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New Mexico
jtespi:
Hello everyone, I'm quoting from another thread below regarding the old NMDOT plans to widen roads 10 years ago. It appears like US-54 won't ever be made a divided highway between Tularosa and Vaughn.
New Google Street View imagery was captured in the past few months and shows the current state of US-54. The state has "upgraded" (reconstructed) all but an 11-mile segment from mile posts 152 to 163 of US-54 between Tularosa and Vaughn with wider lanes and hard shoulders. The speed limit was also raised in most of these resconstructed sections to 65 MPH - although it is still a 2-lane road with a few passing lane segments. Previously, in early 2021, ABQtraveler (in the outer quote) noted there was a 17-mile segment that still needed to be reconstructed. That has shrunk by 5 miles to 11 miles remaining of 2-lane road with no hard shoulders.
I think it's pretty sad the state is reconstructing the roadway adjacent to the old alignment then they rip out the old roadway bed instead of repaving it to make a divided highway.
--- Quote from: abqtraveler on January 25, 2021, 04:09:06 PM ---
--- Quote from: Chris on January 25, 2021, 01:14:39 PM ---Since the GRIP was mentioned, I attempted to research it and found this map (December 2003):
Looking at the blue expansion corridors, it appears that the I-25 six laning to Santa Fe and US 54 four laning from Alamogordo to Santa Rosa were not completed, but the others have become four lane highways.
GRIP means Governor Richardson’s Investment Partnership. I've seen that abbreviation being used for 'Governor's Road Improvement Program' in other states, but in New Mexico the governor wanted to put his name in it.
https://nmceh.org/pages/reports/The_Governor's_Invest_New_Mexico.pdf
--- End quote ---
...
Also you notice the blue line for US-54 between Alamogordo and Vaughn. The original plan was to expand this segment of US-54 from 2 to 4 lanes as it handles a lot of truck traffic running between the ports of entry in El Paso and I-40 in Santa Rosa. What has been done so far was building a new roadway for US-54, and removing the old roadway without expanding to to 4 lanes. There is still about 17 miles of old US-54 roadway between Ancho and Corona that has yet to be reconstructed.
--- End quote ---
DJStephens:
Was on this stretch of US-54 over Labor Day weekend. Duran south to Tularosa. The sub-standard section remaining is between Corona and Carrizozo. Closer to Corona. Am of belief that the two lane upgrades are adequate, as sight lines are being somewhat improved. Given the traffic counts, the improved sight lines give greater safety when passing. A semi-trailer has greater sight ahead, due to their raised seat positions. A "cheapie" four lane, which is what they probably were planning on, at one point, would not be better imho, than an improved two lane, with some passing three lane sections. By "cheapie" four lane, meant a "flush median" or a "poor boy". There have now been three "cheapie" flush median jobs done statewide. US 550/NM 44, with it's horrific safety record, US 70/380 Hondo Valley, and US 82 E of Artesia. All are less than optimum, some (US 550/NM 44) are significantly worse. But yes, a divided four lane, with a minimum sixty foot median, would be the best long term outcome, for US 54. Personally don't believe it will ever happen.
abqtraveler:
--- Quote from: DJStephens on September 17, 2022, 10:29:37 PM ---Was on this stretch of US-54 over Labor Day weekend. Duran south to Tularosa. The sub-standard section remaining is between Corona and Carrizozo. Closer to Corona. Am of belief that the two lane upgrades are adequate, as sight lines are being somewhat improved. Given the traffic counts, the improved sight lines give greater safety when passing. A semi-trailer has greater sight ahead, due to their raised seat positions. A "cheapie" four lane, which is what they probably were planning on, at one point, would not be better imho, than an improved two lane, with some passing three lane sections. By "cheapie" four lane, meant a "flush median" or a "poor boy". There have now been three "cheapie" flush median jobs done statewide. US 550/NM 44, with it's horrific safety record, US 70/380 Hondo Valley, and US 82 E of Artesia. All are less than optimum, some (US 550/NM 44) are significantly worse. But yes, a divided four lane, with a minimum sixty foot median, would be the best long term outcome, for US 54. Personally don't believe it will ever happen.
--- End quote ---
Unfortunately all of what you described are byproducts of New Mexico doing things on the cheap, like they know how to. The stretch of 54 between Carrizozo and Tularosa was reconstructed in the 2011-2013 timeframe. Within 5 years the subgrade had settled and the pavement had completely failed in some areas, and NMDOT had to go back and completely redo parts of that stretch.
Further north on 54, I think there is about 10 or so miles of the old pavement remaining that needs to be reconstructed. That includes a stretch that goes through a fairly steep canyon between MPs 152 and 156. Not sure if they've done so already, but NMDOT plans to let two construction contracts at some point to reconstruct that last remaining stretch between MPs 152 and 163.
