Exit 460 to See Total Reconstruction In Proposed Project

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

 

New Mexico DOT and design contractors held a second meeting in Raton Tuesday evening at International Bank and presented to the public the preliminary recommendation for the construction project on I-25 from exit 454 to the top of the pass.

During that presentation Derek Meier of Wilson and Company Inc. informed the public that option four was chosen for the final design for exit 460 at the top of the pass. That design moves the overpass from the north side of the Port of Entry 1870 feet to the south. (Link to the proposed construction Exit 460 Construction)

Meier noted that this design was chosen based in part on where the state line is in relationship to the old bridge. By moving the new overpass south, it will make room for longer deceleration and acceleration lanes when exiting and merging onto the travel lanes. This plan will also allow truck traffic and regular traffic more room to merge as they are getting on the interstate moving south.

Other parts of the project will include the reconstruction of the exit 454 exit and entrance ramps making them longer for easier merging onto the interstate. Rockfall mitigation alternative two was chosen which will provide 95% catchment of falling rocks. They will also reduce some rock slopes and tie the rock together using rock anchors.

Another part of the project will include an 8-foot high fence to prevent wildlife from crossing the interstate in certain areas as well as build tunnels under the highway to facilitate crossing from one side to the other. New Mexico Game and Fish are working with the design engineers to locate the box crossings and where best to place the fencing.

The final design is expected to completed by the end of the year with the bids to be let in the spring and construction could begin as early as the summer of 2017. This is a tentative timeline as bids results could move the construction timeline to a later date.