County awards design work for Ojo de Lavaca Road improvement project

The Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners on May 27 approved project assignment number 2 to Sauder, Miller & Associates, Inc. to provide engineering services for the Ojo de Lavaca Road Improvement Project.

The project begins at the current pavement end and extends approximately 1.15 miles to Rancho Romero Road; the existing unpaved road has one lane in each direction and constrained steep topography that complicates stormwater management, county staff (Aaron) said. The work authorized includes preliminary investigation and reporting to inform the design, production of preliminary and final plans for an asphalt paved road, and bidding and negotiation services.

Aaron told the board the budget was approved as part of the 2025 capital budget and funded from capital outlay gross receipts tax dollars, and that Sauder Miller submitted a cost proposal the county found fair and acceptable. Commissioner Adam Johnson, who supported the project, said he had received correspondence from a resident and urged follow‑up on additional paving further south as budgets allow. Commissioner Hank Hughes asked about the scope and engineering costs; Aaron said steep topography and drainage investigations increase design scope and cost.

The board voted to approve the project assignment; commissioners did not record opposition.