DJStephens:
--- Quote from: abqtraveler on September 21, 2022, 10:54:48 PM ---
--- Quote from: DJStephens on September 17, 2022, 10:29:37 PM ---Was on this stretch of US-54 over Labor Day weekend. Duran south to Tularosa. The sub-standard section remaining is between Corona and Carrizozo. Closer to Corona. Am of belief that the two lane upgrades are adequate, as sight lines are being somewhat improved. Given the traffic counts, the improved sight lines give greater safety when passing. A semi-trailer has greater sight ahead, due to their raised seat positions. A "cheapie" four lane, which is what they probably were planning on, at one point, would not be better imho, than an improved two lane, with some passing three lane sections. By "cheapie" four lane, meant a "flush median" or a "poor boy". There have now been three "cheapie" flush median jobs done statewide. US 550/NM 44, with it's horrific safety record, US 70/380 Hondo Valley, and US 82 E of Artesia. All are less than optimum, some (US 550/NM 44) are significantly worse. But yes, a divided four lane, with a minimum sixty foot median, would be the best long term outcome, for US 54. Personally don't believe it will ever happen.
--- End quote ---
Unfortunately all of what you described are byproducts of New Mexico doing things on the cheap, like they know how to. The stretch of 54 between Carrizozo and Tularosa was reconstructed in the 2011-2013 timeframe. Within 5 years the subgrade had settled and the pavement had completely failed in some areas, and NMDOT had to go back and completely redo parts of that stretch.
Further north on 54, I think there is about 10 or so miles of the old pavement remaining that needs to be reconstructed. That includes a stretch that goes through a fairly steep canyon between MPs 152 and 156. Not sure if they've done so already, but NMDOT plans to let two construction contracts at some point to reconstruct that last remaining stretch between MPs 152 and 163.
--- End quote ---
Yep the section N of Tularosa has a lot of "crazed" cracking, where "ruts" are starting to develop from the weight of the trucking. Am not sure why they couldn't achieve decent compaction of the subgrade, the state technicians have good / new Seamans densiometers, as well as a few Troxlers. In fact pretty much everything they have, equipment wise is near new.
Compare that to many small private labs, which are still using 35-40-45 year old Troxlers that are pieced together. Have no idea how many proctors they pulled when doing the soil analysis for that stretch. There are areas of extreme "expansive" soils, with clays and caliche present. If you travel the horrible Alamogordo "bypass" or "relief route" as Johnson and Rahn called them, there is a pocket of extremely heaved material, even the guardrails along the roadway are heaved into an undulating pattern. The state people have been out there in that last week, putting a "new mexico patch" over the underlying asphalt in the heaved area.
But no, the section S of Corona still has to be rebuilt. Have to hope they incorporate a full climbing lane for NB trucking in that incline, as well as improving sight lines, with better horizontal and vertical curvature. And full shoulders as well.
thenetwork:
--- Quote from: abqtraveler on September 21, 2022, 10:54:48 PM ---
--- Quote from: DJStephens on September 17, 2022, 10:29:37 PM ---Was on this stretch of US-54 over Labor Day weekend. Duran south to Tularosa. The sub-standard section remaining is between Corona and Carrizozo. Closer to Corona. Am of belief that the two lane upgrades are adequate, as sight lines are being somewhat improved. Given the traffic counts, the improved sight lines give greater safety when passing. A semi-trailer has greater sight ahead, due to their raised seat positions. A "cheapie" four lane, which is what they probably were planning on, at one point, would not be better imho, than an improved two lane, with some passing three lane sections. By "cheapie" four lane, meant a "flush median" or a "poor boy". There have now been three "cheapie" flush median jobs done statewide. US 550/NM 44, with it's horrific safety record, US 70/380 Hondo Valley, and US 82 E of Artesia. All are less than optimum, some (US 550/NM 44) are significantly worse. But yes, a divided four lane, with a minimum sixty foot median, would be the best long term outcome, for US 54. Personally don't believe it will ever happen.
--- End quote ---
Unfortunately all of what you described are byproducts of New Mexico doing things on the cheap, like they know how to.
--- End quote ---
It's sad when NMDOT will spend the extra money on a rebuilding project for "decorative" center medians/bridges/etc and over-the-top redundant signage, but won't put money and/or labor aside to perform scheduled maintenance (weed spraying, sweeping, crack sealing, litter control,...) to keep their "investments" looking presentable and lasting for more than just 3-5 years. I guess they really want to show locals and out-of-towners just how "poor" their state is.
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