. : : the zipper abq: a walk and ride quide to historic route 66 : : .

The Zipper ABQ facilitates a "Walk+Ride+Bike+Shop Local" lifestyle, and highlights the historic Old Town, Downtown, Edo, UNM and Nob Hill neighborhoods along Route 66, linking local businesses and alternative transportation, including ABQ Ride, Rapid Ride, and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express.

The vision is to create a pedestrian-friendly city-center, which bolsters economic development and tourism. The 7-mile stretch of Central Albuquerque houses one of the longest strips of local eats and treats in North America.

Walk: Walking is the economic lifeline of any great city, as foot traffic is essential to a steady flow of business. Walking is also lends a greater sense of community. People love to be immersed in a sea of other people, if only to grab an ice cream, sit on a bench and watch it all pass by. Additionally, walking is great low-impact exercise that is free and refreshing.

Ride: When the distance is greater, ABQ Ride, Rapid Ride and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express take you further faster. It takes only a few minutes to zip from the Alvarado Transportation Center Downtown to Old Town or Nob Hill with ABQ Ride or Rapid Ride and costs what you would pay for an hour of parking ($1). To swiftly shuffle North and South, The New Mexico Rail Runner Express has your ticket. Transfer to an ABQ Ride line and get anywhere you want to go within the greater City limits.

Bike: Albuquerque is a bicycle-friendly City, and more and more are opting to bike than car to reduce our collective carbon footprint. We've included basic bicycle boulevard, route and lane information within area to promote and ensure safety. Please be aware of the rules of the road, and move with care.

Shop Local: When you choose to support locally-owned and independent businesses, you help preserve what is unique and original to your City. Green and red is not a world-wide question, it's a New Mexico thing.

Show that you support all of these ideas and get updates to what's cookin in ABQ and become a fan of The Zipper ABQ on Facebook today. (No matter where you are...you'll be in ABQ sooner or later!)

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Amy Baca López is a local graphic designer and visual artist who is centuries native to New Mexico. She has built her career working for the small, locally owned business. She also has a passion for travel and transportation and has worked with the World Resources Institute in Washington, DC on the Embarq project for sustainable transit worldwide. She is a co-founder of the Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance, and the founder of Zip It Local Advertising, a community-oriented bathroom billboard publication. She loves being the Creative Warrior for Central Albuquerque as much as she loves to dial 311 for helpful information about this great City.