is the home field of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League, the Class AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
, and The Pit are all located in the Southeast (SE) quadrant.
The upscale neighborhood of Four Hills and the Four Hills Country Club are also located in Southeast Albuquerque, near the foothills. Nob Hill lies along Central Avenue and Carlisle Boulevard. Ridgecrest is located just south of Nob Hill. Other popular attractions that can be found in this quadrant include Hard Rock Casino, The Pavilion, Veterans' Memorial, and Talin Market. The area near Central Avenue and Louisiana Boulevard, known as the International District, has the highest concentration of Asian-owned businesses in the city.
Southwest Quadrant
Traditionally consisting of agricultural and rural areas, the Southwest quadrant is often referred to as the "South Valley." Although the city limits of Albuquerque do not include all of the area, the South Valley is considered to extend all the way to the Isleta Indian Reservation. This includes the old communities of Atrisco, Los Padillas, Kinney, Westgate, Mountainview, and Pajarito. The south end of downtown Albuquerque, the Bosque
Bosque
Bosque is the name for areas of gallery forest found along the riparian flood plains of stream and river banks in the southwestern United States...
("woodlands"), the Barelas
Barelas
Barelas is an inner-city neighborhood of Albuquerque, New Mexico, located immediately south of Downtown. It consists of the triangular area bounded by Coal Avenue, the BNSF railroad tracks, and the Rio Grande. Originally a separate village, it was absorbed into Albuquerque during the...
neighborhood, the National Hispanic Cultural Center
National Hispanic Cultural Center
The National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico is an establishment for preserving and promoting the culture of the Spanish-speaking world...
, and the Albuquerque Biological Park
Albuquerque Biological Park
The Albuquerque Biological Park is an environmental museum located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It contains four separate facilities:...
are also located here.
Demographics
Census 2010 data
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 545,852 people, 239,166 households, and 224,330 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3010.7 (1162.6/km²). There were 239,166 housing units at an average density of 1,556.7 per square mile (538.2/km²).
The racial makeup of the city was:
- 70% WhiteWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
- 3.3% Black or African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
- 4.5% Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
- 3.2% AsianAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
- 0.11% Pacific IslanderPacific Islander AmericanPacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
- 15.03% from other races
- 4.6% MultiracialMultiracial AmericanMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
(two or more races)
46.7% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
(of any race)
There were 239,116 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.02.
The age distribution was 24.5% under 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,272, and the median income for a family was $46,979. Males had a median income of $34,208 versus $26,397 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $20,884. About 10.0% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
| Largest Employers in Albuquerque | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Kirtland Air Force Base Kirtland Air Force Base Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland... |
| 2 | University of New Mexico University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution... |
| 3 | Albuquerque Public Schools Albuquerque Public Schools Albuquerque Public Schools is a school district based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.Founded in 1891, the Albuquerque Public School District is the largest of 89 public school districts in the State of New Mexico.... |
| 4 | Sandia National Laboratories Sandia National Laboratories The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories.... |
| 5 | Presbyterian Health System |
| 6 | State of New Mexico (Government Government Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized... ) |
| 7 | Lovelace Health System |
| 8 | Intel Corporation Intel Corporation Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most... |
| 9 | PNM Resources PNM Resources PNM Resources is an energy holding company based in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The acronym PNM by itself usually refers to the PNM Resources subsidiary Public Service Company of New Mexico... |
| 10 | Bank of Albuquerque (BOK Financial BOK Financial Corporation BOK Financial Corporation , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a financial services company in the West South Central States region of the United States. The corporate headquarters is located in the BOK Tower in downtown Tulsa. BOK Financial's holdings include BOKF, NA, BOSC, Inc, Cavanal Hill Investment... ) |
Albuquerque lies at the center of the New Mexico Technology Corridor, a concentration of high-tech private companies and government institutions along the Rio Grande. Larger institutions whose employees contribute to the population are numerous and include Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories
The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
, Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
, and the attendant contracting companies which bring highly educated workers to a somewhat isolated region. Intel operates a large semiconductor factory or "fab" in suburban Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
There were 18,995 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had...
