Developer, Not City, Responsible for Extending Scenic Drive

WHEN WILL SCENIC DRIVE GO THROUGH? That’s what a West Side reader wants to know.

“The completion of Unser has left us a problem at Volcano Estates and Monte Vista Estates,” the email says.

“Molten Rock Road serv(es) both subdivisions with access to Unser just north of Montaño. It is near impossible to turn north on Unser in the a.m. and p.m. rush hours.

“The answer is the completion of Scenic Drive that is supposed to run north of Monte Vista Estates with a tie-in at Rainbow and Universe. Can you tell me when Scenic will be extended west?”

When homeowners and developers pay for it.

Michael Riordan, director of the city of Albuquerque’s Department of Municipal Development, says “Special Assessment District (SAD) 228 will construct Scenic from Rainbow southwest to east edge of the subdivision, approximately 500 feet. The remaining portion, approximately 600 feet along the frontage of the subdivision, Vista Terraza to the pump station, is to be constructed by the developer.”

LA ORILLA CAN’T BE FINISHED, CAN IT? Steve emails to point out that “crews recently finished a project to widen and improve La Orilla Road westward to Via Corta del Sur. It’s a good start but looks so ridiculous at this point I laugh every time I drive through the winding stretch of road.

“Please tell me that this is only phase one of the project. It can’t possibly be done looking like that. When will phase 2 complete the project to straighten out the road and finish the widening?”

David Mitchell, director of Bernalillo County’s Operations and Maintenance Department, has an update from the county’s Tech Services Department on Steve’s hoped-for phase 2. “This project will add additional width to La Orilla Road NW between Sumac Drive and Via Corta del Sur NW and builds upon a recently completed private developer project.”

Mitchell says it is “a county ‘transition’ project that will be done within the city limits to make the new developer portion dovetail with the city’s existing portion, including a trail connection that completes the connection from Coors to Golf Course. That trail is what is holding up the project for another few weeks, as there was not able to be a negotiation for the property on the north side and it had to go through condemnation proceedings.”

The county has awarded a contract to design the improvements. Tech Services says “after the improvements are made, the road will have curb and gutter, one driving lane in each direction, a bike lane in each direction, a bike-lane buffer zone in each direction and a multi-use path.”

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, N.M. 87103; or go to ABQjournal.com/traffic to read previous columns and join in the conversation.
— This article appeared on page 1 of the West Side Journal