Los Lunas Boulevard project to break ground in August

LOS LUNAS — The Village of Los Lunas officially announced it has awarded the bid to begin work on phase one of the Los Lunas Boulevard Corridor Project on Friday, May 2.

“This is a historic milestone for our community,” said Mayor Charles Griego in a press release from the village. “Breaking ground on the Los Lunas Boulevard Corridor isn’t just about building a road — it’s about building opportunity. This new interchange will reduce congestion on N.M. 6, improve emergency response, and unlock access to high-growth areas that have been waiting for critical infrastructure investment.”

The entire project will span from Interstate 25 to the east, across N.M. 314, over the Rio Grande and ending at N.M. 47. The project includes a new exit and interchange on I-25, south of N.M. 6 (Main Street), a bridge across the Rio Grande and a two-lane highway spanning from I-25 to N.M. 47.

Deputy Village Administrator Erin Callahan said a groundbreaking ceremony is being planned, tentatively scheduled for the second week of August.

“We’re really just very excited to see this finally move forward,” Callahan said in a phone interview. “It’s a project that’s been years in the making, since before I got here. Getting it done is a huge priority for the community.”

The infrastructure project, often touted as the largest local-led infrastructure effort in New Mexico history, is expected to improve east-west mobility across Valencia County.

In the release, village officials announced it had officially awarded the bid for phase one of this project to El Terrero Construction of Rio Rancho on May 2.

This action came after preliminary approval for the award was given by the village council on April 10 during its regular meeting.

At a council meeting on April 24, the village council formally selected Molzen Corbin, an Albuquerque engineering firm, to perform the construction phase services for the three-year project.

In the release, the village noted that Molzen Corbin worked on and completed the design and bidding phases. The company will now support federal documentation and audit requirements throughout the construction process, ensuring compliance with stringent New Mexico Department of Transportation and federal funding standards.

The $220 million project is being funded through a combination of federal, state and local sources, including funding from NMDOT. The village currently has enough money to complete phase one of the project, which will cost more than $159 million.