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Phase 2A progress: right‑of‑way, utility moves and a target January 2026 bid for Fourth Street work
Summary
Staff reported advances on Fourth Street Phase 2A: right‑of‑way acquisitions are underway (5 parcels; two purchase agreements signed), PNM pole relocations and Gas Company line work are scheduled, and NMDOT PS&E review is targeted for December to support a January 2026 bid. Several technical and funding risks remain.
Village staff told trustees that Phase 2A of the Fourth Street corridor project — the segment from Pablo Solano through the Ranchitos intersection — has advanced to the right‑of‑way acquisition and utility‑relocation stage.
"We are thick in the midst of right‑of‑way acquisition," project manager Maria Raldi said, listing five properties involved: two purchase agreements are signed, two properties are in active negotiation and title work on a recently sold parcel is catching up with new ownership records. Raldi said staff do not expect to pursue condemnation for the parcels currently under negotiation.
On utilities, staff reported that PNM expects to relocate 14 poles by the end of October to clear the pathway for sidewalks; Gas Company of New Mexico has finalized design for line replacement and expects to complete its corridor work by late October. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority will perform major line replacement during the construction phase so utilities are not repeatedly excavated.
Staff revised the project schedule to reflect right‑of‑way milestones and is targeting a NMDOT Plan, Specifications and Engineer’s Estimate (PS&E) review in December. If PS&E is approved, the project would be ready to bid in January 2026. Raldi noted the state has committed to a December PS&E slot despite the holiday season and cautioned that market volatility pushed the project team to budget conservatively.
Trustees asked whether adjacent county work (repaving and a three‑lane re‑stripe) would leave a gap in pocket improvements north of Ranchitos. Staff said striping and interim paint work could create a continuous road‑diet experience even where full streetscape amenities must wait for later phases.
What’s next: staff will finalize right‑of‑way closing packages and deliver NMDOT backup documentation; they will continue coordinating with utility providers and plan to advertise the project if PS&E approval is granted in December.
