Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 1

THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 1987 0 Bernalillo Girls Top Highland, Still Undefeated: See Sports on Page 7 juuLii UU Bernalillo Placitas Rio Rancho Corrales Alameda Los Rahchos de Albuquerque Paradise Hills Taylor Ranch Bosque Farms Los Lunas Belen Rio Rancho Says Bridge a Start To Clear Roads be under way early in 1988 is the extension of Golf Course Road from Paradise Boulevard to Paseo del Norte. But it's the 20th Street route to Unser that's receiving the most attention in Rio Rancho, at least at the council level. "I think it's the single most important issue to address," said Pacelli, who sponsored the proposed bond issue. He calls it a matter of public safety. "If there was a major catastrophe on Southern Boulevard west of Golf Course Road, there is no other access most people would know to go to get out of town," he said.

"My concern is for that part of the town." North of Southern, AMREP Southwest has pledged $400,000 JOURNAL PHOTO DEAN HANSON Twentieth Street has been paved north of Northern Boulevard to the most recent AMREP subdivision, North Hills. Unser Boulevard's High on Road List Completion Seen as Crucial to West Side By Michael Hartranft JOURNAL STAFF WRITER RIO RANCHO City officials call today's opening of the Paseo del Norte bridge and highway a major plus for the West Side, but claim its true value won't be realized at least in Rio Rancho until some other major roads are in place. The bridge will open after 2 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremonies. Mayor Grover Nash said there's little doubt Paseo del Norte will greatly alleviate the congestion that now occurs at the 1-40 find Corrales river crossings.

And Councilor Henry Pacelli ventures it could provide a healthy boost for Rio Rancho businesses and even home life what with commuters getting home early enough to shop locally and to spend more time with their families. "But it does not," said Nash, "solve the problem of an alternate egress (from Rio Rancho)." In their eyes, what's as sorely needed as the bridge is the completion of Unser Boulevard. Other community leaders agree. "In terms of Rio Rancho and the entire West Side, we not only have to have a way of crossing the river, but we need more than one corridor from one point to another," said state Rep. Pauline Eisenstadt, D-Sandoval.

She co-sponsored a bill earlier this year which allocated $1 million in planning money for Unser, which she says could cost $18 million to complete. She hopes it will be done in five years. At its end, the city of Rio Rancho has proposed an $800,000 bond issue on the March 1 ballot to improve 20th Street to the county line where it eventually will connect with Unser. Nash and others observe that even with the new bridge, Rio Rancho's Albuquerque-bound traffic is largely limited to using NM 528, or Golf Course Road, which currently ends in Paradise Hills. Senior planner Art Corsie said one project that will make Paseo more effective for Rio Rancho in the short term and which the city of Albuquerque says should By Julie Clausen JOURNAL STAFF WRITER RIO RANCHO Southern Blvd.

Proposed Unser I cc rnnoAi pq Extension 1 i -V Irving iCf I Paradise g( Hx hhis I asec Ranch I I' IzZHin eAfc 218 to (not yet constructed) y- -ay Is Jfe timetable for extending Unser to Rio Rancho is making planning difficult. He said he's heard estimates that portion of the road may be five years down the line. "We're really in a quandary," he said. "We can plan until we're blue in the face, but it depends on what Albuquerque does." Pacelli said that until Albuquerque builds its portion of Unser, the city could construct a route between 20th Street and Golf Course Road, possibly along 18th or 19th avenues, or even McMahon Road. Springfield agrees, but adds there could be complications.

"If we do that, it would double the amount of traffic on Golf Course Road," he said. "Golf Course Road would have to be improved for that scenario to work." That may be in the long-range plans, says George Meador, Albuquerque's transportation planning manager, but for now, the city's focus on West Side road improvements is on Unser. "I think Unser will prove to be the greater benefit for the dollars we spend at this point in time," he said. Unser's function will be twofold. "Number one, it's the only other north-south principal arterial west of the river other than Coors Boulevard and MORE: See OFFICIALS on Page 8 Bernalillo County roads.

However, in a draft plan to be submitted to the state Highway Commission Friday, the city would retain responsibility for said George Meador, the city's transportation planning manager. While the chamber's proposal doesn't quite mesh with the draft agreement, Meador said, everyone has the same idea to get Unser completed as quickly and economically as possible. "The chamber's idea or intent fits," Meador said. "The specific roadways probably will not." Unser would become the West' Side's much-needed alternative to Coors Boulevard. Last year, the Legislature appropriated $1 million for the planning of Unser.

