By Mary Alice Murphy

On Wednesday, June 13, 2018, Dirk Holtman, TLC project manager for the Pinos Altos Road reconstruction between Silver Heights Boulevard (U.S. 180) and 32nd Street, said the contractors are on a different schedule from the original plan.

He introduced others who were there, Brian P. Torres, project manager for New Mexico Department of Transportation, District 1; Ami Evans, NMDOT District 1 public information officer; and Grey Meyers, TLC superintendent.

"We are just now starting near McDonald's on the south end of the road," Holtman said. "We have done some storm drain work. We did the piece down Kimberly. Most of the work we're doing now is between Kimberly and Pine streets. We are starting the water line work from McDonald's to Kimberly and then Kimberly to Pine. We have to do that before we do the storm drain work."

He said they had to postpone paving from Pine to Trapper to the following week, because of issues out of their control.

"We have built one retaining wall, and we will build two more," Holtman said.

To a question, he said some of the rock walls in front of homes will stay, while others will be replaced by block walls.

In answer to another question about the raised area near 32nd street, Holtman said by the next meeting, scheduled for Aug. 8, 2018, the area would be level at 32nd Street. He said the sight line would be improved without a dip in the road approaching 32nd Street from the south. "The water lines and retaining walls will also be done."

"When we move from old water lines to new ones, we often don't know when they will break," Holtman said. "We deal with it as it occurs."

He said PNM is working on moving poles near Kimberly and by McDonald's.

Paving of the northbound side of the roadway from Pine to 32nd Street will begin on June 25, "weather permitting and depending on asphalt plant availability. We will put down the first 2 1/2 -inch lift of paving. We will put the second and final one on when we do the final paving."

He noted in three weeks or so from the time of the meeting, traffic would be rerouted continuing northbound only onto the newly paved section of roadway.

Someone asked about the PNM poles. "The new poles are taller. A pole will be placed at Peck Auto and another at Dement, as well as one behind the Moose Lodge."

It has been the plan to replace the entrance to Bosworth since the beginning of planning. It will be changed to go between two houses. The north end of the current Bosworth will be closed to traffic and businesses will not be not accessible from that end, but only from the new entrance and from the south. The new configuration will do away with the awkward five-way intersection.

The next public meeting to answer questions is slated for the second Wednesday in August, Aug. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center.