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Alamogordo approves change order for Tenth Street work; water main to be lowered, brief detours planned
Summary
The Alamogordo City Commission approved a change order on March 11 to replace a shallow asbestos-cement water main, install conduit for a future hawk crossing and extend a median on Tenth Street.
The Alamogordo City Commission approved a change order for the Tenth Street improvement project during its March 11 meeting, voting 6-0 to add water-line replacement and other work after crews found an aging asbestos-cement (AC) main.
Justin, a city project staff member, told commissioners the change order is part of the project scope but became necessary after contractors exposed and then saw the AC water line fail while preparing the subgrade. "About maybe 2 days later, water started exploding from the ground because it's that old AC line," Justin said. He said the water line currently sits about a foot below grade and the change order will replace it and “try to drop it lower” to roughly three feet below ground to reduce future break risk.
The change order also covers conduit boring and pole relocation to accommodate a future hawk pedestrian crossing system, and an extension of the median to Delaware based on a traffic study prepared for the project. Justin said doing the boring now avoids future rework: "It would be very impossible to do this entire project, go back, tear it out, bore under the street again, and then just waste all that time and money."
Officials said the work is expected to require a short full closure of Tenth Street where crews cross the roadway; the city estimates one week but plans for two weeks to be safe. Justin noted the concrete work requires a seven-day minimum curing period before reopened lanes can carry traffic.
Traffic pattern changes shown to the commission included prohibiting left turns from westbound Tenth Street onto New York (no turn north from Tenth onto New York) and creating separate north- and southbound flows on opposite sides of Tenth. Justin said the traffic-study-driven striping and signage phase remains and may generate an additional change order for striping between Tenth and Twelfth streets.
On a motion to approve the change order (mover not specified) seconded by Commissioner Josh Bridal, the commission voted unanimously, 6-0. The six commissioners recorded as voting yes were Mayor Pro Tem Sharon McDonald, Commissioner Crystal Guthrie, Commissioner Steven Burnett, Commissioner Warren Robinson, Commissioner Josh Bridal and Commissioner Mark Tapley.
Why this matters: the change order addresses an unexpected aging water main that could otherwise cause recurring breaks and helps coordinate electrical and traffic infrastructure work to avoid future trenching and traffic disruptions. Commissioners were told the project remains on track for a December completion date despite the additional work.
Clarifying details and next steps include the approximate length and location of the replaced water main (Justin said it is roughly 50–100 feet near the pool eastbound of Tenth Street), outreach plans (a three-day public notice and a PSA before the closure), and an upcoming separate change order for striping and signage.
