Santa Fe County’s biggest connecting road project completed after decades of planning

SANTA FE COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – Santa Fe County has never had a project like it. Now after two decades of talk, some major connector roads are finally ready for drivers to roll on. County leaders celebrated what has been a long time coming in Santa Fe’s Community College District. “I am thrilled. It makes me so happy. There are not words to express how happy I am,” said Anna Hansen, Santa Fe County Commissioner, District 2.

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“And it’s so much faster people are telling me that it’s ten minutes faster to get into town,” said Hank Hughes, Santa Fe County Commissioner District 5.

In the works for decades, the milestone Northeast/Southeast Connector Roads Project cuts roadways through areas that haven’t been developed. “And this is the biggest road project that the county has ever done before,” said Curt Temple, Santa Fe County’s Project’s Section Manager.

But it’s also more than just pavement, it includes six new roundabouts, nearly eight miles of bike lanes, and a little over 8,000 feet of critical new water lines in the growing community college district. It’s something neighbors are excited to see after nearly two years of construction. “It looks like it’s a well-engineered well-managed project and I’m glad to see our taxpayer dollars being put to use like this,” said Steven Johnson, a nearby resident and bicyclist.

Santa Fe Community College president Becky Rowley said the project will also have big impacts for the school. “We’re part of a burgeoning community. There’s a large housing development that’s being developed off Richards right now. The road that connects to Presbyterian Hospital goes all the way out to Cerillos. It’s just all better connected,” said Rowley.

The county said the $25 million project came in on time and under budget and could be the tipping point for more development to come. “This project is more than just infrastructure for all of us here. It is a pathway for our future,” said Olivia Romo, Santa Fe County Communications Coordinator.

The county said it will put the finishing touches on the roundabouts in the coming weeks with some solar lighting which will be another first for the county.

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