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City, county staff describe trail project delays and residents raise flooding, privacy and permitting concerns about Mesilla bike path
Summary
City staff reported procurement failures and a funding gap delaying parts of the Las Cruces Trail RTP; a committee member relayed Mesilla residents’ complaints that a local bike‑path segment caused yard flooding and possible permit and lighting noncompliance.
City of Las Cruces and county staff updated the advisory committee on multiple pedestrian and trail projects and procurement challenges, and committee members recorded residents’ concerns about a specific bike‑path segment near Mesilla.
Paul Scruggaretto, City of Las Cruces staff, summarized project statuses: Industry Reconstruction Phase 2 is expected to finish by June 8 with remaining items including street lights, signage and striping; Compass Street design is scheduled to reach 90% on May 26; Amador Crossing signal work is at 50% design with 98% submittal planned for July 7; and work on La Llorona restroom construction is complete pending final inspection. He said the Las Cruces Trail RTP project (the DA Move/Tortugas Trail and University Loop) remains partly under construction but has experienced at least five failed procurement attempts and a funding gap that will likely delay portions of the project into the next fiscal year.
“DA Move Tortugas Trail is under construction,” Scruggaretto reported, and he told the committee the only segment slated to be fully constructed with asphalt in the current scope is the South Main‑to‑Union portion.
Committee members asked for clarification of exact trail alignments and maps; city staff said they would send maps to committee members for review.
Separately, a committee member recorded concerns raised by Mesilla residents about a bike‑path segment from Bowman to Mesilla: residents said they were told NMDOT was exempt from town permitting requirements, that construction had caused rocks, dirt and water to flow into backyards during heavy rains (one resident allegedly reported water entering a home beneath the door), a neighbor had been given a $16,000 estimate to build a retaining wall, and residents were worried about privacy, safety and lights that they said do not comply with Mesilla ordinances. The committee recorded those concerns for follow‑up; staff said they would check permitting, inspection and lighting compliance with the relevant agencies.
What happens next: City and county staff will follow up with maps and procurement/funding updates, and staff will investigate the resident complaints about flooding, permitting and lighting compliance.
Reported quotes and claims in this article come from city staff project updates and the committee member who relayed residents’ complaints during the meeting; the complaints were described as residents’ reports and the committee did not verify permit or engineering details during the meeting.
