County seeks public input on its proposed N.M. 4 Crossing and Multi-use Trail Improvement Project. Courtesy/LAC
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Los Alamos County Public Works Department staff attended the Dec. 5 Transportation Board meeting in hopes of gathering feedback on proposed plans to make N.M. 4 more pedestrian friendly, improve trail connectivity and conditions around Pinon Park.
The public’s feedback strongly supported a traffic light installed at the N.M. 4/Sherwood/Mirador intersection in White Rock and were skeptical about the proposal to reduce westbound N.M. 4 to one lane to accommodate a multi-use trail.
County officials responded that they were grateful for the feedback but explained that installing a traffic signal at the Sherwood intersection is tied to the construction of the Mirador mixed use development.
Project Manager Keith Wilson provided some background on the N.M. 4 Crossing and Multi-use Trail Improvement Project.
He explained its concept goes back to the summer of 2021. Every three or four years the New Mexico Department of Transportation does a call for projects for federal funds. The department is mostly interested in multi-use trails or alternative transportation projects, Wilson said. As a result, Public Works started strategizing what projects could be submitted for funding and N.M. 4 looked attractive due to the White Rock Downtown Master Plan being completed, Mirador’s mixed use development heading for approval and its residential area developed.
“Essentially we were successful with our grant application and in total we received $2.75 million – $250,000 for the design phase and $2.5 million for the construction phase,” Wilson said.
There are several components to this project, he said.
First, the existing trail on the south side of N.M. 4 between Sherwood Boulevard and La Vista would be reconstructed. It is proposed to remove one of the two westbound lanes on N.M.4 to accommodate a new multi-use trail and enhance pedestrian safety. Furthermore, existing trails through Pinon Park would be reconstructed, including adding trail connections to Sherwood Boulevard and upgrading the Sierra Vista connection. A new trail connection along the west side of Pinon Park and associated drainage improvements would be added, too.
“The original concept of the project … one of the major focuses was trying to integrate the new Mirador subdivision into the larger White Rock community with N.M. 4 obviously being the barrier to some of that integration,” Wilson said. “…also, Pinon School is in close proximity … was there a way we could provide (students) with an opportunity or walk or ride their bikes to school.”
In addition, he said an opportunity was spotted to upgrade existing trials in Pinon Park and make better connections between the trails and the neighborhoods. There may also be an opportunity to incorporate the trail that runs from Pinon Park to Grand Canyon into the project.
“This project is not replacing any of the improvements that were already conditioned as part of the Mirador subdivision and mixed-use development … with the mixed used development a requirement was a traffic signal will be built and operational once the mixed-use development is constructed at Sherwood. That is still on track and moving forward,” Wilson said.
As far as a time frame for the traffic signal, that is out of the County’s control and in the developers’ hands. Wilson said the developer is actively working on the design and doing the permit application for the development.
Wilson added that the County will look at turn lane improvements and possibly extending the 35mph speed on N.M. 4 to the west of La Vista. Furthermore, he said a mid-block crossing is being considered between Sherwood and La Vista intersections. This crossing would be a pedestrian hybrid beacon or HAWK signal.
Wilson described a HAWK signal as a traffic signal with no green lights. It stays blank until a pedestrian pushes a button to cross. Then, amber lights flash to warn drivers before transitioning to a solid red to make vehicles stop. The pedestrian gets a walk signal before a “don’t walk” signal starts flashing and the drivers’ red lights start “wig-wagging” allowing vehicles to proceed if the crosswalk is clear.
As far as the argument for reducing the westbound lanes from two to one on N.M. 4 between Sherwood and La Vista, traffic counts were conducted in 2021 and again in September 2024. The results of each count were the same. Wilson reported that traffic volumes do not require a two-lane cross section on westbound N.M. 4 to ensure traffic flow.
Traffic counts show during the peak time, 5-7 a.m., 95 percent of the vehicles traveling westbound up to Pajarito Road toward the laboratory are traveling in the right-most lane. The rest of the day, Wilson said, it is split 50-50 but the volumes are less than 100 vehicles per hour.
“If we reduce one lane there is still plenty of capacity there to accommodate growth and traffic if that happens through lab expansion or some other reason,” he added.
