Citizens consider south-north congestion solution

July 14, 2009

The interchange and bridge corridor study for the Los Lunas area entered its third month with discussion about whether or not the study should be focusing on a south-north corridor instead of an east-west corridor.

The project, officials say, has a goal of alleviating traffic on New Mexico State Road 6, otherwise known as Main Street in Los Lunas, between Highway 47 and the Los Lunas Interstate 25 (I-25) interchange. D. Pennington & Associates, which is conducting the study, has defined a limited east-west corridor south of Main Street.

Members of the study’s citizens advisory committee have strongly urged D. Pennington & Associates to look at possible solutions north of Main Street. Up to now, officials have suggested any solution to the congestion will be found by constructing a new interchange and possibly a bridge south of Main Street, either on Morris or Miller roads.

One citizen recommended an interchange at the intersection of I-25 and Coors Road, where Highway 314 (which becomes Coors Road) passes underneath the interstate, to include a four-lane Highway 314 from Los Lunas to that new interchange. Another citizen mentioned a possible extension of the Manzano Expressway to I-25, which could better serve the roughly 10,000 residents of Meadow Lake.

The citizens said they believe the problem is commuters going to and coming from Albuquerque for work, requiring a south-north corridor solution.

Both ideas were shot down by officials who suggested the problem with a south-north corridor solution is Isleta Pueblo, which will likely reject any increase in traffic through tribal land.

The study, which began in April, is expected to last a full 18 months.

Posted in: Infrastructure