Neighbors Want Atrisco Drive Done

Atrisco neighborhood and state legislative representatives plan to meet with local government officials to try to resolve a last-minute obstruction that has held up completion of a multimillion dollar reconstruction of Atrisco Drive.

The South Valley roadway was rebuilt over the past several years, complete with installation of new sewer and storm drainage lines. But the project ground to a halt late last year over the design and location of a storm drain outfall, which is still a matter of negotiation among the city of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.

A storm drain outfall is a site where excess drain water discharges into a drainage ditch.

Funding is available to finish the project, but the design of the outfall lacks approval from the Conservancy District, said state Rep. Miguel Garcia.

Garcia spearheaded setting up an informal session with officials to get an update on the project. It’s scheduled for Sept. 25.

The meeting isn’t advertised as a public meeting, a representative of City Councilor Isaac Benton said. It’s being described as an informal session for stakeholders to exchange information on the project.

Garcia said he became involved when he heard concerns from a pastor and others that the roadway was unsafe because it had not been completed, in particular a sidewalk in front of the Holy Family Church, which is on Atrisco Drive near Sunset Gardens SW.

The Rev. Gerald Steinmetz, pastor at the church, said the lack of a sidewalk put pedestrians, churchgoers and especially small children at risk on a daily basis.

Steinmetz said he’s hopeful that the planned update will lead to completion of the project. “I think this meeting will be very productive,” he said.

Garcia said he hoped the meeting would provide information that helps the negotiations and speeds up completion.

“We need to hear from the horse’s mouth what is entailed in order to complete construction of the last phase of this project, which is a really small portion of the overall project, but real critical,” Garcia said.

Invitations to the meeting have also been extended to state Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino of District 12 and incoming state Sen.-elect Jacob Candelaria of District 26, which includes precincts along Atrisco Drive.