Santa Fe, NM – On July 23, 2024, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT), Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and other state and county representatives, celebrated the official completion of the La Bajada Roadway Reinforcement Project. The governor and other key officials spoke on the project’s importance for the region’s future and the continued safety enhancements for the traveling public.
The $40 million project was completed six months ahead of schedule and close to $3.5 million under budget. The repairs utilized a first-of-its-kind stabilization technique for the state, which involved burying 1,000 concrete “soil-mixed shafts” under approximately 1.5 miles of the interstate along the steep La Bajada hill. The 10-foot wide shafts, which ranged from 5 to 69 feet deep, were then covered by a load-transfer platform that will also allow for electronic monitoring of the soil settlement over time. Other improvements included overall roadway widening, the addition of sub-surface and roadway-level drainage structures, and a new lane for the southbound shoulder in anticipation of future traffic needs.
The daily traffic counts for this section of I-25 average over 100,000 vehicles. The completion of the Roadway Reinforcement Project significantly increases the safety of travelers on the hill, as well as reduces travel times.
For more information about upcoming NMDOT road construction projects, visit dot.nm.gov. For current projects and travel information, visit nmroads.com.