Diamonds Are Forever

Construction of $20 million interchange begins next week at Cerrillos Road and I-25

Get ready for 341 days of interstate disruption.

By Thomas Ragan

Buckle up and prepare for various lane closures along I-25 next week in both directions at Cerrillos Road.

It's all brought to you by the New Mexico Department of Transportation at a cost of $20 million to build a brand new interchange there.

The work, performed by FNF Construction Inc., based in Tempe, Ariz., is expected to be finished by winter next year, says Rosanne Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the state agency.

The interchange is planned to feature what is called a diamond divergence, an engineering model that's popular in Europe and is increasingly popping up in the United States, with Santa Fe just the latest to incorporate it into its interstate system.

Engineers say the geometrical approach makes merging a lot easier for motorists, giving them more time to get over to the appropriate far lanes to enter the I-25 onramps in either direction, whether north and south.

Right now, the task is a difficult one because drivers have very little distance to merge. It's a tight, neck-craning situation that has lead to car accidents along Cerrillos Road where it just begins to turn into New Mexican Highway 14.

Bottlenecks at rush hour in the vicinity are also more commonplace than officials would like to admit, something the new diamonds are also expected to alleviate, creating a smooth flow of traffic.

Of course, no pain no gain. Prepare for long delays along Cerrillos Road for the next 341 days, the actual time that that contractor expects to be working on the project.

On Monday, the contractor will start the construction, which will begin with getting rid of the stripes and setting a concrete wall barrier on I-25. As a result, there will be lane closures from Monday through Wednesday, according to the New Mexico Department of Transportation.

Starting Monday, June 22, from midnight to 6 am, the I-25 northbound and southbound lanes will be reduced to one lane. The I-25 northbound and southbound lanes will be re-opened on June 22.

On Tuesday, June 23, from 9 am to 3:30 pm, the I-25 northbound lanes will be reduced to one lane.  The I-25 northbound lanes will be Re-Opened on June 23 at 3:30 pm.

On Wednesday, June 24 from 8:30 am to 3 pm, the I-25 southbound lanes will be reduced to one lane.

Santa Fe Reporter

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