, in neighboring Sandoval County
Sandoval County, New Mexico
-Indian reservations:Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of any county in the United States -Indian reservations:Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of...
, with its attendant large capital investment. Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
is located along I-25 in northeast Albuquerque, and TempurPedic is located on the West Mesa next to I-40.
The solar energy
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
and architectural-design innovator Steve Baer
Steve Baer
Steve Baer is an American inventor and solar and residential designer. Baer has served on the board of directors of the U.S. Section of the International Solar Energy Society, and on the board of the New Mexico Solar Energy Association. He is the Founder, Chairman of the Board, President, and...
located his company, Zomeworks, to the region in the late 1960s; and Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
, Sandia
Sandia National Laboratories
The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
cooperate here in an enterprise that began with the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
. In January 2007, Tempur-Pedic opened an 800000 square feet (74,322.4 m²) mattress factory in northwest Albuquerque. SCHOTT Solar, Inc., announced in January 2008 they will open a 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) facility manufacturing receivers for concentrated solar thermal power plants (CSP) and 64MW of photovoltaic (PV) modules.
Forbes Magazine rated Albuquerque the best city in America for business and careers in 2006 and the 13th best (out of 200 metro areas) in 2008.
Arts and culture
Albuquerque is home to 300 visual arts, music, dance, literary, film, ethnic, and craft organizations, museums, festivals and associations.Points of interest
Albuquerque contains a variety of museums, galleries, shops and other points of interest. Some of these include the Albuquerque Biological ParkAlbuquerque Biological Park
The Albuquerque Biological Park is an environmental museum located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It contains four separate facilities:...
, Museum of Natural History and Science, and Old Town Albuquerque
Old Town Albuquerque
Old Town is a historic district in Albuquerque, New Mexico, dating back to the founding of the city by the Spanish in 1706. Today it is a popular shopping and tourist destination. Old Town comprises about ten blocks of historic adobe buildings grouped around a central plaza...
. The majority of locally owned boutiques and fine dining establishments are scattered throughout Downtown, Old Town, and Uptown. Old Town features ghost tours performed by the Southwest Ghosthunters Association.
The Sandia and Manzano Mountains to the east offer trails, open spaces, and rock climbing. Climbs from one to ten pitches can be found at all ability levels. The Sandia Peak Tramway
Sandia Peak Tramway
The Sandia Peak Tramway is located adjacent to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It stretches from the northeast edge of the city to the crestline of the Sandia Mountains and has the world's third longest single span.-History:...
, located adjacent to Albuquerque is the world's second-longest passenger aerial tramway. It also has the world's third-longest single span. It stretches from the Northeast edge of the city to the crestline of the Sandia Mountains
Sandia Mountains
The Sandia Mountains name posu gai hoo-oo, "where water slides down arroyo") are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the east of the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The range is largely within the Cibola National...
. Elevation at the top of the tramway is roughly 10300 ft (3,139.4 m).
above sea level.
Sports
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
are a minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, having derived their name from The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Hungry Hungry Homer", which involves the Springfield Isotopes baseball team considering relocating to Albuquerque. Prior to 2002, the Albuquerque Dukes
Albuquerque Dukes
The Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.-History:The first Dukes team was formed in 1915 as part of the Class-D Rio Grande Association. The team finished in third place with a 32-25 record. Frank Huelman was the league leader in home runs,...
served as the city's minor league team, having played at the Albuquerque Sports Stadium
Albuquerque Sports Stadium
Albuquerque Sports Stadium was a baseball stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, which was built in 1969 as a modern replacement for the aging Tingley Field. The ballpark had a seating capacity of 10,510, though it occasionally accommodated much larger crowds....
. The stadium was torn down to make room for the current Isotopes Park
Isotopes Park
Isotopes Park is a minor-league baseball stadium located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is the home field of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League, the Class AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
.
