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Spur Ranch Road residents urge Santa Fe County to take over maintenance and pave heavily used unpaved road
Summary
Residents who live off Spur Ranch Road told commissioners the unpaved road generates dust and heavy wear from mixed traffic and asked the county to expedite takeover and eventual paving. The speakers said neighbors raised private funds for interim improvements and want county maintenance and a long-term paving plan.
Residents of the Spur Ranch Road area urged the Santa Fe County commissioners on Jan. 14 to accelerate county maintenance and eventual paving of a heavily traveled unpaved connector used by roughly 150 homes, school buses and service vehicles.
Lede: At the meeting's public-comment period a resident, Debbie Bridal, told commissioners that traffic volumes on Spur Ranch Road have created dust and health concerns; she said residents contributed approximately $115,000 for interim base-course improvements and asked the county to assume maintenance and plan paving.
Nut graf: Bridal described daily use by vehicles, school buses, delivery and service trucks and said a local physician advised moving away from the dust; she and neighbors asked the county to expedite assumption of maintenance and consider paving because of safety and quality-of-life concerns for the area's roughly 150 homes.
Details: The speaker said residents raised funds last year to add six inches of base course to improve safety and that they seek county action to (1) take over ongoing maintenance, and (2) plan for long-term paving of the road. Commissioner and staff responses were not scripted into the public comment but the item was recorded for follow-up by county staff.
Why it matters: The request highlights a recurring county challenge: balancing limited paving budgets against requests from rural neighborhoods where frequent traffic and service access increasingly resemble urban-class usage. Residents framed the ask as a public-health and safety issue requiring county-level responsibility and funding.
Next steps: Commissioners acknowledged the comment during the meeting; county staff typically follow up on matters raised during public comment and coordinate with Public Works and the county manager on takeovers and ICIP prioritization. No formal action or vote occurred during public comment.
Ending: Residents requested timely action and said they remain available to coordinate with county staff; commissioners asked staff to follow up off the dais.