The proposal calls for eliminating the right-most travel lane to have a single lane like in the eastbound direction and utilize the road space to create a trail, Wilson said. Up at La Vista, a right turn deceleration lane would be added and a new ADA compliant trail on the south side would be constructed.
As far as specific plans for the multi-use trail, Wilson said the public’s guidance is sought. He noted that there is an existing bike lane and wondered if that should be maintained or be integrated into the trail? Wilson also asked how the trail should be marked and separated from the traffic lane. Considerations are a painted median and either a small curb with an object marker to create a buffer area, a wall barrier or a painted buffer zone.
Regarding improving trails around Pinon Park, Wilson said about 3,000 linear feet of trails are being considered for reconstruction. Plus, 750 feet of new trail would be installed, which would connect to the proposed mid-block crossing.
Existing conditions in Pinon Park need attention; Wilson said the asphalt is at the end of its life, cracks and weeds are encroaching on the trails and several bridge structures are in poor condition. He added that although outside the original project scope, a segment of trail on the western bound side of Pinon School is being looked at.
Wilson explained that with the new school being constructed and Los Alamos Public Schools willing to make the trail accessible to the public, the County could secure an easement to connect the trail to Grand Canyon. However, he noted presently there isn’t money for this trail connection.
“We are interested in the level of enthusiasm or interest in us pursuing this segment of trail,” he said.
Regarding the timeline, Wilson said the design phase kicked off in September and public comments will be taken up to Dec. 20. The Transportation Board meeting on Dec. 5 was the first public meeting on the project but Wilson said more definite plans will be presented to the board in the future. The target deadline for the design is May 2025 and construction could potentially begin in early 2026.
The public’s response to the project revealed that many supported making improvements for pedestrians but favored a traffic signal over the HAWK signal.
Having a young student and being a Mirador resident, one speaker said, it would be nice to get two traffic lights – one at Sherwood and another at La Vista.
Another resident said, “If I was to prioritize, I would immediately try to put in a traffic light at Sherwood and Mirador that would serve getting children to school … and the second thing would be if you want to continue with the HAWK (signal) idea with a crossing closer to where La Vista is … just move it down south a little bit so you can keep the two lanes as much as possible and put the HAWK (signal) there…”
Wilson explained a traffic signal is a complicated issue.
“… to put in a traffic signal there are nine warrants – they’re basically thresholds – and you need to meet at least one of those thresholds to justify a traffic light to go in,” he said. “Three or four of those are traffic volume-related, others are safety, another one is pedestrian volume and those thresholds are pretty high.”
To meet those thresholds, Mirador’s mixed-use development needs to be constructed, Wilson said. The HAWK signal, in contrast, has much lower thresholds and they are met.
Deputy Public Works Director Eric Martinez commented that the traffic signal installation at Sherwood is tied to getting a certificate of occupancy for the mixed-use development. Without the traffic signal, the developers can’t get the certificate, he said.
Others were skeptical about reducing westbound lanes to just one lane.
“Personally, I don’t like the idea of you taking it down to one lane,” one speaker said. “I don’t know if I totally agree on this data because I have left at 8 o’clock before and there is a bunch of traffic and then coming home it’s the same. I don’t think it’s smart to be doing that.”
It was also stated there are rumors that the laboratory is hiring more employees, which means more drivers on the road.
A Pinon Elementary School student who lives in Mirador advocated simply offering safe crossings on N.M. 4.
“I love riding my bike … which means I must cross the highway, also known as N.M. 4, there are cars moving left to right and it is really dangerous and scary when the traffic gets bad,” she said. “My sister learned how to ride a bike this year and a lot of kids in our neighborhood cross the highway so I would like you all to consider putting in a crosswalk…”
As far as the transportation board’s response to the plans, board member Joshua Muck wondered if there could be a way to get an easement to N.M. 4 and then put a HAWK signal at Sherwood Boulevard and N.M. 4 as a temporary solution while work is underway for a traffic signal. He added this could eliminate the need to remove a traffic lane.
County Engineer Eric Ulibarri said that was feasible and has been done in the past.
Board Chair David Hampton said he supported Muck’s idea and he would like to see a study conducted that would test reducing lanes from two to one.
To provide feedback on this project, contact Wilson at keith.wilson@lacnm.us or call 505.663.1757.
