Open Letter to NMDOT:

Per the Neighborhood Alliance's comments at last evening's public meeting, please postpone the bridge project until public safety measures are in place.

As you know, much of NM has been subjected to wildfire over the past few years. Here in Grant County, we've been impacted with several wildfires - the quail Ridge Fire of 4 yrs ago, the Whitewater Baldy of 2 years ago, and last summer, the Silver Fire. In addition, we've had numerous grassland and structure fires. It's hot, it's dry, and we're learning how to live with wildfire.

On Feb. 28, project personnel told the public that "Acceleration and deceleration lanes will be installed where the truck bypass road meets U.S. 180 West."

At later meetings, project personnel said there would be no such lanes because there was "no time to get easements and it would be too expensive."

Subsequent requests from the public for lanes, traffic lights, lower speed limits and so on have been reflected.

Those "No time for easements" and "it would cost too much" comments show the State's preparation has been negligent - socially, economically, and from a public safety perspective - because the current infrastructure's capacity to handle public safety vehicles for emergencies, during peak use is worse to none.

Unless the following measures are taken, we are certain the risk of loss of life will heighten and that expensive litigation will follow. And that occasionally can result in liability to individuals in public corporations, especially when they had advance notice of risk.
Please put the following in place: