The Hill apartment complex, at left, off 35th Street is not expected to impact Trinity Drive’s configuration. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
With construction on The Hill apartment complex progressing off 35th Street, some may wonder how this new residential complex will impact or change Trinity Drive. Based on the information provided by a traffic impact analysis, no changes to Trinity Drive’s configuration are anticipated.
In response to The Hill development, a 2019 Traffic Impact Analysis that Los Alamos County commissioned Santa Fe Engineering Consultants to prepare, concluded that a new traffic signal is not warranted. Public Works Director Juan Rael said during the peak morning and evening hours, 53 trips are anticipated in the peak hour.
County Engineer Eric Ulibarri said this roughly equates to one car every minute.
As a result, Rael said this section of Trinity Drive does not meet the federal guidelines of warranted counts for a signal. He pointed out that Trinity Drive is a state-owned road and even if the community supported a traffic signal, it would need to meet state and federal requirements. Rael added that the County is following the 2019 traffic analysis’ conclusions about Trinity Drive since that study is its best resource.
“This traffic study is really the best tool we have to predict traffic,” he said.
The study may have been created in 2019 but it does include calculations for the future, even reaching 2032.
Besides, the County stands by the changes that have already been made to Trinity Drive, namely the road diet. The road diet, as described in the 2019 Traffic Impact Analysis, reduced the number of lanes on the street. There is one lane of traffic in each direction and a center turn lane.
The center turn lane is a big plus, Rael said.
“One of the benefits of the road diet is it allows for a center lane,” he said. “(Cars) are able to queue and wait for a gap in traffic.”
Ulibarri noted that without the center lane, traffic would be stopped while cars waited for a gap in traffic.
“Leaving it a four-lane road would make it fail a lot sooner,” he said. “Now, a vehicle can get to the center lane and wait for an opening.”
The road diet ensures traffic continues to flow, Rael added.
While Trinity Drive will remain unchanged, there are improvements being made to several side streets.
For instance, Ulibarri pointed out with the recently approved new entrance to Los Alamos Medical Center on Finch Street, The Hill apartment complex is getting two entrances and exits, thereby splitting the volume.
He said construction on the new entrance is expected to begin next summer and be finished in one construction season, which is six months.
Also, 35th Street is being realigned with 36th Street and its grading is being heightened. The apartment complex developers are also installing a bus pullout and flashing pedestrian crossing signs on Trinity.
Even without The Hill apartments, traffic on Trinty has been growing,
Rael said. This is due in part to the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s (NMDOT) project at N.M. 4 and Jemez Road and as Los Alamos National Laboratory increases its hiring, more vehicles are on the streets.
Rael said there are no known plans for expanding Trinity Drive, but plans to widen N.M. 4 are underway to accommodate traffic.
Plus, Ulibarri noted that the laboratory alleviated some traffic when it opened a remote office in Santa Fe and enacted a transportation plan that includes a partnership with the Regional Transportation District.
More people bring more issues to address but a higher population also offers more opportunities and Rael said he is looking forward to these opportunities.
“It’s exciting that the County is going to bring more housing online and I’m excited about the expanded opportunities the new housing will have for the community,” he said.
As far as local streets, nothing is carved in stone, Rael said.
Rael said changes will be made as needed and the County will work with NMDOT in any way it can.