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque Isotopes Albuquerque Isotopes The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers... |
Baseball Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond... |
AAA PCL Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The... |
Isotopes Park Isotopes Park Isotopes Park is a minor-league baseball stadium located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is the home field of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League, the Class AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers... |
12,500 |
| New Mexico Mustangs New Mexico Mustangs The New Mexico Mustangs are a Junior A Tier II ice hockey team based out of Rio Rancho, New Mexico set to begin play for 2010-11. A member of the North American Hockey League and play in the South Division, the Mustangs will play their home games in the Santa Ana Star Center... |
Ice hockey Ice hockey Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take... |
NAHL North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League... |
Santa Ana Star Center Santa Ana Star Center Santa Ana Star Center is an 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a suburb of Albuquerque. The arena is located near the intersection of Unser Boulevard and Paseo del Volcan... |
7,500 |
| University of New Mexico Lobos | NCAA Division I FBS Football College football College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities... |
Mountain West Conference Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999... |
University Stadium | 42,000 |
| University of New Mexico Lobos (men and women New Mexico Lobos women's basketball The University of New Mexico Lobos women's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA Division I. Yvonnne Sanchez was named head coach on April 22, 2011 replacing Don Flanagan who had been the head coach for 15 years.... ) |
NCAA Division I Basketball College basketball College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III.... |
Mountain West Conference Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999... |
The Pit | 17,126 |
Parks and recreation
Albuquerque has numerous parks, bike paths, and hiking areas scattered throughout the metro area. Most of the city's best biking and hiking areas are concentrated in and around the Sandia and Manzano foothills.The city was ranked #1 as the fittest city in the United States, according to a March 2007 issue of Men's Fitness magazine. The critera used in the study included the availability of gyms and bike paths, commute times, and federal health statistics on obesity-related injuries and illnesses.
- Bicycle trails and lanes
- Available recreation activities
- List of parks in the area
- Petroglyph National MonumentPetroglyph National MonumentPetroglyph National Monument stretches along Albuquerque, New Mexico's West Mesa, a volcanic basalt escarpment that dominates the city’s western horizon. Authorized June 27, 1990, the 7,236 acre monument is cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and the City of Albuquerque...
- Sandia Tramway
- Balloon Fiesta Park
Government
| Albuquerque City Council | |
|---|---|
| Richard J. Berry | Mayor |
| Kenneth Sánchez | 1st District |
| Debbra O'Malley | 2nd District |
| Isaac Benton | 3rd District |
| Bradley Winter | 4th District |
| Daniel Lewis | 5th District |
| Rey Garduño | 6th District |
| Michael D. Cook | 7th District |
| Trudy Jones | 8th District |
| Don Harris | 9th District |
Albuquerque is a charter city
Charter city
A charter city is a city in which the governing system is defined by the city's own charter document rather than by state, provincial, regional or national laws. In locations where city charters are allowed by law, a city can adopt or modify its organizing charter by decision of its administration...
. City government is divided into an executive branch, headed by a Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and a nine-member Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
that holds the legislative authority. The form of city government is therefore mayor-council government
Mayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
. The mayor is Richard J. Berry, a former state legislator, who was elected in 2009.
The Mayor holds a full-time paid elected position with a four-year term.
The Council members hold part-time paid positions and are elected from the nine Council districts for four-year terms, with four or five Councilors elected every two years. Elections for Mayor and Councilor are nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
. Each year in December one of the Council members is elected by the members of the Council to be the Council President, and one is elected to be the Vice-President. On December 1, 2008, Isaac Benton was elected President of the Council for the next year and Sally Mayer was elected Vice-President.
The Council is the legislative authority of the city, and has the power to adopt all ordinances, resolutions, or other legislation.
The Council meets two times a month, with meetings held in the Vincent E. Griego Council Chambers in the basement level of Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Center.
Ordinances and resolutions passed by the Council are presented to the Mayor for his approval. If the Mayor veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
es an item, the Council can override the veto with a vote of two-thirds of the membership of the Council.
Each year, the Mayor submits a city budget
Government budget
A government budget is a legal document that is often passed by the legislature, and approved by the chief executive-or president. For example, only certain types of revenue may be imposed and collected...
proposal for the year to the Council by April 1, and the Council acts on the proposal within the next 60 days.