A draft of the Highway Department's five-year construction plan proposes allocating $8 million toward the, project over the next five years. 1 Wayne Ciddio, legislative MORE: See BOULEVARD'S on Page 6 With the Paseo del Norte bridge about to open, both the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and the city are shifting their attention to what could be the West Side's next major transportation project the completion of Unser Boulevard. Chamber board members have decided to ask the state Legislature to direct the state Highway Department to build and maintain Unser and to appropriate funds to ensure its timely completion. Responsibility for the road is currently in the hands of the city. In return, the city would agree to take over maintenance of some roads in Bernalillo County now handled by the state, according to the chamber's proposal.

Meanwhile, the city has been negotiating with the county and state to divide maintenance responsibility equally for JOURNAL MAP CAROL COOPERHIDER construct two lanes of pavement from Southern to the Bernalillo County line for a tie-in to Unser when Albuquerque completes its portion of the project. But, said City Development Director Mike Springfield, the uncertainty of Albuquerque's to help pay for improving 20th to Abrazo Road. The company has already constructed two lanes of pavement from Abrazo to its North Hills subdivision above Northern Boulevard. Pacelli said the bond issue would raise enough funds to 3s A little Fanfare Greets Belen Span 23 JtA JJ1 it -u 9 m. ir Ti HI By Robert Rodriguez .1 i '1; II JOURNAL STAFF WRITER liiil! II I I I I 'I Communities, Adelino, Veguita and Casa Colorado.

Bob Davey, executive director of the Valley Improvement Association, said the opening of the bridge will have a tremendous effect on the two neighboring communities. "The bridge will serve as a link between a fast developing commercial center and a growing area east of the river," Davey said. Belen Mayor Boleslo Lovato agreed and said better access may mean an increase in consumers in Belen. The builders of Paseo del Norte, Twin MORE: See LITTLE on Page 5 ern approach and the intersection of NM 47 and NM 6 awaits, said Osvaldo Reyes-Alicea, District 6 project manager for the Highway Department. While smaller in dimension than its counterpart up north, the Belen bridge is very important in terms of alleviating traffic congestion.

In 1986 the most recent figures from the Highway Department's Planning Bureau an average of 16,134 cars crossed the old two-lane bridge daily. That figure is up from 11,006 in 1985. The new bridge is a few miles east of the Belen city limits and is a part of NM 6, which serves as access to Belen as well as to 1-25 for drivers from Rio BELEN While the topic on most West Side commuters' minds today is the opening of the Paseo del Norte Bridge, folks in this city have their own cause for celebration. The Belen bridge, a four-lane structure linking Belen and Rio Communities, will be fully open to traffic early next week. As of Thursday, however, no formal opening ceremonies had been planned by the state Highway Department or the city of Belen.

The construction of the bridge is complete and only paving of the east JOURNAL PHOTO DEAN HANSON Cars already use two of the four lanes on new Belen bridge. Rio Rancho Approves Road Agreement With Sandoval County "We suggest to Mr. Salazar that before he opens his mouth, he better check the facts on what the people of Rio Rancho contribute in the treasury of the county." By Michael Hartranft JOURNAL STFF WRITER RIO RANCHO The City Council on Wednesday gave the OK on its end of a joint powers pact with Sandoval County, which proposes to allocate $100,000 toward a city paving district as part of the arrangement. The agreement also provides for the county to help the city with snow removal and road grading. In return, the city appears to be required to do little more than to expend the funds as they're intended and to keep accounting records.

Earlier this weeM Commission resolution creating the district and authorizing that bonds be issued for it. Earlier in the day, resident Arturo Boniello took issue with Sandoval County Commissioner Pete Salazar, who said Monday that he hadn't been made aware of the proposed pact and that he had questions about the use of the funds. Boniello, who lives in the assessment district, said Rio Rancho has seldom received any benefits from the county, even though its tax contributions are substantial. "The people of Rio Rancho never, on any occasion, question why so much money is spent in other parts of the com ty," he said. "We suggest to Mr.

Salazar that before he opens his mouth, he better check the facts on what the people of Rio Rancho contribute in the treasury of the county." In other business, the council voted 3-2 for a modified design that would open up the median that now blocks left turns from Eastlake Drive onto NM 528. The project was completed recently in preparation for a traffic signal at Sabana Grande. The action overturned the city engineer's recommendation, although a state Highway official said his department had no objections. Chairman Tom Swisstack said he felt the county should do more for Rio Rancho, which represents the county's single largest tax base. The county funds would help defray the costs to land owners south of Sara Road who've formed an assessment district to have their streets paved and drainage improvements installed.

The city will be paying about $310,000 of the project, estimated to cost more than $2 million. The agreement is subject to County Commission approval, Swisstack said Wednesday. He maintains the funds were appropriated when the commission approved this year's budget last summer. Under the agreement, the prop- Mayor Grover Nash said the osed use of the funds also must be agreement could delay work in the approved by the state Department assessment district, noting the city ok Finance and Administration. would have to modify the enabling.