Commission picks alternatives 6, 7 and 12 for East Side Extension study

The Valencia County Commission on Feb. 18 selected alternatives 6, 7 and 12 for further study as potential alignments for the East Side Extension, a proposed roadway to connect the Los Lunas Boulevard extension at NM 47 eastward to the Manzano Expressway.

Wyatt Kirchner, vice president with Molson & Corbin, walked the commission through a 12-option analysis that included mileage, estimated affected parcels and structures, and irrigation (MRGCD) crossings. Options ranged from roughly 3.06 to 3.45 miles and would require acquiring substantial right-of-way — the study proposed a planning width of about 110 feet to avoid repeated acquisitions in future phases.

Kirchner summarized the engineering trade-offs: the straightest, shortest alignments are typically best for traffic performance but often require more property takings and environmental review. ‘‘Something that ties in at the end of Los Lunas Boulevard, goes to the east, and ties into the Manzano Expressway… the straightest shot is probably gonna be, strictly from an engineering's perspective, the best option,’’ he said.

Commissioners raised concerns about parcel impacts, environmental and right-of-way costs, and public acceptability. Staff noted some alternatives had fewer parcel impacts (alternative 7 was among the lowest) while others were more compatible with NMDOT spacing and signalization needs. The board asked Molson & Corbin to proceed with public involvement and detailed traffic modeling on the top three options.

The commission directed Molson & Corbin to begin the next phase of public outreach and analysis on alternatives 6, 7 and 12 and to report back with modeled results and a recommended preferred alignment for further environmental review and right-of-way planning.