ROAD WARRIOR
NM vehicle registration fees to increase on July 1
City of ABQ adds four new speed cameras; Bernalillo County to host open house on Fourth Street road diet project
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On Wednesday, New Mexico vehicle registration fees will go up 25%.
As of July 1, the new fees will range from $27 to $62 for a one-year registration or $54 to $124 for a two-year registration, according to the Motor Vehicle Division.
Earlier in the year, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law, which gives the state Transportation Commission authority to issue up to $1.5 billion in bonds to fund critical state road and bridge projects, the Journal previously reported.
The additional revenue would generate an estimated $70 million in the coming fiscal year by increasing the tax rate for commercial truckers in New Mexico, raising vehicle registration fees by 25% and imposing a new $35 annual fee on electric vehicles registered in the state. The EV fees take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
The registration fee increases would not apply to recreation vehicles, motorcycles, trucks and buses, .
MORE SPEED CAMERAS: The city of Albuquerque has added four new automated speed enforcement cameras, bringing the total up to .
The new cameras are located on Fourth near Griegos NW (southbound), Central near 61st SW (both directions), and southbound on Unser at Gwin SW.
The locations were selected based on a 鈥渕ix of crash data, the map, and local input,鈥� Department of Municipal Development spokesperson Dan Mayfield said.
In 2022, the city started installing cameras to help address widespread, dangerous speeding on city streets. Since then, about 766,000 citations have been issued, he said.
鈥淥ur program has shown that speed cameras do work in Albuquerque and that drivers are slowing down,鈥� DMD Director Jennifer Turner said in a statement. 鈥淪lower speeds mean safer driving.鈥�
INTERSTATE 25 REMINDER: Starting on Monday night, crews will begin demolishing the old bridge on Montgomery NE. The work, which is expected to take five days, will be done between 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and result in the following closures and detours:
Northbound and southbound I-25 will be closed from the Montgomery off-ramps to the Montgomery on-ramps. Traffic will be detoured onto the frontage at the Montgomery off-ramps, over Montgomery, and back onto the freeway via the Montgomery on-ramps, according to the New Mexico Department of Transportation.
Eastbound and westbound Montgomery NE will be closed between Culture and the northbound frontage road. Traffic will be detoured to Comanche through Carlisle and Jefferson on the east side of I-25 and Culture and Edith on the west side of I-25.
ROAD DIET PROJECT: On Tuesday, Bernalillo County will host an open house to discuss the Fourth Street road diet project.
In March, Bernalillo County commissioners approved a $6.3 million bid with Compass Engineering of Albuquerque, to reduce Fourth Street (old U.S. 66) from four lanes to two lanes between Ortega Road and Alameda Boulevard and add a center turn lane and bicycle lanes.
Additionally, a HAWK (high-intensity activated crosswalk) signal will be put in at the Ortega and Fourth intersection, said Rodrigo Eichwald, county engineer program manager.
The open house will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Raymond G. Sanchez Community Center, 9800 Fourth NW.
REHAB PROJECT: Travelers in the Tierra Amarilla area may experience traffic delays as a roadway rehabilitation project on U.S. 64 and 84 is scheduled to begin on July 8.
Tierra Amarilla is about 15 miles south of Chama.
The project will span from milepost 171, south of Brazos, to milepost 175, at the U.S. 64/84 split, and is expected to take 10 days to complete, weather permitting, said James Murray, NMDOT District 5 spokesperson.
During construction, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, one lane will be closed and a pilot car will guide motorists through the work zone.
Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.
