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Santa Fe committee hears multi‑year update on Complete Streets capital program; Guadalupe work set for Aug. 30 finish
Summary
City staff told the Public Works and Utilities Committee on June 30 that the Complete Streets program is managing 26 projects in FY2025, largely funded by federal grants; Guadalupe Street reconstruction remains the largest active construction project with a current target completion date of Aug. 30, 2025.
The Public Works and Utilities Committee heard a fiscal‑year 2025 status report on June 30 on the city’s Complete Streets capital projects, which staff said now include 26 roadway and trail projects and are primarily funded by federal grants.
Capital projects manager Romella Glorioso Mas told the committee the FY2025 portfolio includes 19 roadway projects, six trails and one bicycle wayfinding signage project and that phases range from planning to construction. “For fiscal year 2025, we have 26 roadway and trails projects,” Romella Glorioso Mas said. She said federal funding provided about $16.9 million, or roughly 76% of the year’s capital funding, with state funds at about $3.4 million (18%) and city contribution at $1.4 million (6%).
The committee’s presentation front‑loaded the largest ongoing reconstruction on Guadalupe Street, from Agua Fria to Paseo De Peralta. Staff said design work began in 2017, NMDOT and FHWA approved the design in 2022, bidding occurred in 2023, and construction began in January 2024. The project scope as described to the committee includes 13‑foot medians, two 11‑foot travel lanes, five‑foot bike lanes on both sides and six‑foot sidewalks. The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) of the Federal Highway Administration funded the project from design through construction; staff said that HSIP funding was $1,111,000 (presentation packet). Romella Glorioso Mas noted two trails were completed this fiscal year — the El Camino Real Academy safe‑routes‑to‑school trail (federally funded, cited at about $1,000,000) and the Canada Rincon Trail (about $2,750,000).
Cody Keelan, the on‑site project manager for Guadalupe Street, described current construction progress and traffic impacts. “We’re currently a week ahead of schedule right now,” Keelan said, while cautioning that weather and outstanding utility work could slow progress. Keelan said traffic was restored on a portion of Guadalupe — from Mackenzie Street north to Paseo De Peralta — and that northbound traffic along the north side could be reopened by the end of the week, weather permitting. Southbound traffic on the west side will be affected through the Aug. 30 target completion, he said.
Committee members pressed staff on lessons learned from Guadalupe and other corridor projects. Councilor Michael Garcia asked for an after‑action report to document community engagement, utility conflicts and timeline expectations. Romella Glorioso Mas and staff told the committee the city began public outreach for Guadalupe as early as 2015 and that federal and state funding required public engagement, but acknowledged unforeseen underground infrastructure and changes to utility depths slowed construction and warranted larger schedule buffers in future projects.
The report also updated several other projects: Agua Fria/South Meadows intersection reconstruction (asphalt work complete, permanent traffic signals targeted for Dec. 30, 2025, with a remaining long lead time for signal equipment); Paseo Del Sol extension (design completed in May and construction to be led by Homewise); Richards Avenue extension (consultants reached 30% design in May 2025; estimated cost cited in presentation materials as about $3,231,375,000); Saint Michael’s Drive trail underpass (consultants at 60% design and NMDOT requiring Rio Metro review; city approved a memorandum of agreement with Rio Metro); and Tierra Contenta trail extension, with construction scheduled to start Aug. 4 for a contract time of about 180 calendar days (staff said six months expected, bid as 180 calendar days).
Staff said the department has shifted toward a “safe system” design culture since adoption of the Complete Streets resolution in 2021 and is using more green infrastructure for stormwater control; the city is coordinating priorities with the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization (SFMPO). Committee members asked about mitigation for business impacts during long corridor projects and suggested using economic development tools (promotions, incentives) to support affected retailers once construction finishes.
The committee did not take an action on the presentation; staff said they stand ready to provide follow‑up materials, including a more formal lessons‑learned or after‑action report as requested by council members.
