RECOGNIZING THE NEED TO HELP ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC CONTROL PROBLEMS ON FAIRVIEW LANE AND THE NEED TO CONSTRUCT A RELIEF ROUTE AROUND THE CITY OF ESPANOLA.

WHEREAS, the state highway and transportation department recognizes the need to make improvements on Fairview lane due to increased traffic flow for the safety of the residents of Espanola who operate motor vehicles; and

WHEREAS, the increased traffic flow on Fairview lane has resulted in several accidents at the intersection of Fairview lane and New Mexico route 68 because there is inadequate ingress onto Fairview lane from New Mexico route 68 and egress from Fairview lane onto New Mexico route 68; and

WHEREAS, the city of Espanola is experiencing economic growth in and around the Fairview lane vicinity, and that growth is having significant impact on the transportation network on Fairview lane and throughout the city of Espanola; and

WHEREAS, the opening of Wal-Mart super store, the Walgreens super store and heavy industrial vehicles on the roadway all cause additional stress on the main arterial of Espanola by attracting or compounding heavy traffic flow and increasing the possibility of personal injury; and

WHEREAS, these traffic issues have prompted the city of Espanola to pass a resolution requesting the state highway and transportation department to allow limited access onto Fairview lane and New Mexico route 68, as requested by the city council, to provide alternate methods of accessing this arterial; and

WHEREAS, traffic on United States route 285-84 and New Mexico route 68, also known as paseo de Onate and Riverside drive, generate heavy traffic for already strained arterials within the city of Espanola; and

WHEREAS, the increasingly heavy traffic has prompted the intiative to construct a relief route on the east side of Espanola; and

WHEREAS, the state highway and transportation department has set aside two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for an alignment study and environmental impact study and five million dollars ($5,000,000) for the construct of the eastside relief route; and

WHEREAS, the budgeted funds for the necessary studies, including archaeological, environmental and environmental impact studies, and construction funds for the relief route construction are insufficient;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LEGISLATURE OF NEW MEXICO that the state highway and transportation department be requested to re-engineer the intersection of Fairview lane and New Mexico route 68 to include the construction of dual left-hand turn lanes for ingress onto and egress from New Mexico route 68 and Fairview lane; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state highway and transportation department make a concerted and timely effort to widen Fairview lane in order to provide smoother, safer and less congested traffic flow; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the intent of the city of Espanola in seeking alternatives to access New Mexico route 68 and Fairview lane be supported; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state highway and transportation department provide sufficient funding for necessary studies and the construction of the alternative relief route with the objective that these improvements would improve highway efficiency, alleviate traffic congestion and improve traffic safety; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary and the district 5 engineer of the state highway and transportation department, to the state highway commission and to the city of Espanola.