New Mexico

[Plutonic Panda]

The I-25 Nogal Canyon Bridge is scheduled for a replacement:

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/nogal-canyon-bridge-to-be-replaced-with-71m-investment/65531

[DJStephens]

    A fraction of what it will likely cost.  There will need to be additional sources of revenue.   Ideally, a pair of "signature" steel arch bridges should be built, and much higher than the existing structures.  Eliminating the current "drops" into the canyon.  Both to the Outside of the existing late fifties structures.  Full shoulders on both sides, a walkway outside the R barrier wall, with parapets on one of them, for tourist purposes, in tandem with new rest areas near the bridges. 
    Of course they will come up with the cheapest possible alternative, a single span, skewed and shifted off the mainline alignment.   Lot of potential here, that will likely be squandered.   

[machias]

Is NMDOT moving to unipanel interchange signs, with the exit tab built into the main panel, as the same width with just a line underneath? I recently saw a bunch of these along I-25 in the Albuquerque area. I know NMDOT tends to be a little "loose" with their guide sign design, but this was the first I had seen signs similar to IDOT's (Illinois) design in New Mexico.

[abqtraveler]

Is NMDOT moving to unipanel interchange signs, with the exit tab built into the main panel, as the same width with just a line underneath? I recently saw a bunch of these along I-25 in the Albuquerque area. I know NMDOT tends to be a little "loose" with their guide sign design, but this was the first I had seen signs similar to IDOT's (Illinois) design in New Mexico.

Those unipanel signs were originally installed during the reconstruction of the Big-I about 20 years ago. Some of them have since been replaced, but in other parts of New Mexico new signage is of the more typical design with exit tabs aligned to the right (or left for left-hand exits).

[thenetwork]

^^^ NMDOT sign designs and installs will FOREVER be a result of a roll of a pair of dice.

<mic drop>

[abqtraveler]

NMDOT is reconstructing I-40 between Sedillo Hill and Edgewood. From the traffic cam screenshots, you can see that traffic has been shifted to the eastbound roadway, while the westbound roadway is completely rebuilt. Not sure if this stretch is being widened from 4 lanes to 6, as I'm unable to find a whole lot of detail about this project. Nevertheless, the pavement on this stretch is in really bad shape and is long overdue for a complete overhaul.

[DJStephens]

Any news as to if they are going to "fix" that horrendous, done on the cheap early 00's Edgewood interchange?  Meaning I-40 Exit 187.  Has to be one of the worst interchange replacements have ever seen.   

[abqtraveler]

Any news as to if they are going to "fix" that horrendous, done on the cheap early 00's Edgewood interchange?  Meaning I-40 Exit 187.  Has to be one of the worst interchange replacements have ever seen.   

No, the project they have in that vicinity is to the west of the Edgewood interchange, and I don't see anything in the foreseeable future about any work being done there. They've been talking about adding a new interchange between Edgewood and Sedillo Hill (around Barton Road/County Line Road), but I haven't seen anything in the STIP or letting schedule for this either.

[Bobby5280]

That interchange in Edgewood is indeed very crappy. It doesn't even look like the thru lanes for I-40 were built to Interstate standards. Outboard shoulders look too narrow and the inner shoulders almost non-existent. If not for the SPUI configured intersection underneath the bridge I would have thought that section of highway was at least 40-50 years old rather than 20.

[pderocco]

Looks like they skimped on it. To keep the old freeway width, they'd have had to make the overpass quite a bit longer, which would have been expensive.

[Plutonic Panda]

New Mexico, Department of transportation is launching a new tool to keep track of its construction projects across the state: https://www.dot.nm.gov/blog/2024/12/02/nmdot-launches-legislative-appropriation-project-dashboard/

[abqtraveler]

New Mexico, Department of transportation is launching a new tool to keep track of its construction projects across the state: https://www.dot.nm.gov/blog/2024/12/02/nmdot-launches-legislative-appropriation-project-dashboard/

It's a nice start, but I think they should make the map more comprehensive by including the many projects that are in the planning and design stages that haven't yet been funded.

[DJStephens]

That interchange in Edgewood is indeed very crappy. It doesn't even look like the thru lanes for I-40 were built to Interstate standards. Outboard shoulders look too narrow and the inner shoulders almost non-existent. If not for the SPUI configured intersection underneath the bridge I would have thought that section of highway was at least 40-50 years old rather than 20.

In the pursuit of "cheapness" they "skewed" both mainlines onto a single bridge, instead of having two new bridges and the appropriate seperation between each.  The wonkiness below was un-necessary and a waste of money.  How much they actually saved here is debatable.   "Practical" design at its finest.   As said before, would pay close to double the current state fuel tax, to throw practical design in the waste basket of history, and restore standards.   

[roadfro]

New Mexico, Department of transportation is launching a new tool to keep track of its construction projects across the state: https://www.dot.nm.gov/blog/2024/12/02/nmdot-launches-legislative-appropriation-project-dashboard/

It's a nice start, but I think they should make the map more comprehensive by including the many projects that are in the planning and design stages that haven't yet been funded.

