Construction of Los Lunas Boulevard to begin this fall  - Valencia County News-Bulletin (2024)

LOS LUNAS—The beginning of the long-awaited interstate interchange in Los Lunas and river bridge is about to become a reality.

A public hearing was held last week to give residents an overview of the Los Lunas Boulevard Corridor project, which is scheduled to begin construction this fall.

During an in-person and virtual hearing on May 29 held in the council chambers in Los Lunas Village Hall, Wyatt Kartchner, the project engineer with Molzen Corbin, said the corridor will span from Interstate 25 to the east, across N.M. 314, over the Rio Grande and ending at N.M. 47.

Planning to address the needs

“This has been ongoing for nearly 20 years,” Kartchner said about the project. “The village (of Los Lunas) has spearheaded this project with help from Valencia County and lots of other folks involved.”

While the idea of the crossing was initiated in 2001, it wasn’t until 2012 when the aMiddle Rio Grande Council of Governments developed an alignment study. The village also held its first public meeting about the issue.

There are four identified reasons for need for the corridor, including deficiencies of the existing transportation system, growth and development, traffic and congestion and emergency response service.

N.M. 6 (Main Street in Los Lunas) is the only east-west roadway connecting I-25, across the river to N.M. 47 for more than 10 miles both north and south. The state highway lacks adequate traffic capacity and improvements to the road have been exhausted.

Growth and development in the village continues to increase, both in population and employment. With more people and business comes more traffic and congestion.

Because of the congestion on N.M., traffic accidents can cause reduction in response time for first responders, including police, fire and EMTs.

“The purpose is to address traffic flow on N.M. 6 by adding a new road between I-25 and N.M. 47,” Kartchner said. “The project aims to address travel demand to high-growth areas and improve the efficiently of emergency response services within northern Valencia County.”

Kartchner said he expects the bid for the construction will go out by late summer, and construction to begin in the fall. He estimates it will take three years to complete the entire corridor from I-25 to N.M. 47.

Environmental assessment

John Taschek, an environmental consultant with Barr Engineering in Albuquerque, completed an environmental assessment of the project, which included technical studies and research, project discussions, relevant findings and expected outcomes.

Taschek said he studied the human environment regarding different uses, including land, farmland, socioeconomic factors, right-of-way and relocations, visual and economic impacts and multi-modal transportation.

The consultant said the irrigation system, access and other farm infrastructure will be maintained, while the project will reduce congestion and improve regional access. He also said the construction of the corridor will generate jobs, wages, increased land values and associated property taxes.

“… it will reduce travel times, increase average speeds, reduce carbon monoxide and greenhouse gas emissions,” Taschek said of the air quality and noise.

He also said the sound walls that will be built on the northbound I-25 off ramp and at Chamisal and Desert Flower will reduce noise for nearby residents.

The bridge pier construction will impact small river channel areas and some wetlands, he said, and construction will temporarily impact additional waters and wetlands.

At the river, construction crews will clear about 200 feet of bosque, including 216 cottonwood trees and 72 willow trees.

The area is habitat for Southwest willow flycatcher, yellow-billed cuckoo and the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow, which Taschek said mitigation measures will be in place to protect the threatened or endangered species. He did say most of the construction of the 25-foot high river bridge will be done during low-flow periods.

Los Lunas Boulevard Corridor

Kartchner said interstate junction will be a standard diamond interchange with no access to areas west of I-25. He did say the road could expand depending on future development.

“Camelot Boulevard will relocate to Sichler Road and then (merge onto Los Lunas Boulevard) at the prison entrance,” Kartchner said. “There will be a 14-foot wall at the prison, and then the road will run parallel to Morris Road.”

As the road continues east, it will unite with Morris Road prior to the 13th Judicial District Courthouse, which will have a new entrance.

Kartchner said the N.M. 314 intersection will include new turning lanes, lights and train gaits. He did inform the crowd of about 100 that night that the Juan Perea Road access just east of the railroad tracks will be closed and turned into a cul de sac.

“The road will then cross over Los Lentes Road, with no stop signs,” Kartchner said. “But there will be access for MRGCD.”

The river bridge will begin to ascend at the Los Lunas wastewater treatment plant before the irrigation ditch for about 2,000 feet to the other side and descending at Edeal Road with a four-way stop sign.

The road will then extend through the valley to N.M. 47, where a high-T intersection will be built. Kartchner said the three-sided intersection will include a signal light and a dedicated northbound lane that can bypass the signal.

Jason Peek, with the New Mexico Department of Transportation, said the new corridor is expected divert 43 percent of traffic from N.M. 6.

Corridor cost

The full cost of the Los Lunas Boulevard Corridor has come in at $234 million, which would include four lanes of traffic.

Because the village has only been able to secure $154,317,389 in local, state and federal funds, only phase one, which allows for two lanes, will be completed in three years.

Phase two will include adding the two other lanes when funding becomes available.

Public comments, concerns

During the meeting, numerous residents voiced their concerns regarding the limited-access road.

A couple of residents of Jubilee Los Lunas, an active adult community west of I-25 off N.M. 6, said they were disappointed that the corridor isn’t going to extend west from the interstate. One woman said she would have “no other way out” if N.M. 6 was blocked because of an accident.

Another man, David McClain, asked what was the sequence of construction. Kartchner said that would be the decision of the contractor.

David Hammond said the new corridor will improve congestion on N.M. 6, and asked how many stoplights there would be.

Kartchner said there would be lights at N.M. 47, N.M. 314 and on the I-25 interchange.

Several other residents complained the intersection at Edeal Road will negatively impact the area east of the river and the traffic. Many residents said when the village recently deconstructed two speed humps, traffic has become worse and damage has been done to several properties and fences.

Another resident asked if large farm equipment will be able to cross the river, and if they break down, will there be room for vehicles to pass.

The traffic lanes will be 11-foot wide, with a 6-foot median.

The public comment period for this project will end Wednesday, June 12. Anyone who would like comment are asked to mail Los Lunas Boulevard Barr Engineering Co. 320 Osuna Road NE, Suite C-1 Albuquerque, NM 87107, or email [emailprotected].

To view the plans for the Los Lunas Boulevard Corridor Project, visit loslunasnm.gov/interchange.