Road Warrior: What is roundabout etiquette?; Rio Grande Gorge Bridge to go through inspection

Happy Monday. It’s the last one in October.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation is reminding people about work on another part of the Interstate 25 improvements project .

Starting Saturday, the left lane on the southbound frontage road between Jefferson and Montaño NE will close. That closure is expected to last until August.

And earlier this month, work began on a bridge over the North Diversion Channel. That caused the closure of the left lane on the northbound I-25 frontage road between Montgomery and Jefferson NE, according to NMDOT.

The I-25 project, which began in August, is expected to be finished in 2027.

ROUNDABOUT MISCONCEPTION: Local resident Robin Field expressed concerns to the Journal about a roundabout on Candelaria and Rio Grande NW.

“Several years ago, a roundabout was installed at Rio Grande and Candelaria, a supposed ‘road calming’ thing,” he said. “It has become a joke to a lot of people, especially going north and south on Rio Grande. There is a large group of people that think that slowing down and taking their turn does not apply to them. Sometimes four to six cars (or more) in a line will drive right on through and not let anyone in.”

City Department of Municipal Development spokesperson Dan Mayfield said this concern is a “common misconception about roundabout etiquette and right of way.”

“Roundabouts have one rule: the car inside the roundabout has the right of way and should keep moving,” he said. “Those cars should not slow down to let others in; they are supposed to drive right on through. That is how the traffic keeps flowing safely. When cars slow to let people in, they not only slow down the flow of traffic, but often cause rear-end collisions because other drivers expect them to keep moving.

“Only enter a roundabout if you have a safe gap, and don’t stop for cars that are waiting on the outside.”

INTERSECTION CLOSURES: Starting on Tuesday, there will be closures at three major intersections in Valencia County: from New Mexico Highways 304 to 47, from New Mexico Highway 47 to U.S. Highway 60 and from U.S. Highway 60 to the I-25 northbound on-ramp (including New Mexico Highway 116).

The closures will take place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. so trucks can haul wind turbine towers. The closures are expected to take up to three weeks, NMDOT District 3 spokesperson Kim Gallegos said.

BRIDGE INSPECTION: An inspection on the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge recently began.

The inspection started Friday and should be done by Dec. 31.

NMDOT District 5 spokesperson Jim Murray said the speed limit is reduced to 35 mph. One lane is closed during work hours and a flagging operation is in place to allow motorists to safely pass through the work zone.

“Drivers are urged to watch out for workers in the area, observe traffic control signs and reduce speed to the posted speed limit,” he said.

‘PRACTICE POSITIVE TRAFFIC SAFETY’: NMDOT created a traffic safety garden on its campus in Santa Fe.

The garden opened with the help of NMDOT Secretary Ricky Serna and a preschool class from Little Explorers Child Development Center.

NMDOT spokesperson Kristine Bustos-Mihelcic said the traffic garden is a mini transportation system where children “can practice positive traffic safety behaviors in a safe space away from the traveling public.”

“Using play as an educational tool, children can learn and practice behaviors that will protect them, such as using crosswalks, looking both ways for oncoming traffic, recognizing stop and yield signs, and facing traffic while walking,” she said.

The traffic safety garden, located off Cerrillos Road near building SB-1, is open to the public until Thursday.