Education
Albuquerque is home to the University of New MexicoUniversity of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, the largest public flagship university in the state. UNM includes a School of Medicine which was ranked in the top 50 primary care-oriented medical schools in the country. Albuquerque is also home to the National American University
National American University
National American University is a private for-profit university owned by National American University Holdings, Inc. Headquartered in Rapid City, SD, NAU operates multiple locations in the United States and an online division....
, Trinity Southwest University
Trinity Southwest University
Trinity Southwest University operates from its campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico and offers on-campus and distance education programs leading to bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in: Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, Archaeology & Biblical History, Biblical Counseling, Biblical...
, and the University of St. Francis College of Nursing and Allied Health Department of Physician Assistant Studies. The Central New Mexico Community College
Central New Mexico Community College
Central New Mexico Community College , formerly Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute, is the community college for metropolitan Albuquerque, New Mexico....
serves most of the area, as do several technical schools including ITT Technical Institute
ITT Technical Institute
ITT Technical Institute is a for-profit technical institute with over 130 campuses in 38 states of the United States. ITT Tech is owned and operated by ITT Educational Services, Inc. , a publicly traded company headquartered in Carmel, Indiana. ITT Educational Services, Inc...
and the University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is publicly traded , an S&P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona...
. Furthermore, The Art Center Design College
The Art Center Design College
The Art Center Design College is a private college based out of Tucson, Arizona with a branch campus located in Albuquerque, New Mexico....
offers bachelor's degrees in Graphic and Interior Design, animation, illustration, Photography as well as several other disciplines. Albuquerque is also home to the Ayurvedic Institute
Ayurvedic Institute
The Ayurvedic Institute is a Ayurvedic school and Ayurveda health spa in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was established in 1984 by Vasant Lad as a non-profit 5013 organization to teach the traditional Ayurvedic medicine of India and to provide these ancient therapies...
, one of the first Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
colleges specializing in Ayurvedic medicine outside of India.
Albuquerque Public Schools
Albuquerque Public Schools
Albuquerque Public Schools is a school district based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.Founded in 1891, the Albuquerque Public School District is the largest of 89 public school districts in the State of New Mexico....
, one of the largest school districts in the nation, provides educational services to over 87,000 children across the city.
Media
The city is served by one major newspaper, the Albuquerque JournalAlbuquerque Journal
-History:Its earliest predecessor, the Albuquerque Daily Journal, was first published on October 14, 1880. The newspaper is owned by the Journal Publishing Company, a family-owned business headed by president/publisher T.H. Lang; it is operated by the Albuquerque Publishing Company...
, and several smaller daily and weekly papers, including the alternative Weekly Alibi
Weekly Alibi
The Weekly Alibi is a free weekly newspaper published in Albuquerque, New Mexico.The Alibi's strongest points are its "I saw you" personals, film reviews, entertainment guide and Albuquerque's first "alternative personals." Their yearly "Best of Burque" awards, which cover everything from "Best...
. Albuquerque is also home to numerous radio and television stations that serve the metropolitan and outlying rural areas.
Main highways
Some of the main highways in the city include:- Pan-American FreewayInterstate 25 in New MexicoIn the U.S. state of New Mexico, Interstate 25 follows the north–south corridor through Albuquerque and Santa Fe. It replaced U.S. Route 85, which is no longer signed, but still exists in route logs sharing the I-25 alignment. I-25 starts in New Mexico at an interchange with I-10 in Las Cruces and...
