Paving is the last step before project completion

SILVER CITY, NM, April 4, 2024 – The contractor working for Federal Highways Administration plans to pave the Catwalk Access Road, New Mexico Highway 174 next week. Heavy truck traffic into and out of the site should be expected from Monday, April 8 through Saturday, April 13.

Travelers along the roadway this week should expect delays. The narrow roadway leaves little room for traffic alongside of heavy equipment. Please travel slowly and yield to large vehicles. The Gila National Forest, Federal Highway Administration, and the project contractor appreciate the public’s patience while this last phase of the project is completed. After paving, project partners will conduct a final inspection walk-through before the end of April. 

This project was initiated by New Mexico Department of Transportation’s application for a Federal Lands Access Program grant through the Federal Highway Administration to provide safe, reliable, and resilient access to the Catwalk National Recreation Trail. Construction began in October 2023 and was scheduled to run through May 2024. You can learn more about this project at https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/projects/nm/catwalk-access-road . For more information contact Maribeth Pecotte at 575-388-8211 or Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.gov .