The Northeast/Southeast Connectors road project in Santa Fe County is moving along and despite some weather issues is still on track to be completed by late January of 2024.
Most of the project is new roadway so it won’t affect drivers, however portions of Richards Ave. will be closed at Dinosaur Trail and Avenida Del Sur for the construction of roundabouts.
Engineering Service Manager Ivan Trujillo says the closings will be necessary to get the construction completed faster.
“The intention of closing Richards Ave. will do two things. One, it will shorten the duration, the time the contractor needs to perform the work and the other is that if the contractor isn’t working to have to control traffic in the work zone, the product will be much better,” he said. “(That means) will be building it in wholes and not pieces. The first roundabout that is scheduled for construction is the one at Dinosaur Trail and Richards Ave.”
The Northeast/Southeast Connector Roads Project will realign and extend Rabbit Road to the west to intersect Richards Avenue at Dinosaur Trail, which will also be realigned. The project will extend Avenida del Sur, east of Richards Avenue to intersect with the new Southeast Connector arterial roadway.
The Southeast Connector will link Avenida del Sur and Rabbit Road and will create intersections for College Drive and Oshara Boulevard. Additionally, the Spur Trail parking area will be repositioned along the Southeast Connector, just south of the Spur Trail crossing.