COUNTY NEWS RELEASE
Public Works Projects:
The projects listed in this section are being managed by County Public Works staff through
contractors. For more information, please e-mail lacpw@lacnm.us, call (505)662-8150, or visit
the “Projects/Public Works” link at http://www.losalamosnm.us. Please slow down and use caution
within the construction work zones. Please note the below information is based on a schedule
provided by the contractors and may change due to weather or other delays.
Canyon Rd Reconstruction
Phase 2 of Canyon Rd construction is underway and includes the section from the Aquatic
Center western driveway to 39th St. This work is scheduled through November.
Access to the Aquatic Center and Canyon Village Apartments continues to be provided from the east via Central Ave. LAPS Staff Parking Lot and IHM Catholic Church continues to be
accessible from the west via Diamond Dr and Canyon Rd through the work zone.
Crews will be working on Saturday, September 10 and 17. Construction hours are Monday
through Friday 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. To stay on-schedule and avoid weather delays, crews will
have an earlier start time.
Motorists and pedestrians are asked to use caution around construction activities, avoid entering the work zone and obey all work zone signage. Motorists are asked to utilize Trinity Dr as much as possible as the main thoroughfare between neighborhoods and the downtown area. Sidewalk closures are posted with detour signage to keep pedestrians clear of the work zone.
Atomic City Transit and Park and Ride staff have adjusted bus routes accordingly. Services such
as mail delivery, trash and recycling collection, and emergency services will be maintained.
Phase 3 begins November 1 and will complete the final pavement surface between the Aquatic
Center and the Nature Center. Completion of all three phases of the project is scheduled at the
end of November 2022.
The Tennis Courts located on Canyon Rd will remain closed, as the area is being utilized as an
equipment staging area for the duration of the project.
Sherwood Blvd and Aztec Ave
Star Paving Company continues road and drainage improvements on Sherwood Blvd between
Piedra Loop and Aztec Ave.
Sherwood will be closed to through traffic from the intersection of Aztec to Grand Canyon Dr
through the end of September. Residents on Sherwood will be required to enter and exit
Sherwood from Grand Canyon during this time. This closure is necessary to facilitate installation
of new storm drainpipe on the north end of the project.
The third phase of the project is anticipated to begin on September 12 with crews beginning
milling of the roadway from Grand Canyon to Piedra Loop. Work schedules are subject to
change pending weather conditions and any material shipping delays. Work Hours are 8:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Traffic devices and detour signs are in place to help motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians
navigate around the work zone. Vehicle access is limited to those who reside in the immediate
work area and mail delivery, emergency services, trash, and recycling collection. For safety of
the traveling public, residents are asked not to remove or relocate traffic control devices, signs,
and barricades. Area residents who may have special access needs are asked to contact the Public Works Department.
Cumbres del Norte Road Improvements
Minor activities will be performed with minimal traffic impacts.
DP Rd Utility Infrastructure Replacement and Roadway Reconstruction
A contractor working for Qualcon Builders will continue construction of the remaining sidewalk
sections, replacement of broken curb and gutter, street light installation and clean up and grading along the sides of DP Rd. These activities will impact DP Rd from Trinity Dr to Fire Station #2 with segments of the roadway periodically restricted to one-lane traffic controlled by a flagger. One-lane traffic restrictions will occur only during hours of construction potentially from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily.
This work in DP Road is related to the Canyon Walk Apartments and The Bluffs senior housing
(under construction). All remaining construction activities related to the reconstruction of DP Rd
are now expected to be completed by the end of September 2022 (weather permitting).
Traffic & Streets Projects:
The projects listed in this section are being managed by County Traffic & Streets Division staff.
Please slow down and use caution within the construction work zones. Call Daniel Blea, Acting
Traffic and Streets Manager for concerns, 505-663-8206.
Asphalt Repair Work on West Rd by the Medical Center
Crews will be milling and replacing asphalt by the Medical Center on a portion of West Rd on
September 12-13. A flagging operation will be in place. The work will begin daily at 8:00 a.m.
and finish by 3:30 p.m.
Diamond Dr Island Tip Painting Project
Crews will continue painting island tips along Diamond Dr beginning September 12 at 8:00 a.m.
The project will continue until complete. Crews will be utilizing a mobile traffic control
operation where flagging may occur intermittently. Please watch for crews and their equipment
and slowdown in the work zones.
Ski Hill/Camp May Rd Repairs and Vegetation Control
Crews will continue to repair the shoulders and cut back overgrown vegetation along Camp May Rd to the ski hill. Temporary flagging operations will be in place as they proceed along the road. Please drive slowly as crews will be in blind spots along the road. Work will begin Monday, September 12 and continue until complete. Work will begin daily at 8:00 a.m. and finish by 3:30p.m.
