Doña Ana County hears final Safety Action Plan with corridor recommendations and grant strategy

Consultants presented a final Safety Action Plan for unincorporated Doña Ana County at the February commission meeting, urging a mix of low-cost countermeasures and larger capital projects and recommending partnership with state and regional agencies to access federal implementation funding.

Aaron Sussman of Tool Design, joined by Bohannon Houston staff, outlined a data-driven plan that identified priority corridors, systemic treatment typologies and seven initial project profiles. Sussman said the plan covers crashes from 2018–2022 and noted the scale of the problem: “Over the five-year study period there were 42 people that died in traffic crashes in the study area,” he said, and added that bicyclists and pedestrians are disproportionately represented in fatal and serious-injury crashes.

The plan groups recommended measures into six countermeasure categories — intersections and crossings, corridors and travel lanes, speed management, signs and signals, visibility, and road-surface treatments — and emphasizes “stacking” multiple interventions to reduce risk. Consultants recommended adopting a county target consistent with New Mexico Department of Transportation goals (an eventual vision-zero target was discussed), creating a crash-review committee, and funding a safety coordinator to advance projects.

Specific corridor work included sidepath and shoulder improvements in Chaparral on McCombs Road, visibility and larger signage treatments at T-intersections, and treatments along Highway 28 to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. Sussman said many critical corridors are state-maintained highways; about half the crashes in the study area occur on NMDOT facilities, so coordinated projects and agreements will be necessary.

Commissioners pressed staff on implementation and cost. Commissioner Reynolds noted several recommended actions can be low-cost, high-impact measures such as improved signage and pavement markings; Sussman agreed and said the project profiles separate near-term low-cost measures from longer-term capital investments. Assistant County Manager Jonathan Macias and county staff said the county will post materials online, pursue grant opportunities (including the Safe Streets and Roads for All program) and coordinate with NMDOT and regional MPOs. Tool Design and Bohannon Houston will be available for public input sessions: they announced rotunda hours and an additional session at NMSU’s International Mall lobby.

Ending: The commission did not vote on an ordinance or budget item. Staff and consultants were asked to continue outreach, post the plan publicly, pursue grant and implementation opportunities, and return with materials that support project development and funding applications.