BPAC recommends Mesilla Valley MPO’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2050 to governing board, adds Las Cruces Lateral to active mobility map

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) recommended that the Mesilla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization’s governing board approve the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) 2050, and voted to amend the active mobility plan map to add the Las Cruces Lateral trail.

Dominic Blair, MPO staff, presented the draft MTP 2050 and told the committee the update responds to changed conditions since Mobility 2045, including inflation and material cost fluctuations that delayed many projects. Blair said one study found “it is not viable to do a rail line out to the industrial park,” and staff removed long-range cost projections because current price volatility makes estimates unreliable.

BPAC members pressed staff on document errors and missing references, including repeated mentions of the older “2045” plan and citations to the FAST Act but not the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Committee member Andrew Bencomo urged updating references to the IIJA and called out several editorial issues in the draft. Sandra Ray, speaking for MPO staff, described challenges with specific projects and engagement during plan development: “that particular project has got so many question marks hanging over its head right now,” she said of the Las Cruces Lateral.

The plan lists near-term projects already in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and describes medium- and long-term projects such as Dripping Springs roadway improvements, the Arrowhead interchange (identified in the TIP with $20,000,000 in state funds), the Las Cruces Lateral trail (a previously funded RTP project experiencing delivery challenges), and a long-range I‑10 rehabilitation project. Staff told the committee Mesa Grande remains in a farther-out planning position until funding is received; staff said the city had not yet received funds and the project is expected to move forward after funding is confirmed.

The active mobility plan portion of the MTP shows current bicycle and pedestrian facilities and proposed links. Staff described several map edits in the draft: downgrades to functional classification for portions of Griggs Avenue and Foothills Drive, splitting the transit priorities map to show Roadrunner Transit and South Central Regional Transit District separately, and removal of a truck route on Roadrunner Lane at the county’s request because of a narrow right-of-way. Velo Cruces’ public comment was recorded and forwarded to relevant jurisdictions.

After discussion, the BPAC first voted to amend the active mobility plan map to add the Las Cruces Lateral trail. The motion to amend was made by Andrew Bencomo and seconded by Ashley Curry; the chair called the vote and the amendment passed.

Later the committee voted to recommend approval of MTP 2050 to the governing board, as amended to include the Las Cruces Lateral alignment. Andrew Bencomo moved the recommendation; the motion was seconded and the committee voted in favor with no recorded opposition. Staff said it will bring the amended alignment and noted a federal adoption deadline of June 30 for the MTP.

Committee members identified several next steps for staff: correct editorial errors and outdated references (including updating IIJA citations), provide or request clearer alignments for projects with unresolved designs (notably the Las Cruces Lateral), and follow up with city staff on potential connectors mentioned in BPAC discussion (for example, the Elk/Elks Drive connector and extensions near Burn Lake). Staff also said they would include public comment materials in the record and pass comments to the city and county.