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Alamogordo officials say 10th Street bridge is unsafe; city outlines $150M+ infrastructure program
Summary
City leaders disclosed a previously known 2019 engineering report and a six‑inch gap found during recent milling on the 10th Street bridge, and senior project staff presented an overview of roughly 52 city infrastructure projects ranging from water tanks to zoo bathrooms.
Alamogordo acting City Manager Stephanie Hernandez told the City Commission on Jan. 28 that a contractor discovered a six‑inch gap in the 10th Street bridge during recent milling, and that a 2019 Terracon report had previously identified the structure as needing replacement.
Hernandez said the city’s 2023 grant application covered maintenance, not replacement, which is why the current scope omitted deeper structural work: “When we applied for the grant in 2023, the grant focused on maintenance of the bridge and not replacement of the bridge,” she said. She added the city now accepts ownership of the problem and will move to “rectify the situation.”
The manager said the city will meet with Smith Engineering and the current contractor to refine a timeline; Utilities will oversee the larger bridge program and is preparing an inventory of roughly 40 bridges in city limits. Hernandez said New Mexico Department of Transportation will assess state‑owned spans and help identify funding if a bridge is in poor condition. She also described traffic mitigation near the detour from Oregon to Ninth Street and temporary “no parking” zones near the library.
Later in the meeting senior project manager Justin Boyle presented the engineering division’s program overview: 52 projects are in various phases (predesign, design, bid, construction and completed) and include water and sewer replacement corridors, four new water storage tanks, a rehabilitation of several reservoirs, airport/highway water main replacement, Bonito Lake ADA walkways, the auditorium design, zoo improvements and numerous CDBG and grant‑funded items. Boyle said several projects are included in a previously approved roughly $29 million contract and that many others will require additional grant or bond funding.
City staff and commissioners discussed the immediate safety and schedule for the 10th Street bridge work. Hernandez said a meeting with Smith Engineering is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3, to push timelines and explore using the existing contractor under emergency provisions. Boyle said some designers may shift focus to the bridge work and that DOT bridge standards could speed the process.
Why this matters: The bridge closure affects a major arterial and prompted an immediate city response. The broader project list signals simultaneous, large capital needs for the water system and streets — work city staff said could total well over $100 million across many years and funding sources.
City staff said they will provide revised timelines after the Smith Engineering meeting; Utilities will lead the bridge inventory and coordinate state assessments and grant searches.
