近距离内射合集

The city of Albuquerque broke ground Tuesday on a yearslong effort to expand and improve Unser Boulevard and Paseo del Norte and provide traffic relief for West Side residents.

鈥淗appy St. Patrick鈥檚 Day and Happy Paseo and Unser Day,鈥� Rep. Joy Garratt, D-Albuquerque, said on an 80-degree, breezy afternoon at the corner of Unser and Boulder Trail NW. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been waiting for this.鈥�

After several years of planning and raising money, work on the $62 million first phase of the , which Mayor Tim Keller called 鈥渢he largest city road project ever,鈥� is underway.

The project will consist of widening roads to four lanes, installing new medians and lighting, adding 10-foot multiuse trails and 6-foot bicycle lanes with buffers and improving the intersection and storm systems, according to the city.

鈥淧aseo and Unser have been a daily frustration for residents across the West Side, from Albuquerque to Rio Rancho," City Councilor Dan Lewis, who represents the area, said in a statement. 鈥淏y launching Phase 1 today, we are creating a vital alternative to Coors Boulevard while building the momentum needed to secure the final funding for Phase 2. It鈥檚 exciting to see this investment finally hitting the ground where it鈥檚 needed most.鈥�

In the first phase, work will start on Unser and go from Paradise to just beyond Paseo del Norte, which will be widened from Calle Norte帽a west to just past Unser. Future phases will include widening both streets, including Paseo west to Rainbow and Unser south to Rainbow, said Dan Mayfield, spokesperson for the department of Municipal Development.

In January, crews began relocating utilities, installing traffic barriers and moving earth to prepare the corridor for construction, he said in a news release.

鈥淒rivers should watch for shifting traffic patterns as the project intensifies,鈥� Mayfield said.

West Side resident John Clausing said while the project will cause inconveniences, it has been a long time coming.

鈥淚 look forward to seeing it get done,鈥� he said.

The city has been pushing for the project since 2018 when local and state legislators first secured capital outlay funding for it, according to the city.

Aside from improving the traffic flow, Garratt said 鈥渨idening and expanding both of these roads鈥� will help first responders get to calls quicker.

鈥淔or the first time in my life,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 can say I鈥檓 happy to see (construction) barrels and (barricades).鈥�

While Mayfield said he didn鈥檛 have 鈥渁ny firm dates鈥� for the completion of the first phase, he anticipates it will be done in 2027. 

It is unclear when the second phase would begin or how much it will cost, but Lewis said during the news conference that the plan is 鈥渨hen we鈥檙e ready to build those phases 鈥� we鈥檙e going to have the funding, the remaining funding, to just make this a continual project.鈥�

鈥淪o we鈥檙e not just going to stop at Phase 1, which in itself is a $62 million project, a massive project,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to keep on rolling and keep on building things right.鈥�

Phase 1 is being done by Star Paving Co. of Albuquerque, which has hired local subcontractors to help with the work.

鈥淪o that鈥檚 local jobs, local money,鈥� DMD Director Jennifer Turner said.

Turner said people should follow the 25 mph construction zone speed limits and be mindful of those working on the project.

鈥淜eep them safe,鈥� she said.

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.