Missing Sidewalk Concerns Church

Right up the street from Holy Family Church on Atrisco Drive in the South Valley, a descanso, or roadside memorial, stands as a reminder that the street is dangerous, the Rev. Gerald Steinmetz of the church said.

“It’s something we need to investigate, and if we do, something will come from this for the benefit of all the people who live on this street,” he said.

Steinmetz said he’d like the city’s street department to evaluate Atrisco Drive, especially a spot in front of the church that has no sidewalk.

The roadway was recently rebuilt, complete with the installation of new sewer lines, “but why was this section not done? I think it’s a fair question,” Steinmetz said.

The answer, according to a city official, is that relief is coming. But “it’s up in the air” as to when it might come.

In the meantime, Steinmetz said, “You have people going up and down walking along the side of the road, on bicycles, and even getting in and out of our parking lot is very dangerous.”

One recent weekend, the church sponsored a car wash, and some children with handmade signs were out in the street calling for customers because there was no sidewalk.

“I’m afraid that people are going to get hit if it’s not fixed,” Steinmetz said.

Adrian Pedroza of Partnership for Community Action said his community organization is looking forward to the city completing the project.

“We’re very happy that the development and the improvements to the streets and sewers have been made, but we’re hoping that for the sake of safety of the community that this project is completed,” Pedroza said.

Wilfred Gallegos, acting deputy director of the city’s Department of Municipal Development, said the project ground to a halt because an additional storm drain had to be incorporated into the work. Where the drain will be located is the subject of negotiations between the city, Bernalillo County and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, Gallegos said.

“Once negotiations are completed, a sidewalk will be installed,” Gallegos said. “It wasn’t left out of the design. We will be moving forward with installing it.”

It’s not known when negotiations might be done.
— This article appeared on page 1 of the West Side Journal