The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE


Contact: Amelia Rouse, 505-277-1099
instpp@unm.edu

April 16, 2008

UNM Institute for Public Policy Announces Citizen Recommendations for Transportation Planning for Deming Region

On December 6, 2007, the University of New Mexico Institute for Public Policy facilitated a citizen conference in Deming to discuss long-range planning recommendations for the New Mexico Department of Transportation. A citizen conference is an exercise in deliberative democracy, focusing on learning, deliberation and recommendations by members of the local community about issues important to them.

Eleven “citizen advisors” were recruited at random from the Deming area to question state and local transportation experts about a variety of transportation-related issues and then reached their conclusions.

Those recommendations included:

  • Generally reassessing regional speed limits and, specifically, speed limits on: Hudson St. along NM 90 in Silver City; both the north and south approaches into Deming on NM 11 and US 180; NM 35, especially the area between mileposts 2 and 5; and Fierro Canyon Rd. in Hanover.
  • Widening NM 26 between Deming and Hatch to provide better shoulders and passing and turn lanes.
  • Creating better collaborations between local land owners, state and local governments, and other stewards to develop improved strategies for mitigating safety issues along roadways, such as dust storms and other hazards that pose a threat to drivers. Particular emphasis should be placed on the road between mileposts 151 and 152 on US 180.
  • Improving regional transit services available to elderly and handicapped individuals so they have better access to health services locally in Deming, Silver City, and Lordsburg, as well as providing access to Las Cruces.
  • Improving nighttime visibility at the intersections of NM 61 and US 180, as well as at NM 35 and 152.
  • Improving or redoing the pavement on US 180 and NM 90 through Silver City.
  • Developing a highway transit system to improve access to services and employment for the non-driving public.
  • Improving the sight-distance triangles where state and other roads cross; sometimes intersections are cluttered with signs and vegetation that make it difficult to see cross traffic.
  • Extending the RailRunner route to Deming.
For more information about the UNM Institute for Public Policy or this meeting and the recommendations given, please contact Amelia Rouse at 505-277-1099.

 


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