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Roosevelt County reviews road priorities, considers vacation of short Branscum Road segment
Summary
At a Feb. 4 workshop, Roosevelt County commissioners reviewed chip-seal priorities, drainage and staffing constraints, and directed staff to solicit neighbor input on a property owner’s request to vacate the final 0.1 mile of Branscum Road; Road Superintendent Juan Dominguez estimated a one-mile chip seal at about $80,000.
Roosevelt County Commissioners met Feb. 4 in Portales to review road-project priorities, funding sources and maintenance challenges and to consider a request to vacate a short road segment in a subdivision.
Resident David McDermid requested the county close the final 0.1 mile of Branscum Road leading to his property. Road Superintendent Juan Dominguez said the county maintains the first quarter-mile of Branscum Road but not the requested 0.1 mile. County staff member Mr. Montiel told commissioners that vacating a planned road inside a subdivision requires an ordinance and outreach to neighboring property owners; commissioners instructed staff to begin that outreach.
Commissioner Tina Dixon flagged concern that the county is close to the minimum maintained mileage required for eligibility for state road funding. Mr. Montiel and Dominguez confirmed the county’s maintained mileage is 1,205.6 miles, a figure commissioners said could affect grant eligibility.
Residents raised several local paving priorities. Alan Carter and other property owners on South Roosevelt Road 5 asked that the road be chip sealed to the curve; Dominguez recommended sealing a full mile to avoid a surface-transition “ripple” and caliche potholes, and estimated the full mile would cost about $80,000. Dominguez also reported the road department is currently short one equipment operator, which limits capacity for additional projects.
Commissioners and staff discussed bar-ditch maintenance and drainage. Dominguez said hauling away excavated material is the biggest maintenance expense because pushing spoil onto the shoulder or adjacent land often leads to re-deposition and continued erosion. Local engineer Todd Kimsey urged keeping bar ditches clear to prevent erosion and cracking from extreme temperature swings and offered to provide traffic studies and engineering consulting to the county; Kimsey also suggested including an impact fee for heavy construction use when negotiating road-use agreements for projects such as the San Juan Mesa repower project, which Commissioner Dixon said will increase traffic on South Roosevelt Road 21 during construction.
The commission identified the remaining 4.5 miles of Roosevelt Road AP (from South Roosevelt Road 17 to NM 89) as a chip-seal priority and discussed re-adding short segments to the county-maintained inventory where heavy dairy traffic has accelerated deterioration. Commissioner Fabian Munoz urged coordination with an engineer, the city, area businesses and the railroad to address drainage on Lime Street; Dominguez agreed to return with data and cost estimates during budget meetings so the commission can set ICIP and road-plan priorities.
No formal motions or votes were recorded in the workshop minutes. The minutes state the meeting was adjourned (the recorded adjournment time is 10:54 a.m., which appears to be a clerical error given the recorded 11:00 a.m. start time). Staff were left with two immediate tasks: begin neighbor outreach on the Branscum road vacation request, and provide more detailed cost, staffing and drainage information during upcoming budget discussions to inform ICIP prioritization.
