County public works outlines multimodal street upgrades and ADA transition plan

Deputy Public Works Director Keith Wilson presented the county's multimodal transportation program to the Inclusivity Task Force, detailing recent and upcoming projects he said are intended to improve pedestrian, bicycle and transit safety.

Wilson said the department maintains roughly 111 miles of roadway, about 102 miles of sidewalk and roughly 1,500 curb ramps, and that “just under 40% of those are not in compliance with current ADA standards.” He said the county's Complete Streets policy (Resolution 10‑32, passed in 2010) and several planning documents — including the 2017 Bicycle Transportation Plan and an updated Pedestrian Master Plan — guide how reconstruction and maintenance prioritize multimodal accommodations.

He highlighted the 2020 Trinity Drive reconfiguration between Oppenheimer and Diamond Drive, describing a road diet that converted a four‑lane high‑speed section into a cross‑section with one travel lane in each direction, a two‑way left‑turn lane and bike lanes to slow traffic and add buffers. Wilson said the corridor later received a marked pedestrian crossing, a raised median to split crossings, rectangular rapid‑flashing beacons (RRFBs), upgraded curb ramps and a new bus bay; transit will relocate two stops to the improved site and add shelters.

Wilson previewed the next Trinity segment (Oppenheimer to Connect Street) and said council chose to remove one travel lane in each direction where capacity studies showed it was justified, freeing space for bike lanes and pedestrian improvements. He also described sidewalk widening near Ashley Pond and a bus pullout near the Justice Center tied to regional Park-and-Ride coordination.

On connectivity for schools, Wilson described a Wirerock/Mirador development project to construct a multiuse trail and a midblock crossing controlled by a pedestrian hybrid (HAWK) beacon to create a direct, safer route for approximately 70 children who currently are bused to Pinon School. He said the project should proceed to construction this year, subject to final design and coordination.

Wilson acknowledged engineering challenges when retrofitting sidewalks and curb ramps to meet ADA grades and explained the county uses a five‑year pavement management study to prioritize where full reconstruction and curb‑ramp upgrades occur.

The presentation noted an underpass project that lets the Canyon Rim Trail pass under State Road 502, funded in part with federal dollars, and described recent marked crossings installed at Oppenheimer and the aquatic center as examples of site‑specific safety improvements.

Members asked follow‑up questions about protective bollards, deer‑crossing measures and potential bicycle facilities on NM‑4. Wilson said plastic stanchions can be a maintenance problem in snow and that the county is piloting a short concrete barrier on a White Rock multiuse trail; for deer crossings he described concept‑stage triggered lighting and flashing signs on Diamond Drive. He also said the county is advocating to the New Mexico Department of Transportation for separated pathways on NM‑4 during that corridor's DOT reconstruction.

The presentation concluded with Wilson inviting task‑force members to provide input and said contact information would be available for follow up. The task force moved from the presentation to working‑group updates and next steps.

The task force did not take formal action on the projects during the meeting; all project descriptions, schedules and funding sources mentioned were presented by Wilson as county plans or concepts.