By Rodd Cayton
City of Albuquerque crews are preparing to launch what is being billed as the largest construction project in city history, to the benefit of Westside drivers.
The Unser and Paseo del Norte widening project will start this fall, and will include new lighting, bike lanes and trails as well as adding traffic lanes and improving stormwater management.
Mayor Tim Keller said the $62 million investment shows that city leaders have made improving infrastructure on the Westside a priority.
“Westside commuters have been asking for relief, and this major expansion will help everyone get to work with less hassle,” he said.
The city’s Department of Municipal Development plans to host a pre-construction meeting in the fall to present the project timeline and a traffic control plan for detours. Major construction is expected to start late this year.
Albuquerque-based Star Construction, selected after a competitive bid process, is the contractor on the project.
The first phase of the project will begin on Unser Boulevard and go from Paradise Boulevard to just beyond Paseo del Norte. Crews will widen Paseo del Norte from Calle Nortena to just past Unser. Future phases will include widening both major streets, including Paseo del Norte west to Rainbow Boulevard and Unser south to Rainbow.
The completed project will also include:
Both main roads widened to four lanes.
New medians.
Ten-foot multi-use trails.
Six-foot bike lanes with 3-foot buffers.
A new detention pond.
“DMD’s mission is to make roads better, safer, and more efficient for all of us,” Municipal Development Director Jennifer Turner said. “This is a major undertaking and we’re looking forward to improving Unser and Paseo del Norte.”
More information, including project updates, is available here.