I-25 To Gain a Lane Between Comanche and Jefferson

I-25 CHOKE POINT GETTING SOME RELIEF: For years readers have sounded off on northbound Interstate 25 losing one lane, then two, just north of the Big I.

Back in 2010, Teo questioned the wisdom of the lane drop. Phil Gallegos, who handles information for the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s District 3 Office, explained it “has always been there. … Traffic is very congested as the lanes go from five lanes to four lanes and then to three lanes. … The NMDOT understands the problem in this area and is in the process of designing possible solutions. … The issue is not new, but as Albuquerque grows and traffic increases, the problem becomes more significant.”

In 2011, MW pointed out “Interstate 25 northbound, just north of the Big I, is one of the most heavily traveled sections of road in the state, (yet) the road goes from five lanes to three right at Comanche, and there are backups here all the time, also lots of small accidents because of the congestion and lane switching.”

Gallegos had an update, that “NMDOT has a project about to be put out to bid to deal with the issue.”

It’s here.

Last week crews started work on a $1.8 million, 60-calendar-day project adding “a lane to I-25 northbound from Comanche to Jefferson. At this pinch point, I-25 northbound, I-40 westbound and eastbound along with the I-25 northbound frontage road and Comanche on-ramp traffic all come together, making for a less-than-ideal traffic movement through this area.”

Work is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Gallegos says any “lane closures on I-25 when needed will be at night, (and the) I-25 northbound frontage road (will be) reduced to one lane. I-25 traffic should be aware of activity through the work zone but not be distracted by the work.”

WHY LANDSCAPE A MEDIAN ONLY TO NEGLECT IT? That’s Mike Lee’s question.

His email asks “why the city (is) continuing to spend money on new landscaping projects when there are completed landscaping projects falling into disrepair throughout the city?

“The most obvious on my daily commute are the medians on Eubank from Osuna to Layton. Weeds have overtaken many of the plantings and are growing rampant through the gravel. The city recently sprayed the weeds, so now they are dead but still there. The gravel in these medians has been displaced by tire tracks or other ways and is bare in some places. It is obvious that they are not being maintained.”

Mike’s point is “it is nice to have landscaped medians, but landscaping them and leaving them to chance is a foolish waste of taxpayer money. We would be better off covering them with asphalt and adding additional traffic lanes.”

First, why the city landscapes medians. Last year Mark Motsko, who handles information for the city’s Department of Municipal Development, explained that “one of the most important accomplishments of the median landscape program is to plant trees on our arterial streets. As these trees mature, they will create a green canopy over the hottest part of our city, cooling the ground beneath and ultimately reducing the use of water, not to mention that every one of those trees will be working hard to pull carbon out of the air.”

In addition, he said the median plans use “a very xeric design that only uses small bubblers, so we are not wasting water and, after the first couple of years, the landscape will need less and less water. The city installs irrigation so that when we have a dry period … we have the means to provide supplemental water to keep the landscape alive.”

Second, what to do about a neglected landscaped median. Paul Hyso of city Parks and Recreation says his division “encourages citizens to alert us when medians need attention; we are glad community members let us know about issues and encourage them to call 311 when they see areas needing attention.”

As an example of the updates Parks and Rec takes on, Hyso says crews are now “renovating six medians along Louisiana from Montgomery to Osuna. This project is necessary to eliminate turf installed long ago; these medians have become inefficient and waste water. New xeriscaping will substantially reduce the amount of water required to maintain the medians and assist in reducing penalties for fugitive water. The Parks and Recreation Department will continue to renovate turf-dominated medians to more efficient, less maintenance-intensive xeriscaping.”

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