– More commonly known as Interstate 25Interstate 25Interstate 25 is an Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway. I-25 stretches from Interstate 10 at Las Cruces, New Mexico, , to Interstate 90 in Buffalo, Wyoming, .Interstate 25 is the main north–south expressway through...
or "I-25", it is the main north–south highway on the city's eastern side of the Rio GrandeRio GrandeThe Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
. It is also the main north–south highway in the state (by connecting Albuquerque with Santa FeSanta Fe, New MexicoSanta Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
and Las CrucesLas Cruces, New MexicoLas Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
) and a plausible route of the eponymous Pan American Highway. Since Route 66U.S. Route 66U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
was decommissioned in the 1980s, the only remaining US highway in Albuquerque, unsigned US-85, shares its alignment with I-25. US-550 splits off to the northwest from I-25/US-85 in BernalilloBernalillo, New MexicoBernalillo is a town in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 6,611. It is the county seat of Sandoval County.Bernalillo is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. - Coronado FreewayInterstate 40 in New MexicoInterstate 40, a major east–west route of the Interstate Highway System, runs east–west through Albuquerque in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the direct replacement for the historic U.S...
– More commonly known as Interstate 40Interstate 40Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
or "I-40", it is the city's main east–west traffic artery and an important transcontinental route. The freeway's name in the city is in reference to 16th century conquistadorConquistadorConquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
and explorer Francisco Vazquez de Coronado. - Paseo del Norte – Concurrent with State Highway 423New Mexico State Road 423New Mexico State Road 423 is a long state highway entirely within Bernalillo County, New Mexico. For its entire length, NM-423 is signed as Paseo del Norte in Albuquerque.-Route description:...
, Paseo del Norte connects two parts of Albuquerque that are separated by the North ValleyNorth Valley, New MexicoNorth Valley is a census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 Census, the CDP population was 11,333...
and by Los Ranchos de AlbuquerqueLos Ranchos de Albuquerque, New MexicoLos Ranchos de Albuquerque, known locally simply as "Los Ranchos," is a village in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 6,024 at the 2010 Census. Part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area, Los Ranchos is located on the east side of the Rio Grande, adjacent to...
. Paseo del Norte is a freeway from Tramway Boulevard to Eagle Ranch Road, as it crosses the Rio Grande. A controversial extension of this road through Petroglyph National MonumentPetroglyph National MonumentPetroglyph National Monument stretches along Albuquerque, New Mexico's West Mesa, a volcanic basalt escarpment that dominates the city’s western horizon. Authorized June 27, 1990, the 7,236 acre monument is cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and the City of Albuquerque...
was finally opened in 2007. Roughly parallel to Interstate 40 and approximately five miles to the north, Paseo Del Norte connects Interstate 25 and Coors Boulevard. - Coors Boulevard – Coors is the main north-south artery to the west of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque. There is one full interchange where it connects with Interstate 40. The rest of the route has stoplights, sidewalkSidewalkA sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
s and bike lanes. To the north of Interstate 40, part of the route is numbered as State Highway 448New Mexico State Road 448New Mexico State Road 448 is a long state highway in Sandoval County and Bernalillo County, New Mexico. The highway's northern terminus is at an intersection with NM 528 in Rio Rancho. The highway then proceeds east then south through Corrales via Corrales Road...
, while to the south, part of the route is numbered as State Highway 45. - Central AvenueCentral Avenue (Albuquerque)Central Avenue is a major east-west street in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which historically served as the city's main thoroughfare and principal axis of development. It runs through many of Albuquerque's oldest neighborhoods, including Downtown, Old Town, Nob Hill, and the University of New Mexico...
– Central is one of the historical routings of Route 66, it is no longer a main through highway, its usefulness having been supplanted by Interstate 40. - Tramway BoulevardNew Mexico State Road 556New Mexico State Road 556 is a long state highway entirely within Bernalillo County, New Mexico. For most of its length, NM-556 is signed as Tramway Boulevard in Albuquerque, paralleling the Sandia Mountains. The highway's southern terminus is at an intersection with New Mexico State Road 333,...
– Serves as a bypass around the northeastern quadrant, the route is designated as NM-556New Mexico State Road 556New Mexico State Road 556 is a long state highway entirely within Bernalillo County, New Mexico. For most of its length, NM-556 is signed as Tramway Boulevard in Albuquerque, paralleling the Sandia Mountains. The highway's southern terminus is at an intersection with New Mexico State Road 333,...
