To ensure that the public contributed to this study and had full access to study results, a public involvement plan was prepared early in this project. The public involvement plan for this project included contact with numerous federal, state, and local agencies, utility companies, and residents and businesses potentially affected by the project. As part of the scoping process and agency coordination, letters were sent to agencies with a potential interest in this project. Scoping letters were also sent to business owners and residents along the 4^th Street Corridor. Copies of those letters and the mailing lists are included in Appendix B. Schools officials at the three area schools, Albuquerque Public Schools, bussing services, Suntran, area fire departments, and the US Postal Service were contacted to obtain any comments or concerns they may have regarding service and safety in the area.

A project kick-off meeting was held on December 10, 1997 with a number of affected agencies and firms. Those in attendance included the 4^th Street Steering Committee, the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, Bernalillo County Public Works, Easterling & Associates (Engineer for the Village), New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department (NMSHTD) - Local Governments Assistance Bureau, NMSHTD - Environmental Section, Wilson & Company, and Southwest Land Research and Planning Technologies (now Sites Southwest - the firm conducting the 4^th Street Revitalization Study). Additional meetings were held on July 1, 1998 and October 20, 1998 to discuss the project progress and to solicit input from the Design Team members.

Project progress reports and project briefings were presented at periodic 4^th Street Steering Committee meetings and to the Trustees of the Village of Los Ranchos throughout the duration of the project. Meetings of the 4^th Street Corridor Study Project Team, consisting of the consultant firms and the Village Engineer, Easterling and Associates, have been held as necessary to make decisions regarding study direction and detail.

The first public information meeting was held on January 27, 1998. Forty-four persons attended the meeting. The public information meeting introduced the project team to the public, described the project, and requested suggestions, questions, and comments. A copy of the meeting summary is included in Appendix B. Notification of the first public information meeting was published in the Los Ranchos Village News, El Hispano News, and the Albuquerque Journal. Notices of the meeting were mailed to affected local, state, and federal agencies, 4^th Street businesses, and individuals that had expressed an interest in the study. In addition, flyers announcing the meeting were posted at 10 area locations. Copies of these notices and lists of agencies, businesses, and individuals to whom notices were mailed are included in Appendix B. Comments from this meeting were considered in the preliminary project design and also reflected in the environmental assessment.

After the project alternatives were developed, Wilson & Company and Sites Southwest hosted two additional open house meetings to display information about the 4^th Street Corridor Study and the Revitalization Study on July 30, 1998 and August 6, 1998. Material displayed from the Corridor Study included descriptions of the three corridor Character Zones, mapping of one alternative from each zone, information about project need and recommended amenities, typical sections listing advantages and disadvantages, and intersection improvement alternatives. Fifty-eight people signed the open house attendance sheet during the July 30, 1998 meeting and thirty-three people during the August 6, 1998 meeting. Those visiting the open house were encouraged to view the displayed material, ask questions, and write comments directly on the displays, on flip charts posted around the room, or complete a comment sheet. Copies of the meeting summaries are included in Appendix B. Notification of these meetings was published in the Albuquerque Journal on July 16, 1998. The Village of Los Ranchos printed 2000 announcements of the meetings and placed them in businesses along 4^th Street. Notice was also published in the Los Ranchos News. Additionally, notices were mailed to those attending the public information meeting in January 1998. Copies of these notices are included in Appendix B.

Project team members from Wilson & Company and Sites Southwest met with neighborhood associations upon request. These informal meetings were opportunities to address individual concerns about specific neighborhoods within the project area. At various times during the project development, meetings were held with the residences from Green Valley Road, Nara Visa Road, El Paraiso Drive, and Mullen Road. Team members also met with the Los Ranchos Business Association three times.

These public meetings and open houses produced public comments that resulted in further considerations in preliminary design and were also integrated into the environmental assessment. Written and verbal comments made during the public information meetings and submitted during the length of the project were extensive and varied. A summary of all comments is included in Appendix B. Some of the concerns expressed include:

In general, public comments were split between the various options presented for roadway and intersection development. However, the majority of the comments were opposed to the 5-lane urban section through the Village with concerns expressed about loss of business during construction and building acquisitions. Approximately the same number of comments were received in support of the 4-lane urban and the 4-lane rural section. A large number (25) of comments were received supporting some type of sidewalk, trail, or path within the Village. The 3-lane rural section was a popular alternative based on public comment. Despite the appeal of the three-lane section, it was eliminated from further consideration as discussed in Chapter 2.

Public comments concerning intersection alternatives were also split. The majority of the comments were negative towards the roundabout intersection alternative at 4^th/Osuna/Chavez and almost equal supporting and opposing the roundabouts at the intersections of 4^th Street and Ranchitos Road and El Pueblo Road. Some of the concerns regarding roundabout included the amount of required space, lack of pedestrian and vehicular safety, and the unfamiliarity of the roundabout to New Mexico drivers. Conversely, some residences thought roundabouts would be a unique feature to identify the Village and were a good idea.

The Environmental Assessment will be made available for public review and comment. To facilitate public involvement, a public hearing to explain the project and its environmental consequences will be held in the study area. Comments received at the public hearing and during the 30-day review and comment period will be incorporated into an input synopsis prepared for this project. The input synopsis will be used to determine the final environmental clearance for the project.