Frequently Asked Questions

While the west side of I-25 is not within the design of the Los Lunas Blvd project, it does provide an opportunity for a road to connect to the interchange as development progresses in Vistas at Los Senderos and Huning Ranch. The Village is not building out that connection because the exact alignment of a road on the west side will come as the land is subdivided. 

The second interchange project was first identified as a road safety priority about twenty years ago, when traffic east of I-25 was the critical issue, and we are just about to start construction in a few months.  It has taken twenty years to get to this point because it is a lengthy process to complete traffic studies, apply for and receive funding, obtain federal approvals, etc. We do understand that now, our traffic concerns have shifted to the westside, but if part of that resolution is a third interchange, it's going to be a long process to get there and we will need to be further along in the second interchange before we start. We are still a small local government and we do not have the staff or financial resources to work on both at the same time. 

Yes, we have many other projects in the works to address this congestion issue. We have completed signal timing improvements throughout Main Street to allow traffic to flow more smoothly during peak hours, and also allow control over the signal timing when we are dealing with an emergency situation. We are also working on improvements to the on- and off-ramps of the current interchange as well as signal improvements at Sun Ranch/Desert Willow. These have all been active priorities of our elected officials in response to resident concerns. Here’s a longer description of the three key projects we are working on now:

• Construct a second right-turn lane onto NM 6 (Main Street) from I-25, including, a new additional left turn lane on the on ramp heading north on I-25 with new roadway signal improvements (Desert Willow, I-25 on & off ramps). This improvement will support upcoming economic development west of I-25 and meet NMDOT State Access Manual (SAM) requirements. The final engineering design for this project has been submitted to NMDOT for approval, and we anticipate construction starting Fall 2024.
• Traffic Mitigation and Signalization project on Main Street: Remove and replace outdated traffic light controllers, update and provide various traffic light mitigation measures from Carson Drive to Los Morros Road. This will include the development of a corridor-wide traffic light timing plan and the installation of remote monitoring systems with support services by Lee Engineering and New Mexico Department of Transportation. The equipment has been installed and is operational, and our consultant is monitoring the timing and making adjustments as needed. This project was paid for by Meta as part of their off-site traffic improvements for development.
• Construct a modified traffic intersection with turn lanes and concrete medians at NM 6 (Main Street) and Sun Ranch Village Rd. Developer(s) will pay for 20% of the total cost of all warranted intersection improvements due to new commercial development. Intersection improvements, traffic signals, medians, drainage improvements, ADA sidewalk improvements, design and construction management are all included in this project. We are beginning the engineering design for this project and anticipate going out to bid in May 2025.

Yes, and this is a regular part of our development process. New development is required to submit traffic studies to NMDOT, and if there is shown to be a traffic impact they are required to make improvements to the state highway to help mitigate them.  Both the Village and NMDOT have established procedures to make sure traffic is reviewed with new development.

The Los Lunas Blvd. will connect to NM 47 at Hyde Lane, which is located south of Sun Valley Road and East of Edeal Dairy, which already connects to NM 47.