Construction, Construction, Everywhere

A long awaited project to reroute heavy through traffic in Aztec has finally been put out to bid. Plans for a non-motorized path connecting Aztec and Farmington will be presented to San Juan County Commission this summer with four alternative routes to be decided from, and the new rabbit and poultry building at McGee Park is set to be completed in time for this year's San Juan County Fair. You're watching the "Local News Roundup," brought to you by Sunray Park and Casino and Boone's Family Thai Barbecue. I'm Connor Shrieve. The city of Aztec announced that the long awaited East Arterial Project has been put to bid this month. The project will provide an alternative route for large trucks and through traffic to bypass downtown Aztec, meeting current and future needs. Aztec Main Street was designed to accommodate a different volume of industrial traffic than it now contends with as US Highway 550 became a more central arterial vein. Main Street is also the only north/south street service in the city of Aztec. The use of the road as the only throughway and the increased traffic has caused concerns among Main Street businesses and others wanting to create a more pedestrian friendly corridor along Main Street. The project is expected to cost around $17 million with a start date at the end of this year, and is expected to take two to three years to complete. San Juan County is evaluating four routes for building a non-motorized path for walking and biking, and potentially equestrian, between the cities of Aztec and Farmington. The routes are between seven and eight miles in length, with trail widths between eight and 10 feet. A plan will be presented to San Juan County Commission this summer and will be funded by a Trails Plus grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department Outdoor Recreation Division. The project is consistent with the county's plan of strategic initiatives focusing on people, place, economy, and relations. The construction of a new rabbit and poultry building at McGee Park is well underway. The new 10,000 square foot building will replace the two aging buildings that were being used as an exhibit space for poultry, waterfowl, and rabbits during the San Juan County Fair. The building costs $1.6 million, funded by the San Juan County legislative delegation. The new space will provide year round use for meeting for 4H and FFA groups and trainings and bring the facility to ADA compliance. Construction is on track to be completed before the start of the fair, which will be August 9th through 17th. Learn more about these and other stories online at FarmingtonLocal.News. Thanks for watching this edition of the "Local News Roundup." I'm Connor Shrieve.