East Mountains residents will see safety improvements at a problematic intersection after years of community advocacy, with construction expected to begin next summer.
Bernalillo County Commissioner Eric Olivas announced that the New Mexico Department of Transportation has secured funding for traffic control improvements at the NM 333/217 intersection, located between Sedillo Hill and Edgewood. This funding covers both the design and construction phases of the project.
“NMDOT has identified funding for construction of the improvements in FY27, which begins in July of 2026,” Olivas said in an email shared on social media. “While this may seem like a long way out, it is important to note that there is currently no design/engineering work completed.”
The announcement comes after sustained community pressure, including a petition that gathered more than 1,300 signatures calling for traffic lights at the intersection. Local residents have cited numerous accidents and safety concerns at the location.
Olivas committed $220,000 in Bernalillo County District 5 discretionary funds for half of the design work, with NMDOT providing matching funds for the other half. The commissioner noted that since these are both state roads, the county would normally not be involved in funding, but the urgency and importance of the project prompted local investment.
“This will allow the project to move into construction as soon as design is completed, given that it is expected to take about one year for that work to be completed,” Olivas wrote in the email.
The fiscal year 2027 timeline means construction would begin between July 2026 and June 2027, following completion of the design and engineering phase. According to NMDOT project development processes, transportation improvements typically move through a study and design phase before advancing to construction.
