IT TAKES A VILLAGE: Los Lunas breaks ground on I-25 Interchange/Los Lunas Blvd. project

LOS LUNAS — A well-known proverb tells us “It takes a village to raise a child.”

Under sunny skies Thursday at the groundbreaking for the I-25 Interchange and Los Lunas Boulevard Project, Los Lunas Mayor Charles Griego gave the saying a new twist.

“They say it takes a village to get things done. But in this case, it truly took many government agencies and dedicated partners throughout the state,” Griego said in his address to the crowd of nearly 200.

Griego was joined by several local and state officials, including Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham and Los Lunas Village Administrator Gregory Martin, who acted as master of ceremonies.

In addition to the village council, Sen. Joshua Sanchez and state Reps. Gail Armstrong, Brian Baca and Tanya Mirabal Moya were also in attendance, as were officials from Bosque Farms, Belen and Rio Communities. Los Lunas-native Rep. Nathan Small, who co-chairs the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and represents Dona Ana County, also gave remarks.

“It’s a relief,” Griego said with a chuckle after the project broke ground at the intersection of Morris Road and Camelot Boulevard Southwest.

“I think it’s a payoff of effort,” he continued. “What it is is being consistent and not taking no for an answer. We’ve been consistent and clear on what we can do and clear on our expectations. So it makes you feel good that people recognize your efforts and also that your project is valid. And it’s needed.”

During his remarks, Griego noted he believes the four-year project, which has a price tag of $159.1 million, is the largest infrastructure project undertaken by a municipality in the history of the state of New Mexico.

The initial talks about a river crossing and I-25 exit began in the 1990s when county residents were asked about support for the project, which focused on Tomé as the area for a proposed bridge. The effort was largely abandoned by 2000, as county residents expressed their disapproval in several meetings – sometimes angrily.

Village of Los Lunas officials picked up the baton in 2001 when developing a transportation master plan and traffic model. In 2015, the village began convening meetings and coordinating with other agencies to secure funding for the project.

In 2019, the village received initial funding from the N.M. Legislature and design was started in 2023. After a public meeting in 2024, permitting and certifications were secured at the beginning of this year and a contractor, El Terrero Construction, was secured.

In her remarks on Thursday, Lujan-Grisham praised Los Lunas for its leadership on the project and said “This is a celebration, and it should be.”

“The problem far too often with policy makers is it doesn't feel very exciting or sexy to talk about roads, sanitation, infrastructure, traffic congestion,” she said. “And the reality is this work in and of itself isn't just any of those things. It's public safety and economic development. And those are the two things that are most important to any community in the entire state.”

The governor also praised the state legislature for its “incredible bi-partisan work” that helped get funding for Los Lunas Boulevard project. She also promoted the message that projects like this are an investment.

“It (this project) creates a future for our children and our families,” she said, before praising village officials for saying “I like your courage to say, ‘We’re already planning Phase Two.’”

Phase One of the project is broken into seven parts. The first part involves the start of construction on the river bridge, building the Interstate 25 median crossover and building a new Camelot Boulevard connection to Morris Road.

On its informational webpage, located off the main page of loslunas.nm.gov, the village said regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with possible work beyond those hours and on weekends done, as needed.