Bernalillo County OKs funding to install new Tijeras pedestrian bridge

Bernalillo County will be pouring out over $1.5 million toward replacing a Tijeras bridge and working on a watershed restoration project damaged by flooding earlier in the year.

“The county is committed to quickly rebuilding the pedestrian bridge and the surrounding Tijeras Creek to be more resilient for future storms,” Bernalillo County Commission Chairman Eric Olivas said in an email.

In July, a rainstorm caused flooding and damage to the bridge connecting the Los Vecinos Community Center to A. Montoya Elementary and Roosevelt Middle schools, which is used daily by students accessing programs at Los Vecinos, the Journal reported. Structural engineers determined the bridge needed to be demolished and replaced, according to the county.

The cost to tear down and construct another bridge is about $1.68 million. Of which, $386,000 went toward demolishing the old bridge and designing the new one. The remaining $1.29 million the county commissioners approved at their Nov. 18 meeting will go toward the bridge’s construction, which is expected to be done in summer 2026, according to the county.

“The county acted with haste to assess the site and the damaged bridge and its components ... ,” Olivas said. “I am working to ensure safe and open access between the newly renovated Los Vecinos Community Center and A. Montoya Elementary and Roosevelt Middle schools. Getting the bridge replaced is critical to this mission.”

The old bridge was taken down in October. Design on the new one is expected to be completed in February with construction taking place next summer, Bernalillo County spokesperson Melissa Smith said.

Along with funding the bridge construction, the county agreed to allocate $799,656 for repairs on the Tijeras Creek Watershed Restoration Project, which was damaged by floods in July and September.

The goal of the project is to restore natural drainage by reconnecting the creek with the floodplain and reducing flood risks for downstream residents, Smith said.

Work, which resumed in October, she said, is about 80% complete and expected to be finished by March 2026.