Sixth Street Ramp Will Get a Through Arrow at Intersection

SIXTH STREET RAMP PAVEMENT GETTING A THROUGH ARROW: After last week’s column had a reader voicing concern about the lack of a through arrow on the westbound ramp off Interstate 40 — drivers in that center lane sometimes try to turn left and cut off traffic in the left/through lane — there’s an update.

Phil Gallegos, who handles information for the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s District 3 Office, got this safety-centered order from Assistant District Engineer Tony Abbo: “Let’s just go ahead and add an arrow.” He says that while a through arrow on the pavement may not change driver behavior — there is, after all, already an arrow on the sign above the lane guiding drivers in the center lane to proceed through the intersection — “if it helps, then we all win.”

CAN NMDOT SMOOTH THAT I-40 BUMP? Allison Croessmann emails that “just west of the Tijeras on-ramp to I-40 westbound there is a bridge that was redone during the last construction. Ever since, there has been a bump in the road. It has gotten much worse, and now there are orange construction signs announcing the bump. They went up within the last month or so. As a person who drives this almost every day and watches cars swerve to avoid the worst part, does anyone know the plans for this ‘bump’?”

Gallegos says “you can tell Allison that help is on the way! The approach slabs create a transition between the more flexible roadway and a ridged structure like a bridge. Over time the approach slabs on this and several other bridges in the area — the bridge she describes being the worst — have settled creating the ‘bump’ that has probably spilled plenty of coffee. Our bridge engineer has already scheduled repairs for this and the other bridges in the area he has identified as requiring attention.”

SNOW DOUBT THOSE LED SIGNALS WERE VISIBLE: After Tuesday night’s snow, David Mitchell, the director of Bernalillo County’s Operations and Maintenance Department, pointed out that “if ever there was a day to wonder about the ice not melting off the LED traffic signal heads, today was it.”

While the plow crews were out because snow closed Old Route 66 and Tijeras Canyon, Mitchell says it “looks like the deep visors (that shield the signals’ cooler-burning and more energy-efficient LED bulbs) did their jobs” and kept signals visible Wednesday morning.

ANOTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD WEIGHT LIMIT ARGUMENT: Last year a reader asked why the weight limits for large trucks on Tramway weren’t enforced. His point was if there are limits and signs announcing them, then they should be adhered to. And if there isn’t going to be any enforcement, then the signs should be removed.

Officials explained that there are loopholes in such laws, such as for deliveries, and that “it is important to have those limits posted in an attempt to maintain the structural integrity of the road. One could make the case that speed limit signs should come down as well because they are often ignored and difficult to enforce.”

Now here’s the big vehicle side. John Seaver, who owns Just Sprinklers, emails “over the past several years our service trucks have been stopped and warned not only on Tramway but also on Paseo del Norte. As a Just Sprinklers service provider to every corner of the city, it created increased drive times. I can remember when my techs were told they were not allowed on Paseo. You can’t even imagine the challenge that created for us trying to get to the West Side.”

John says “this obviously makes it very difficult for service vehicles to get to homes efficiently. Costs will rise for companies and customers and cost more money. Not sure where the benefit is.”

FYI, while Tramway has signs advertising a weight limit of 6,000 pounds, the original deal for building Paseo banned truck traffic as a condition to construct the road, so the overpasses were built too low — 13 feet 11 inches — to allow semis.

THANKFUL FOR THE NEW EUBANK: Tree.edens writes that “I know most folks write to moan and complain, but I would like to say how wonderful it is every morning at 7:15 a.m. to come out of my neighborhood, which is off Eubank north of Academy, and see this wonderful expanse of brand new roadway waiting for me to drive on it! No backups, never have to wait at all anymore, any time of day, after years of dodging cars to get onto Eubank. And it was all done in a timely manner. Starts my day off in a good way. …”

Assistant editorial page editor D’Val Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays and West Siders and Rio Ranchoans on Thursdays. Reach her at 823-3858; road@abqjournal.com; P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103; or go to ABQjournal.com/traffic to read previous columns and join in the conversation.
— This article appeared on page D1 of the Albuquerque Journal