Comment Summary available below for January/February public input meeting.

The Mid-Region Council of Governments is leading a transportation study for the NM 6 Corridor through the Village of Los Lunas. The purpose of this study is to evaluate existing and future transportation problems and needs within the NM 6 corridor, and to identify and evaluate possible solutions which help mitigate congestion on this route. In addition to congestion mitigation, the study will evaluate new routes to access developing areas and areas planned for development within the Los Lunas and Belen areas.

This study is being conducted by the MRCOG in collaboration with the Village of Los Lunas, City of Belen, Valencia County, and the New Mexico Department of Transportation. A Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and a Steering Committee comprised of local and state agencies are assisting MRCOG with the corridor study.

The Steering Committee includes representatives from the Village of Los Lunas, City of Belen, Valencia County, the town of Peralta, the Town of Tome Land Grant, and the New Mexico Department of Transportation. A team of consulting transportation planners and engineers is also assisting MRCOG and the Steering Committee. The consultant team is led by D. Pennington & Associates, Inc.

Initially, the corridor study was focused south of Los Lunas and included the area generally bounded by I-25 on the west, the Manzano Expressway on the east, Miller Road/South El Cerro Loop on the south, and NM 6 on the north. The study area was expanded to include a second corridor north of NM 6 to reflect CAC input and direction from the Steering Committee. This expanded study area and two resulting study corridors are reflected in the map.

An introductory public open house meeting was held on Tuesday, August 25th in Los Lunas. This meeting was to provide the public with information about the Los Lunas Corridor Study and to obtain community input on issues and factors to consider during the study.  View the material presented at that meeting and a synopsis of the input received from the public. 3.32 Mb

Following the public meeting, a set of preliminary alignments was identified and evaluated further using an initial screening process. The screening process, which relies on both quantitative analysis and qualitative assessment, is intended to provide an initial assessment of each potential alignment for the purpose of identifying its substantive benefits and flaws. 

The criteria used for the screening evaluation consisted of engineering, land use, community, and environmental factors. Primary factors included: traffic performance, amount of right-of-way need, number of residential and business property acquisitions, loss of farmlands, the effect on security on lands operated by the State Penitentiary, impacts to the NMSU research facilities, loss of bosque habitat, impacts to neighborhoods, and service to areas of planned growth. The results of this effort resulted in a recommendation to eliminate some of the proposed alignments.

An open house public meeting was held on Tuesday, January 26 2010 to gather input about the recommendations for the alignments.  The Public Meeting Presentation of 01/26/2010 includes maps.   Read the comments from the Jan/Feb 2010 public input meeting 2.17 Mb.

The next step in the process is to take the findings from the public process to the local governments. Presentations will be provided to the Peralta, Los Lunas, and Belen Councils and the County Commission. These governmental bodies will be requested to provide their input regarding the alignments and the detailed analysis which will occur in Phase B (see Study Process section below).

Study Process

The corridor study will follow federal and state transportation planning and environmental rules and procedures. Following these procedures will allow federal and state funds to be used for any new roadway facilities or other transportation system improvements that are recommended by the study. The procedures typically include three major phases:

• Phase A includes an analysis of existing and future (projected) problems and other factors that affect transportation system congestion, mobility, safety, and accessibility. These problems and factors establish the purpose and need for any projects that may result from the study. This phase also provides an inventory of local issues and conditions that must be considered by the study, e.g., neighborhoods, environmental conditions, historic properties, air quality, etc. Finally, potential solutions (i.e., “alternatives”) to achieve the project objective are identified and screened. This initial screening process eliminates alternatives that are unlikely to achieve the project need and advances those that hold promise. We are currently in the final stages of Phase A. 
• Phase B includes a detailed analysis of the alternatives retained for further consideration. During this phase, each alternative is developed in greater detail to define the alignment, right-of-way needs, and cost. Alternatives are also evaluated for their effect on traffic performance, safety, mobility, neighborhoods, businesses, growth and development, and the environment. Poor performing alternatives may be eliminated from further consideration. 
• Phase C includes the preparation of an environmental document, typically either an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS). The preparation of an EA or EIS is required for projects which use federal funds and/or that require other federal approvals or permits. The EA/EIS results in a final decision to either implement the proposed project or to select the “No-Action Alternative,” i.e., do nothing to correct the identified problems. If the EA/EIS results in the selection of a proposed project, the project is advanced into design and, when funding is obtained, construction.

Public involvement is a fundamental and essential part of the study process. Input from the public is used to help identify the alternatives to consider and to evaluate alternatives. For this Corridor Study, the public involvement plan includes the use of a citizen advisory committee (CAC) and community meetings at each key milestone of the study. In addition, the Project Team is meeting regularly with local councils and commissions, neighborhood groups, and other groups interested in the study. To arrange for a presentation to your neighborhood association or other group, please contact us.

The most recent presentation provided to the Citizens Advisory Committee is provided here:  CAC Meeting Presentation Feb. 16, 2010

Project contacts:

Loretta Tollefson, AICP
Special Projects Manager – RTPO 
Phone: 505-724-3611
Fax: 505-247-1753
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

David Pennington
D. Pennington & Associates, Inc.
Phone: 505-379-9058
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it