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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — .M. GETS $11 MILLION FOR MULTIMODAL PROJECTS:

In a state with big road construction and repair needs that had to have not one but two legislative sessions this year to appropriate funding, additional new money is a welcome thing.

A news release from the New Mexico Department of Transportation explains 27 federally funded projects “include sidewalks, bicycle paths and transit stops, which provide benefits such as reduced congestion and improved air quality.”

The projects include:

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• Bernalillo County, Alameda Drain Trail, $750,000

• Village of Bosque Farms, South Bosque Loop Ditch Crossing, $111,072

• Village of Corrales, Meadowlark Lane Pedestrian and Bicycle Trail, $456,057

• Village of Cuba, St. Francis Park Trail, $187,540

• Deming, Cedar Street Sidewalk Enhancements, $550,455

• Eunice, Main Street Phase 5, $337,488

• Farmington, Red Apple Transit Bus Route Accessibility, $69,700

• Gila National Forest, North Zone Trail Maintenance, $98,175

• Laguna Pueblo, 124 Road Diet, $711,449

• N.M. 124 Trails from Casa Blanca Road to Encinal Road, $828,467

• Las Cruces Public Schools, Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator, $71,770

• Los Alamos County, Canyon Rim Trail Pedestrian Bridge, $677,190

• Lovington, Central Plaza Phase 2, $393,024

• Lovington Multiuse Trail, $467,670

• North Central Regional Transit District, ADA Transition Plan Phase 3, $307,584

• Raton, Round House Park Trail Maintenance, $42,720

• San Juan County, Kirtland Schools Walk Path System, $854,400

• Santa Fe, Downtown Transit Center and Sheridan Avenue Improvements, $2 million

• Santa Fe National Forest, Vista Grande Overlook Reconstruction, $85,440

• Pecos Wilderness Trail Maintenance, $177,066

• “Forest Your Health” Signage and Trailhead Improvements, $29,085

• Santo Domingo Pueblo, Santo Domingo Pedestrian Trail through Box Culvert, $69,206

• Santo Domingo Multi-Use Trail Segment 2, $931,296

• Silver City, Signage and Educational Materials, $45,000

• Socorro, Socorro Bicycle and Trail Plan, $46,945

• Sunland Park, Racetrack Drive Sidewalk Installation, $222,003

• Tularosa, Granado Street Pedestrian Improvements, $492,467

CLEANUP ON AISLES ACADEMY, EUBANK? A. Lucero emails there’s a need to keep “the weeds routinely cleaned up in the landscaped medians along Academy and along Eubank, from Paseo south to Montgomery.”

“The city has expended a great deal of money landscaping medians throughout town,” A. Lucero’s email says, “so it is very disheartening to see these once nicely manicured medians full of unsightly weeds.”

While some of those medians are under county or developer jurisdiction, Billy Gallegos, the Clean City superintendent, says “the CCD is currently working on two- to three-week rotations on all developed medians. We will observe the area in question and address any issue pertaining to the medians.”

AND A BROKEN SPRINKLER BOX: A. Lucero continues that for more than the month of June, “we have observed green flags marking a broken sprinkler access box along the eastbound lane on Academy, east of Academy Ridge Rd./west of Lowell. Half of the cover is broken off and it was obviously flagged for repair but has been long forgotten.”

Apparently not forgotten, just on that rotation list.

Gallegos said late last month that CCD was “working on the this location and should be completed within two to three days.”

CAN’T WE BRIDGE THAT GAP MORE SMOOTHLY? That from Liz Mazzola of Cedar Crest, who emails, “Driving across New Mexico, one can’t help but notice that the transitions from road to bridges is really off. On Interstate 40 through Tijeras Canyon the bridges throw a car into space. We call it Barney Bridge Bump. Trucks lose ladders and even a passenger car lifts off. Is this some miscalculation? Don’t notice the transitions so much in Arizona.”

Melissa Dosher, spokeswoman for the New Mexico Department of Transportation, says, “The district will have the bridge engineer review the Tijeras Canyon area to assess what repairs might be needed. For recently built and newer projects, the department is using materials and design methods that improve the transition between the stiff bridge deck and the more flexible pavements in the roadway.”

Assistant editorial page editor D’Val Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; road@abqjournal.com; or P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103.