. Tramway Boulevard starts at I-25 near Sandia Pueblo, and heads east as a two-lane road. It turns south near the base of the Sandia Peak TramwaySandia Peak TramwayThe Sandia Peak Tramway is located adjacent to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It stretches from the northeast edge of the city to the crestline of the Sandia Mountains and has the world's third longest single span.-History:...
and becomes a divided highwayDivided HighwayDivided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
until its terminus near I-40 and Central Avenue by the western entrance to Tijeras CanyonTijeras CanyonTijeras Canyon is a prominent canyon in the central part of the US state of New Mexico. Tijeras Canyon is often referred to by locals as the I-40 Canyon after the major highway that traverses it, linking Albuquerque and points east. It separates the Sandia Mountains to the north from the Manzano...
.
The interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
between I-40 and I-25 is known as the "Big I
Big I
Big I is the name of the freeway interchange where Interstate 25 and I-40 intersect northeast of downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States.- Description :The Big I is a complex stack interchange located in central Albuquerque, New Mexico...
". Originally built in 1966, it was rebuilt in 2002.
Bridges
There are six road bridges that cross the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
and serve the municipality on at least one end if not both. The eastern approaches of the northernmost three all pass through adjacent unincorporated areas, the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, known locally simply as "Los Ranchos," is a village in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 6,024 at the 2010 Census. Part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area, Los Ranchos is located on the east side of the Rio Grande, adjacent to...
, or the North Valley
North Valley, New Mexico
North Valley is a census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 Census, the CDP population was 11,333...
. In downstream order they are:
- Alameda Bridge
- Paseo del Norte Bridge
- Montano Bridge
- I-40 Bridge
- Old Town Bridge
- Barelas Bridge
Two more bridges serve urbanized areas contiguous to the city's perforated southern boundary.
- Rio Bravo Bridge (NM 500)
- I-25 Bridge (near Isleta PuebloIsleta PuebloIsleta Pueblo is an unincorporated Tanoan pueblo in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States, originally established around the 14th century.-Overview:...
)
Rail
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
.
Intercity rail
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Southwest Chief
Southwest Chief
The Southwest Chief is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 2256-mile BNSF route through the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. It runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, passing through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California...
, which travels between Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, serves the Albuquerque area daily with one stop in each direction at the Alvarado Transportation Center
Alvarado Transportation Center
The Alvarado Transportation Center is a multimodal transit hub located at 100 1st Street SW in Downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.The complex was built as a hub for Albuquerque's regional transit system and as a replacement for Albuquerque's previous bus depot and train station...
in downtown.
Commuter rail
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express
New Mexico Rail Runner Express
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a commuter rail system serving the metropolitan areas of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is administered by the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the Mid Region Council of Governments , a regional government planning association, while...
, a commuter rail line, began service between Sandoval County and Albuquerque in July 2006 using an existing BNSF
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
right-of-way which was purchased by New Mexico in 2005. Service expanded to Valencia County in December 2006 and to Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
on December 17, 2008. Rail Runner now connects Santa Fe, Sandoval, Bernalillo, and Valencia Counties with twelve station stops, including three stops within Albuquerque.
The trains connect Albuquerque to downtown Santa Fe with eight roundtrips per weekday. The section of the line running south to Belen
Belen, New Mexico
Belen is a city in Valencia County, New Mexico, United States. Belen is Spanish for Bethlehem, and over time has gained the nickname "Hub City" because of the Belen Cutoff of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The Cutoff made it possible for many more trains to travel east and west across...
is served less frequently.
Local mass transit
ABQ RIDE is the local transit agency in the city. ABQ RIDE operates a variety of bus routes, including the Rapid Ride
Rapid Ride
Rapid Ride is the name of an express bus service with some bus rapid transit features in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Inaugurated on December 21, 2004, Rapid Ride was intended to provide a faster and more efficient means of public transit in Albuquerque and to serve as a pilot project for a potential...
express bus service.
