U.S. 70 and North Main Street will undergo construction this year

Leah Romero, Las Cruces Sun-News
·4 min read

The New Mexico Department of Transportation will host a public meeting Jan. 18 in Las Cruces to discuss improvements planned along roughly a mile of U.S. 70 and North Main Street this year.

U.S. 70 and North Main Street is a major roadway in Las Cruces that crosses Interstate 25 in the northern end of the city, extends to Alamogordo to the east and becomes Interstate 10 to the west.

According to a news release from the NMDOT, the construction involves 1.048 miles from North Solano Drive to Elks Drive/North Triviz Drive. Construction is intended to “improve traffic flow, safety and storm drainage” along the roadway, which becomes U.S. 70 as drivers travel east and North Main Street traveling west.

The project will expand both westbound and eastbound directions to three lanes, and include construction of box culverts and installation of a new traffic signal, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, roadway striping and signage.

The news release noted that the box culverts are intended to improve drainage near the Alameda Arroyo Trail and the new traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of U.S. 70/North Main Street and Elks Drive/North Triviz Drive.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation will host a public meeting Jan. 18 to discussed a construction project that will take place along U.S. 70 and North Main Street in the coming months.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation will host a public meeting Jan. 18 to discussed a construction project that will take place along U.S. 70 and North Main Street in the coming months.

According to information provided by NMDOT, the project entails five major phases of construction. The explanation for each phase includes:

Phase 1

  • Closure of Alameda Arroyo pedestrian trail

  • Construction of Alameda Arroyo box culvert on eastbound lane

  • Traffic in both directions will slow to 35 miles per hour and be reduced to one lane

  • Construction of detour pavement in median for crossovers

  • Shift eastbound traffic onto the existing westbound lane across the Alameda Arroyo

  • Demolish the existing eastbound traffic bridge over Alameda Arroyo

  • Build a box culvert at eastbound Alameda Arroyo

  • Construct U.S. 70 eastbound lanes, temporary pavement, sidewalk and outside curb and gutter

  • Install detour pavement in median for phase two

Phase 2

  • Construction of detour pavement in medians

  • Shift eastbound and westbound traffic over the new box culvert

  • Demolish the existing bridge in the westbound lanes over Alameda Arroyo

  • Build the Alameda Arroyo box culvert at the westbound lanes

  • Build U.S. 70 westbound lanes, sidewalk and the outside curb and gutter

  • Traffic signals at El Camino Real Road and Elks Drive will continue to operate

Phase 3A

  • Widen, remove the top layers of roadway and fill the eastbound construction zone

  • Remove the pedestrian trail closure on the Alameda Arroyo Trail

  • Build a temporary traffic signal at the North Triviz Drive/Elks Drive intersection

  • Restrict eastbound traffic to one lane while construction is done to widen the roadway from Solano Drive to Temple Street

  • Construct the curb, gutter, turnouts and law asphalt along the widened area

  • Remove (mill) the top layers of the remaining eastbound lanes to Elks Drive

  • Fill the milled section of roadway and place the last finished grade layer of asphalt

Phases 3B and 4A

  • Build storm drains and manholes

  • Build a new median

  • Install a temporary concrete barrier along the open trench

Phase 4B

  • Widen, mill and fill the westbound construction zone

  • Restrict westbound traffic to a single lane while widening of U.S. 70 begins at Solano Drive

  • Construct the curb, gutter, turnouts and lay asphalt along the widened area

  • Mill the rest of the westbound lanes to Elks Drive

  • Fills the milled section and place finished grade asphalt

Phase 5

  • Construct storm drains and medians at the Alameda Arroyo box culvert and crossover locations

  • Build temporary barrier along open trench

  • Restrict eastbound and westbound lanes to the two outside lanes

  • Build the remaining median

  • Remove temporary detour pavement

  • Complete the medians

NMDOT reported that the construction is expected to begin Monday, Jan. 29 and wrap up in October.

The public meeting will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18 in the Jornada Elementary School library. NMDOT explained in the news release that the construction team will discuss the planned phases of construction, traffic impacts and the construction timeline, as well as answer questions from attendees.

Jornada Elementary is located at 3400 Elks Dr. All are invited to attend and provide comments on the project.

Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on X, formerly Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: NMDOT to hold meeting on U.S. 70/North Main Street construction