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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Cisneros

DATE TYPED 02/16/2005 HB

SHORT TITLE

Taos West Rim Road Responsibility

SM 12

ANALYST Moser

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$33.2

Recurring State Road Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Memorial 12 turns over maintenance responsibility for the West Rim Road (also known

as Taos County Highway B-115) from the County to the New Mexico Department of Transporta-

tion.

Significant Issues

NMDOT worked with Taos County in developing and constructing this project in accordance

with a Road Exchange Agreement. In the original scope of work for the construction of West

Rime Road, a Plant Mix Bituminous Pavement (PMBP) surface was proposed, but local resi-

dents opposed this proposal and requested that the road remain a base course road. The senti-

ments seem to have changed now, but the funds for doing this type of work are not available at

this time.

Senate Memorial 12 -- Page 2

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The NMDOT reports that the current maintenance patrol for the area maintains 22.6 miles/FTE.

With the added responsibility for County Road B-115, the patrol will maintain 24.3 miles/FTE.

This will create a lower level of service to existing roadway maintenance needs.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The estimated additional amount to maintain 8.1 miles of the current unpaved road is $33,190

per year. This includes the equipment and labor cost of grading the dirt road 20 times per year

and cleaning the drainage structure 3 times per year.

The DOT’s goal is to provide a sound transportation system, a construction project would be re-

quired to make this road meet DOT standards. The impact to the STIP is projected at $9.72 mil-

lion. This would include paving two 12-foot driving lanes and two 8-foot shoulders.

Future Pavement Preservation/Preventive Maintenance cost over a typical 20 year lifespan is

$264,000. This includes $28,000/year for Fog Seal at years 5, 10, and 15; $88,000/year Chip

Seal at years 7, 12, and 17.

In addition to the above costs, the District would also be required to perform snow/ice removal

and incident/emergency management maintenance. The cost of incident management depends on

the scope of the incident and could be rather significant.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Duplicates HM 19 sponsored by Representative Rodella.

GM/yr