In 2006 the City of Albuquerque under the mayorship of Martin Chavez
Martin Chavez
Martin Joseph Chávez Chávez is a former three-term mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico and New Mexico State Senator. He currently serves as the Executive Director of ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA. and Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Center for Green Schools at U.S. Green...
had planned and attempted to "fast track" the development of a "Modern Streetcar" project. Funding for the US$270 million system was not resolved as many citizens vocally opposed the project. The city and its transit department maintain a policy commitment to the streetcar project. The project would run mostly in the southeast quadrant on Central Avenue and Yale Boulevard.
As of 2011, the city is working on a study to develop a BRT
BRT
BRT may refer to:* "Be right there" in Internet slang.* Baltic Rubber Trade, Ltd., owner of the BRT trademark.* Bayrak Radyo Televizyon Kurumu is the national public broadcaster of Northern Cyprus....
(bus rapid transit) system through the Central Ave. corridor. This corridor currently carries 44% of all bus riders in the ABQ Ride system, making it a natural starting point for enhanced service.
Albuquerque was one of two cities in New Mexico to have had electric street railways. Albuquerque's horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
-drawn streetcar lines were electrified during the first few years of the 20th century. The Albuquerque Traction Company assumed operation of the system in 1905. The system grew to its maximum length of 6 miles (9.7 km) during the next ten years by connecting destinations such as Old Town
Old Town Albuquerque
Old Town is a historic district in Albuquerque, New Mexico, dating back to the founding of the city by the Spanish in 1706. Today it is a popular shopping and tourist destination. Old Town comprises about ten blocks of historic adobe buildings grouped around a central plaza...
to the west and the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
to the east with the town's urban center near the former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway depot. The Albuquerque Traction Company failed financially in 1915 and the vaguely named City Electric Company was formed. Despite traffic booms during the first world war, and unaided by lawsuits attempting to force the streetcar company to pay for paving, that system also failed later in 1927, leaving the streetcar's "motorettes" unemployed.
Bicycle transit
Albuquerque has a well-developed bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
network. In and around the City there are trails, bike routes, and paths that provide the residents and visitors with alternatives to motorized travel. The city was recently reviewed as having a major up and coming bike scene in North America. The City of Albuquerque also recently opened its first Bicycle Boulevard on Silver Avenue. There are plans for more investment in bikes and bike transit by the city in the coming years.
Walkability
A 2011 study by Walk Score ranked Albuqueque 28th most walkable of fifty largest U.S. cities.Airports
Albuquerque International Sunport
Albuquerque International Sunport is a public airport located 3 miles southeast of the central business district of Albuquerque, a city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It is the largest commercial airport in the state, handling 5,888,811 passengers in 2009...
. It is located 3 miles (5 km) southeast of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Albuquerque. The Albuquerque International Sunport served over 6,000,000 passengers in 2008. Double Eagle II Airport
Double Eagle II Airport
Double Eagle II Airport is a public airport located seven miles northwest of the central business district of Albuquerque, a city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It is owned by the City of Albuquerque....
is the other airport. It is primarily used as an air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
, corporate flight, military flight, training flight, charter flight, and private flight facility.
Energy
PNM ResourcesPNM Resources
PNM Resources is an energy holding company based in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The acronym PNM by itself usually refers to the PNM Resources subsidiary Public Service Company of New Mexico...
, New Mexico's largest electricity provider, is based in Albuquerque. They serve about 487,000 electricity customers statewide.
New Mexico Gas Company provides natural gas services to more than 500,000 customers in the state, including the Albuquerque metro area.
Sanitation
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority is responsible for the delivery of drinking waterDrinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
and the treatment of wastewater
Wastewater
Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. It comprises liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and/or agriculture and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations...
.
Healthcare
Albuquerque is the medical hub of New Mexico, hosting numerous state-of-the-art medical centers. Some of the city's top hospitals include the VA Medical Center, Presbyterian Hospital, Heart Hospital of New Mexico, and Lovelace Women's Hospital. University of New Mexico HospitalUniversity of New Mexico Hospital
The University of New Mexico Hospital is a teaching hospital located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, north of The University of New Mexico's Main Campus. It is the only Level I Trauma Center in the State of New Mexico, and also houses the only Children's Hospital and Burn Unit in the state...
is the only level I trauma center in the state.
