Work Begins on Interstate 40 and U.S. 285

The New Mexico Department of Transportation began reconstruction of a nearly 6-mi stretch of Interstate 40, from N.M. 6 to just east of Tohajiilee, near the Cibola/Bernalillo County Line.

The $17.9 million project, which is part of Governor Richardson’s Investment Partnership, is scheduled to last approximately 250 working days.

The contract was awarded to Fisher Sand and Gravel in December 2008. The project includes reconstruction of both east and westbound I-40 lanes. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in both directions with a crossover detour in effect.

Crews also started a 30-mi roadway rehabilitation project on US 285 from Lamy to Clines Corners in NMDOT’s District Five.

The roadway rehabilitation project consists of new pavement, guardrail in warranted areas and new signing & striping. It is scheduled for completion by October.

This project is funded through the GRIP program and is currently estimated at $10.9 million.

90 Year-Old Duranes Elementary School Completed

Albuquerque Public Schools has finalized the expansion of Duranes Elementary School with the relocated and updated kindergarten playground. This concludes the latest expansion of the 90 year-old school that included the addition of a new permanent building completed last September. 

Duranes Elementary School was first built in 1919 in Albuquerque’s second oldest neighborhood.

Duranes Elementary School, Albuquerque, N.M. (Photo: Albuquerque Public Schools)

Only Old Town pre-existed the Duranes community. “As the neighborhood grew new buildings were added to the school almost every decade,” says Mark Baker, AIA, architect with Baker Architecture + Design who headed up the expansion project. “This latest building is the first green, sustainable structure to be constructed on this long established and still growing campus. While the student population is expanding, the tight urban site is not, so it was a logistically challenging, although gratifying design project.”

The new 10,000-sq-ft structure, which replaced seven portables, houses three kindergarten classrooms, two first grade classrooms and an art and music room for use by the entire student population. Sustainable features include superior thermal insulation, energy efficient radiant base board heating, fresh air supply and air exchanges, passive solar lighting in all rooms plus multiple lighting levels to work in harmony with natural day-lighting, low water use plumbing fixtures and one central evaporative cooling system atypical for a building of this size.

Duranes Elementary School, Albuquerque, N.M.

“While the initial cost was slightly greater, the savings to the district over time will be substantial,” says Karen Alarid, director of facilities design + construction with APS.

Additional green amenities include rainwater harvesting with an underground cistern that provides water for the campus garden, and xeric landscaping consisting of only indigenous plants and shade trees.

Other environmental quality attributes include noise control roof and ceiling panels for superior acoustics, and the use of only healthy materials that do not emit harmful gasses.

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