That would be cool for us roadgeeks. But it seems the purpose of the tool is to track projects funded by various state appropriations, so what you're suggesting sounds outside the tool's scope.

[abqtraveler]

NMDOT completed their study of I-40 between Albuquerque and the Arizona state line. Their recommendations are presented on the website at the following link:  https://www.dot.nm.gov/projects/i40-west-new-mexico/

[jtespi]

NMDOT completed their study of I-40 between Albuquerque and the Arizona state line. Their recommendations are presented on the website at the following link:  https://www.dot.nm.gov/projects/i40-west-new-mexico/

I've been following this study and I'm glad to see that NMDOT's final recommendation (the preferred alternative) is the Enhanced 2-Lane with Added Lanes.

This will allow an easy conversion to 3-lanes if and when certain areas' traffic volumes warrant it. I just hope they put some good passing lane segments in areas with significant grades since that causes semis to go slow.

I've driven I-40 throughout the state and the segment from Gallup to Albuquerque definitely has a lot more traffic than Albuquerque to Tucumcari.

Traffic flows really good in areas where traffic volumes aren't that high and also when speed differentials aren't high. Issues develop when semis want to complete a slow pass (only 1-2 MPH faster) instead of speeding up a bit, cars want to blow by at 90+ MPH, or semis/cars want to drive under 70 MPH. So as long as people (both cars and semis) drive better, then 2-lanes each way will be sufficient - especially if they add passing lane segments in hilly areas.

The Enhanced 2-Lane with Added Lane solution also has a large width shoulder which can be used as an extra lane during maintenance (road work). This is a significant improvement over the current narrow shoulders and would mean there wouldn't be a 50% throughput reduction whenever they have to close a lane.

[DJStephens]

The "preferred" alternative appears to be more of the same.  Regressive back-sliding, design wise.  Meaning a "flush" median with center barrier.  Given the route passes through very desolate terrain, a wider median with greater ROW width would be preferable.   Am guessing many of the original sixties interchanges need replacement.   Reconstructing them with greater horizontal clearances would be preferable.   

[Plutonic Panda]

NMDOT looking for more funding:

https://sourcenm.com/briefs/new-taxes-or-fees-needed-for-billions-in-unfunded-road-projects-nmdot-says/

[kphoger]

NMDOT looking for more funding:

https://sourcenm.com/briefs/new-taxes-or-fees-needed-for-billions-in-unfunded-road-projects-nmdot-says/

The report estimates that the average driver in New Mexico pays, due to deteriorating roads, $914 annually for "vehicle operating costs", $686 annually in "congestion costs", and $474 annually in "safety costs".  I call bullshit.

[pderocco]

NMDOT looking for more funding:

https://sourcenm.com/briefs/new-taxes-or-fees-needed-for-billions-in-unfunded-road-projects-nmdot-says/

The report estimates that the average driver in New Mexico pays, due to deteriorating roads, $914 annually for "vehicle operating costs", $686 annually in "congestion costs", and $474 annually in "safety costs".  I call bullshit.

I'd find them a little more credible if they said $900, $700, and $500. Phony accuracy has an intellectual stench to it.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'd be curious to see all figures itemized.  The safety cost in particular sounds difficult to actual quantify.  The other two seen stratospherically high for the average New Mexico driver.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah, the math is a little weird, but it's pretty clear New Mexico doesn't exactly flush their department of transportation with cash.

[kphoger]

I'd find them a little more credible if they said $900, $700, and $500. Phony accuracy has an intellectual stench to it.

I'd be curious to see all figures itemized.  The safety cost in particular sounds difficult to actual quantify.

And bear in mind that these costs are only those that can be attributed to poor highway conditions.  How the heck are the conditions of New Mexico highways costing drivers an average of nearly a thousand bucks per year on "vehicle operating costs"?  Not just a hypothetical couple of extra front end suspension jobs over the life of the vehicle, but the average driver, every year??

[Max Rockatansky]

I'd find them a little more credible if they said $900, $700, and $500. Phony accuracy has an intellectual stench to it.

I'd be curious to see all figures itemized.  The safety cost in particular sounds difficult to actual quantify.

And bear in mind that these costs are only those that can be attributed to poor highway conditions.  How the heck are the conditions of New Mexico highways costing drivers an average of nearly a thousand bucks per year on "vehicle operating costs"?  Not just a hypothetical couple of extra front end suspension jobs over the life of the vehicle, but the average driver, every year??

To that end, I worked in southern New Mexico for three years.  Yeah sure, the roads aren't great there.  That said during that time the only significant repair issue I had was a slow leak in a tire.  Considering I was in Las Cruces when it happened the nail involved could have come from anything.  There wasn't anything on NMDOT held inventory that suggests to me that these numbers should be this high. 

I regularly drive way worse local County roads here in California.  I've never once had repair costs even approach the numbers being cited in this article in the last ten years.

[Plutonic Panda]

I think the message in that article was the wrong way to go about it, but the state definitely needs more funding for roads.