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Residents press Mesilla trustees to demand fixes after NMDOT University Avenue project
Summary
Residents told the town board that NMDOT's University Avenue project has eroded privacy, damaged yards and left unresolved drainage and safety problems; trustees agreed to gather evidence, seek DOT/ federal compliance reviews and explore funding for fixes.
Residents who live along University Avenue told the Mesilla Board of Trustees on May 26 that a recent NMDOT roadway and trail project has caused property damage, privacy loss and safety concerns, and that state officials have so far been dismissive of complaints.
"We have had an increase of traffic that does not reside in our area," said Miss Estrada during public input, describing people walking and looking into backyards and asking what the town will do to address privacy and safety. Multiple neighbors described cracked pools and walls, drainage diverted into yards and debris left on private property.
Trustees and staff said the town has already asked NMDOT to reduce lumens and install shields on lights and that a public meeting was held after residents submitted a petition. Mayor Russell Hernandez said the project is federally funded and some components were already ordered, but the town would pursue every available avenue to address residents' concerns and to verify compliance with historic-preservation requirements.
Board members asked residents to provide specific, itemized evidence of damage (drainage, cracking, debris) so staff can submit formal requests to the contractor and to NMDOT for immediate corrective work. Trustees discussed pursuing a Section 106 historic-preservation review and seeking DOT contracts and maintenance agreements for the record.
Trustees also discussed grant options and potential short-term town-funded fixes: the board noted Trails Plus and ICIP as possible sources for trail-enhancement funding and said it could consider short-term replacement of light poles or other targeted repairs if federal review does not produce timely remedies. The mayor said staff will collect resident reports, coordinate with NMDOT and legal, and return to the board with a checklist of outstanding issues and next steps.
The meeting closed with a pledge to keep residents informed and to request copies of contractor agreements and any federal compliance documentation relevant to the University Avenue project.