Sister cities
Albuquerque has ten sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities InternationalSister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
:
| – Alburquerque Alburquerque, Badajoz Alburquerque is a town in the province of Badajoz in Spain. It has 5,600 inhabitants. It is very close to the border with Portugal and was an ancient dominion of the kings of this country... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... – Aşgabat Asgabat Ashgabat or formerly Poltoratsk between 1919–1927) is the capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia. It has a population of 695,300 , 2009 estimates around 1 million people in Ashgabat, and is situated between the Kara Kum desert and the Kopet Dag mountain range... , Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states... – Chihuahua Chihuahua, Chihuahua The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the... , Chihuahua, Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... – Gijón Gijón Gijón , officially Gijón / Xixón, is a coastal industrial city and a municipality in the autonomous community of Asturias in Spain. Early mediaeval texts mention it as "Gigia". It was an important regional Roman city, although the area has been settled since earliest history... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... – Guadalajara Guadalajara, Jalisco Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality... , Jalisco Jalisco Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states... , Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... |
– Helmstedt Helmstedt Helmstedt is a city located at the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. Helmstedt has 26,000 inhabitants . In former times the city was also called Helmstädt.... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... – Hualien, Republic of China Republic of China The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor... – Lanzhou Lanzhou Lanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. A prefecture-level city, it is a key regional transportation hub, allowing areas further west to maintain railroad connections to the eastern half of the country.... , People's Republic of China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... – Rehovot Rehovot Rehovot is a city in the Center District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 112,700. Rehovot's official website estimates the population at 114,000.Rehovot was built on the site of Doron,... , Israel Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... – Sasebo Sasebo, Nagasaki is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Pop culture
Albuquerque has featured in Hollywood movies such as Sunshine CleaningSunshine Cleaning
Sunshine Cleaning is a 2008 comedy-drama film starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Directed by Christine Jeffs and written by Megan Holley, the film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2008. It was purchased by Overture Films for distribution and opened in limited release in...
and Brothers and television shows including Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
and In Plain Sight
In Plain Sight
In Plain Sight is an American dramatic television series on USA Network. The series revolves around Mary Shannon , a Deputy United States Marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico office of the Federal Witness Security Program , more commonly known as the Federal Witness Protection Program...
. Songs about Albuquerque have been recorded by Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
and Atmosphere
Atmosphere
An atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
.
The humorous song "Albuquerque
Albuquerque (song)
"Albuquerque" is the last song of "Weird Al" Yankovic's Running with Scissors album. At 11 minutes and 22 seconds, it is the longest song Yankovic has ever released on any of his official studio albums....
" by Weird Al Yankovic tells the epic tale of a man moving to the city, and his many absurd misadventures while living there. Albuquerque is also mentioned in the songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix
By the Time I Get to Phoenix
"By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is the title of a song written by Jimmy Webb. Originally recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965, it was made famous by American country music singer Glen Campbell, appearing as the opening track on the latter's 1967 album of the same name. Campbell's version reached #2 on...
" by Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
, "Everywhere
Everywhere (Tim McGraw song)
"Everywhere" is the title of a song written by Mike Reid and Craig Wiseman, and recorded by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released in July 1997 as the second single from his album of the same name. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and...
" by country music singer Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
, "Bring Em Out" by rapper T.I and "The King of Rock 'n' Roll
The King of Rock 'N' Roll
"The King of Rock 'n' Roll" is a single by the British rock group Prefab Sprout, released in 1988. It was the second single taken from their album of that year, From Langley Park to Memphis, and makes reference to a washed-up '50s star who is only remembered for his one-hit novelty song, which is...
" by the British alternative rock band Prefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout are an alternative English pop rock band from Witton Gilbert, County Durham, England who rose to fame during the 1980s. Eight of their albums have reached the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart, and one of their singles, "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", peaked at number seven in the UK...
.
Many Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
shorts have featured Bugs traveling around the world by burrowing underground. He often gets lost while traveling and remarks, while consulting a map, "I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque!"