MRCOG report shows public support for Morris

February 18, 2010

A report concerning where to place a new interchange and bridge in the Los Lunas area that was provided to the Valencia County Commission last night shows broad public support for locating the new roadway near Morris Road.

The report, produced by the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG), includes a compilation of comments by citizens who attended last month’s informational open house concerning the issue.

MRCOG and D. Pennington & Associates have been conducting a study of where to place the new interchange and bridge.

The options under serious consideration have been whittled down to two: Morris Road at the southern end of Los Lunas and Miller Road at the northern end of Los Chavez.

The open house had high attendance, bringing in more then 250 people, including many from El Cerro and the Mid-Valley Air Park in Los Chavez. During the open house, MRCOG compiled public comments on flip charts and forms, later analyzing levels of support for potential routes. Study officials also received comments by mail and email, about 140 comments in all.

“We have tallied the comments by a particular position they may have taken. Maybe they’re supporting a particular alignment. Maybe they’re opposing a particular alignment. Maybe they’re suggesting we do nothing. Or maybe they’re suggesting we should do something but they’re just not sure what,” said Dave Pennington of D. Pennington & Associates.

According to the comments, the public is more strongly supporting an interchange at Morris Road than any other route. A Morris Road interchange would connect by a bridge across the Rio Grande to Highway 47 at El Cerro.

“It shows that the Morris route is by far and away the recommended route,” Commissioner Pedro Rael said.

Rael noted that public support for a route isn’t the only factor that will be taken into consideration when a final decision is made.

The open house comments also showed substantial concern for the protection of Valencia County’s agriculture.

“The preservation of farmlands was raised quite often. The preservation of the rural character of the communities was raised quite often,” Pennington said.

The study of the interchange is only one-third complete and has many months left before governments, like the Village of Los Lunas and Valencia County, start making decisions on where to build a new interchange and bridge.

“A lot of people are ready for decisions. We’re no where near being ready to make a decision in terms of what should be done, where it should be or what it should look like,” Pennington said.

Posted in: Infrastructure Rancho Cielo