Las Lomas roadway renewal begins May 18

This summer The University of New Mexico, in partnership with the City of Albuquerque, will perform substantial repairs and renovations on Las Lomas Rd., between University Blvd. and Stanford Dr., to improve accessibility and safety on campus.

Project work is planned to begin Monday, May 18, and is estimated to last throughout the summer into UNM fall semester.

"Las Lomas is a critical east-west corridor for our campus community. These improvements address long-standing infrastructure needs while prioritizing safety, accessibility, and the daily experience of our students, employees, and visitors," said UNM Campus Environments & Services Vice President Shawna Wolfe. "We are grateful for our partnership with the City of Albuquerque as we work together to deliver these important upgrades."

The repaving of the road will also include numerous improvements, including repairs and replacements of curbs and driveways; installation of ramps and improvements of sidewalks for ADA accessibility; modification of on-street parking to diagonal back-in parking for safety; and adjustments to help facilitate bicycle access to the roadway.

As part of renovations, a bus bay currently on the north side of Las Lomas Rd. will be transferred to the south side the street, west of Yale Blvd. The bay will be expanded, with the relocation aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving safety.

Additionally, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) will replace water pipes under the roadway from Yale Blvd. to just west of Stanford Dr. during the project. These repairs intend to reduce pipeline maintenance and future road closures.

The project will be implemented in multiple phases to maintain access to campus and minimize impacts from the roadwork. Traffic control will be in place, keeping one lane open during construction. However, intermittent closures may be necessary as work advances.

Updates will be shared via UNM's Service Notices and on the Interactive Campus Map.

As part of the project, the second phase of work on the south side of Las Lomas Rd. will cause closures of Buena Vista Dr. To address parking impacts from the closure of Buena Vista Dr., an access point will be created in C-Lot during this phase from Redondo Dr., to allow cars to park along Roma Ave. during construction.

Additionally, intermittent impacts and closures of Yale Blvd. will be coordinated with UNM Police Department and emergency services to maintain access to impacted buildings on campus.

"We know construction brings disruption, and we are working closely with the City and our campus partners to phase this work thoughtfully, maintain access, and communicate clearly, so our community can plan ahead," said project manager Michael Pierce.

Project costs will be paid via UNM Building Renovation & Replacement (BR&R) funds and are estimated at $868,600. Partial funding will be provided by the City of Albuquerque, due to their ownership of sections of the roadway.

Project and traffic updates, with information on phases of the construction, can be found on the UNM Interactive Campus Map, and will be updated as work and impacts shift throughout the project.