By Vanessa Dabovich
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/krwg/local-krwg-978297.mp3
Las Cruces, NM – This week the City Council voted to accept a grant from the New Mexico Department of Transportation to be used for the El Paseo Road Improvement Project.
The grant of over thirty eight thousand dollars is part of the Local Government Road Fund Program. In order to receive the funds the city will have to provide nearly thirteen thousand dollars in matching funds.
Director of Public Works, Michael Johnson says portions of El Paseo and Idaho will be widened and medians and curbs will be installed to ease the traffic flow.
Johnson-"This will improve safety not only for vehicles, but for pedestrians traveling through the area and bicyclists also in the same area because it will be limiting the movement of vehicles."
Six properties around the intersection need to be obtained by the City in order to begin improvements. Total cost of the project is estimated at just over one hundred ninety eight thousand dollars.
Councilor Sharon Thomas says the grant is a positive step forward in the bigger plan for the area.
Thomas-" I think this will help, maybe sometime in the future we will have to get rid of some of those many entrances in and out of parking lots and better connectivity, but I think this is a good first step."
The project must be completed by the end of 2012.