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DOT New Mexico 101 project prompts resident concerns over fencing, lighting and maintenance
Summary
Trustees and residents pressed staff about chain-link fencing installed under contract (DOT agreed to replace with pipe rail), the brightness/height of new lights (town’s night-sky ordinance must be met) and maintenance agreements and easements; town will schedule a joint public meeting with DOT to resolve remaining items.
Town staff briefed trustees on the New Mexico 101 project and the contractor’s recent work in town. Residents reported a chain-link fence that the town had previously requested be omitted; staff said the contractor had followed plan documents and the State DOT agreed to replace the chain link with pipe rail (subject to a change order and Santa Fe approval).
Trustees also raised night-sky concerns after residents reported bright, high-mounted lights. The town manager told DOT staff the town will not sign over utility-meter responsibility for the lights until the project meets Mesilla’s night-sky ordinance standards. "Until our night sky ordinance is met, I will not be signing off on that meter takeover by any means," the mayor said, pledging to protect residents from nonconforming light pollution.
Other questions included color and ownership of wayfinding/road signs (town brown vs. city green vs. county blue), who will maintain new landscaped 'French drain' areas, drainage/ponding responsibilities and protective bollards at intersections that abut private yards. Staff said they had requested a joint public meeting with DOT and would arrange one and a follow-up one-on-one meeting with the project engineer, designer and contractor to ensure residents’ concerns are addressed before final acceptance.