ULLR Fest at Pajarito Ski Area on Camp May Rd Saturday, September 10
ULLR Fest will be held at the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area this Saturday, September 10
beginning at 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Atomic City Transit service will be provided between
Sullivan Field and the event parking lot during the event. Travelers are asked to be cautious and
slowdown on Camp May Rd due to the increase in vehicle and bike traffic.
Utilities Projects:
The projects listed in this section are being managed by Dept. of Public Utilities staff. Please
slow down and use caution within the construction work zones. Call Dennis Segura, DPU
Project Manager, for concerns, 505-662-8123.
Weekend Water Work to Occur on Trinity Dr
Water line work over the weekend will slightly divert traffic traveling east on Trinity Dr
(NM502), while water main connections for The Hills Apartments are tied in to Los Alamos
County water mains at Trinity Dr and 35 th St.
The work is scheduled to occur between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The
work will be on the southern edge of Trinity Dr near 35 th St for about 400 feet. Traffic will be
diverted from the eastbound lane closer to the center of the road.
Engineering staff from the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) encourage drivers
to exercise patience when approaching the work zone. The work is scheduled for the weekend toavoid further impacting already heavy traffic on Trinity during the regular work week
Non-County Projects:
The following road construction updates are posted below in the interest of keeping residents
informed but are being managed or conducted by others. Please obey all traffic devices and
slowdown in work zones.
Homecoming Parade Friday, September 16
Los Alamos Public Schools’ Homecoming Parade will be held Friday, September 16 beginning
at 2:30 p.m. on Central Ave. The parade route will start at the Mari-Mac Shopping Center
parking lot and head west on Central Ave to the Aquatic Center. Central will be closed beginning at 1:00 p.m. from the roundabout to Oppenheimer Dr and will reopen as soon as the parade is concluded. LAPD will be on scene to assist with traffic control. Motorists are asked to slow down and watch for pedestrians, bicyclists, and parade participants and watchers in the area. Through traffic is encouraged to seek an alternate route.
LANL: Diamond Dr Sidewalk Replacement
Crews will be replacing the sidewalk on the west side of Diamond Dr adjacent to the Steam Plantbetween 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., September 7-9. One lane will be closed, and the southbound lane will be shifted to allow for two-way traffic.
ADVANCE NOTICE
NNSA/LANL: NM4/East Jemez Road Intersection Upgrade Scheduled to Begin Soon
Preparations are scheduled to begin this month for improvements to the intersection project at
NM4 and 501/East Jemez Rd, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National
Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) as part of a settlement agreement with the State of
New Mexico.
There should be no traffic impacts for this phase of the project. The major construction activitieswill begin in Spring 2023. The NNSA and New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) partnered to redesign and rebuild the intersection. NMDOT competitively selected and awarded the construction contract last month to Star Paving.
“This project accomplishes three objectives,” said NNSA Los Alamos Field Office Manager Ted
Wyka. “We continue to fulfill the terms of our Settlement Agreement with the New Mexico
Environment Department by performing our final supplement environmental project by making
improvements to our WIPP transportation route, while also improving traffic safety for
laboratory commuters, and reducing commute times for the many employees who live off the
hill.”
The project is the final supplemental environmental project performed pursuant to the 2016
Settlement Agreement with the State of New Mexico in lieu of potential penalties associated
with a 2014 contamination event at DOE’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad.
In the Settlement Agreement, DOE and NNSA agreed to spend up to $12 million to improve
DOE-owned transportation routes used to ship transuranic waste from Los Alamos National
Laboratory (LANL) to WIPP. With the award of this construction contract, which is estimated at
$7.5 million, NNSA will ultimately provide $17.3 million to improve transportation routes
supporting the Lab and surrounding community.
Upon completion, a four-way intersection with additional lanes and safety features will improve
the flow of daily traffic through the intersection that leads west to LANL and south to White
Rock. Additionally, the work will facilitate the National Park Service’s creation of a new parking
area at Bandelier National Monument’s Tsankawi unit east of the intersection.
The following is a list of all the Supplemental Environmental Projects per the Settlement
Agreement at LANL:
WIPP transportation route improvements included the East Jemez/NM-4
intersection upgrade
Design and Installation of Storm Water Engineering Structures
Water Line Improvements and Metering Upgrades
External, Independent Environmental (Triennial) Regulatory
Supplemental Environmental Sampling and Monitoring
For the intersection project, the NNSA Los Alamos Field Office will coordinate with the State of
New Mexico, New Mexico Department of Transportation, Los Alamos County, Santa Fe
County, the National Park Service, Pueblo de San Ildefonso, and Triad National Security, LLC.
Construction updates are posted on the County website each Friday explaining traffic control to
be expected for the following week – click on the Road Construction Quick Link – or click
HERE: lacnm.com/roads. Or subscribe to The Cone Zone Newsletter and receive automatic traffic updates via e-mail each week – just visit the “Newsletters” link on the home page and click on “The Cone Zone”subscribe box – or click here: