I-40 Rio Puerco Interchange Project Breaks Ground

Construction on the Interstate 40 Rio Puerco interchange began last month.
The $5.67 million GRIP project includes reconfiguring the on and off ramps, milling and overlaying a 1.5-mi stretch of I-40, installing a new box culvert and extending the existing drainage structure.

Albuquerque-based contractor Twin Mountain Construction II Co. was selected for the project. Construction is expected to be complete by November. Crews will reduce I-40 to one lane in each direction from mile marker 138 to mile marker 142. This traffic configuration will be in effect for the duration of the construction.

With an aggressive four-month schedule, crews will be working around the clock, Monday through Thursday, and 10.5 hours on Fridays.

Ribbon-Cutting Celebrated on
Two NMDOT Highway Projects

The 2.5 mile GRIP I-40/Coors to 98th Street Phase I project was completed and opened to traffic. The $15.5 million project features three rebuilt lanes on Interstate 40 in each direction and widened shoulders between Coors Boulevard and 98th Street. New drainage, lighting, guardrail and signage were installed to enhance driver safety.

Albuquerque-based contractor Twin Mountain Construction II Co. logged nearly 52,000 man-hours during the 10-month construction period.

The second phase, which includes reconstructing I-40 between 98th Street and Paseo del Volcan, is expected to commence in spring of 2008. The final phase of construction is slated to begin in late summer or early fall of 2008, and will consist of rebuilding the Paseo del Volcan Interchange.

The I-40 reconstruction from Carnuel to Tijeras was also opened to traffic. On this project, NMDOT teamed up with the N.M. Dept. of Game and Fish and the Tijeras Canyon Safe Passage Coalition to install a wildlife corridor.

At a cost of more than $500,000, the corridor included the installation of 8-ft chain-link fences, gates, and an electric game fence to corral animals to a portion of Old Rte 66 where they can safely cross the corridor between the Sandia and Manzano mountains.

Cameras have been installed at Old 66 to monitor the crossing and will trigger flashers to alert motorists when an animal is in the road. Additional signage and escape ramps have also been installed in the event wildlife ends up on the interstate.