Road Warrior: NMDOT offers tips for driving during monsoon season

Happy Monday.

People heading to Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court will have to deal with an inconvenience over the next few weeks.

Starting Monday, a westbound lane on Lomas Boulevard between Fourth and Fifth streets will be closed for 30 days due to maintenance on the court grounds. Westbound motorists will need to merge before passing through Fourth Street, Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court spokesperson Camille Baca said.

The closure will not affect law enforcement or access to the court’s outdoor bonding window, she said.

DRIVE SAFELY: The New Mexico Department of Transportation recently released tips on how to drive safely during monsoon season, which began on June 15.

Some of the suggestions include:

• Go slow and wear a seatbelt: Road conditions may make traveling the posted speed limit unsafe. Water may pool on the roads, which could cause hydroplaning if people travel too fast.
• Keep a safe distance: Leave plenty of room between your vehicle and other vehicles during inclement weather.
• Turn around, don’t drown: Never enter any area that has been barricaded due to flooding.
• Turn on headlights so others can see you on the road.
• Pull aside and stay alive: If you find yourself in heavy winds, rain or a dust storm, make sure you keep a strong grip on your vehicle to avoid swerving. If you feel you need to wait out the storm, pull aside as far off the roadway or shoulder area as possible. Turn off the lights and engine, and stay off the brake.
• Never use cruise control when roads are slippery. This could reduce your control of the vehicle if the tires begin to skid or slip.
• Be patient and courteous.

LANE SHIFT: A lane shift on Interstate 25 between Candelaria NE and south of Montgomery NE will take place on July 12, NMDOT spokesperson Kim Gallegos said.

“This will allow crews to begin work on the median and inside lanes,” she said. “Drivers should plan for potential delays and use caution in the work zone.”

The shift is part of the I-25 improvements project between Montgomery and Comanche that began last summer and is slated to be completed in spring 2027.

‘POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS’: Reader Denise Dewey said she was concerned about traffic control during concerts at the Isleta Amphitheater.

“Traffic at these times can become totally gridlocked on both University Boulevard and Bobby Foster to the point that vehicles cannot get in or out of Mesa del Sol, including emergency vehicles,” she said. “Thus, this is a potentially dangerous public safety issue.”

‘FREE SPIRITS AND OPEN MINDS’: Albuquerque was named the 12th most hitchhiker-friendly city in the country, according to a survey of 3,003 people.

The survey ranked the top 200 cities and towns where drivers are most likely to pick up a hitchhiker.

“Albuquerque is full of free spirits and open minds,” the survey states. “The landscape is wide, the culture deep, and the people kind. Hitchhikers often find themselves in the company of someone who’s been on a journey, too.”

TRAFFIC CIRCLE: Reader Greg Natzke said many people in the city have “no clue” what to do inside a traffic circle.

“They work great if people would just slow down and yield to vehicles coming from the left,” he said. “Trying to be polite and let someone in will just cause a wreck.”

“There is only one rule: If you’re in it, you have the right-of-way, and you don’t stop,” said Dan Mayfield, the city’s Department of Municipal Development spokesperson. “If you’re on the outside, find a safe time to enter.”