The Transportation Research Board Special Task Force on Climate Change and Energy presented Chowdhury "Siddiq" Siddiqui and former MRMPO staff member Aaron Sussman  the Award for the Best Paper in the category of climate change. The paper,"Integrating Climate Change into Scenario Planning: Can Mitigation Measures also Make a Region More Resilient,"  was chosen among many entries. The 2016 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Conference was attended by over 14,000 transportation professionals from around the world.  

A  recent Brookings analysis delves into the subject of economic inequality in cities and metropolitan areas. The overall message is that across the U.S. declining incomes have contributed to growing income inequality. A quick look at the supporting data shows that this is particularly true in the Albuquerque metropolitan area.

 

The authors of the paper look at the difference between incomes in the top of the distribution (households earning over 95 percent of all other households) and those near the bottom of the distribution (households earning more than 20 percent of all other households). They measure the gap between the two using what they call the "95/20 ratio". They perform this analysis for the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas and their largest cities using the latest 2014 American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

 

The Albuquerque metropolitan area was one of just 18 metros that had inequality ratios that exceeded the national average. Albuquerque metro's household incomes in the 95 ^th percentile were at $178,666, while those in the 20 ^th percentile were at $19,007, resulting in an inequality ratio of 9.4. The ratio for the United States as a whole was 9.3. The Albuquerque metro area demonstrated low household incomes in the 20 ^th percentile when compared with the other metros, ranking 13 ^th lowest out of the 100 metros. However, similar to its peers, household incomes in the 20 ^th percentile declined over time (18 percent since 2007) while household incomes in the 95 ^th percentile increased nominally.  

 

While the recovery from the Great Recession officially began just over six years ago, this analysis provides evidence that nationally and locally the poorest households continue to lose ground despite signs of an improving economy. 

Seniors Ride Free This February!

Seniors Ages 62+ Can Ride the Rail Runner for Free on Wednesdays in February

Seniors are invited to explore Central New Mexico by rail for free this February. Every Wednesday of the month, seniors age 62+ can ride any New Mexico Rail Runner Express train after 9 a.m. at no cost. This special promotion will give residents and visitors the opportunity to explore locations in Santa Fe and Albuquerque using public transportation.

 

Destination: Santa Fe

Special Train Fares and Discounts at Participating Santa Fe Restaurants this February

Just in time for Valentine's Day, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express is offering special train fares and collaborating with Santa Fe restaurants to offer our riders dining discounts during the month of February. On every Friday and Saturday of the month, passengers can ride select trains for only $1. The train times work perfectly for those who are looking for a unique travel and dining experience in Santa Fe, or who just want to spend some time in the City Different. Take a friend, take a date, or go as a group! This is a great way to enjoy an evening on the town without breaking the bank.

 

Learn more about both promotions at nmrailrunner.com .