NM 532 Curve Correction Project - New Mexico Department of ...

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Texas Turn MP 6.89-7.05 Last Curve MP 11.86-11.95 San Juan Rio Arriba Taos Colfax Union Los Alamos Mora Harding McKinley Sandoval San Miguel Santa Fe Project Area Cibola Guadalupe Quay Valencia Torrance Curry De Baca Catron Socorro Lincoln Roosevelt !( Sierra Grant Otero LunaDoña Ana Hidalgo Chaves Eddy Lea LEGEND Nogal Peak, NM (1982) USGS 7.5' Quadrangle Curve Locations ¬«NM 532 USGS 7.5' Quadrangle Angus, NM (1982) Axle Bend Curve MP 8.21-8.37 ± T10S, R13E; Lincoln National Forest Marron Unplatted Lands and Associates, Inc. Lincoln County, New Mexico 1:30,000 0 0.5 1 Kilometers NM 532 Curve Improvement Figure 1.2 Curve Location Map
NM 532 Curve Correction Project Environmental Assessment 2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED, HISTORY, AND EXISTING CONDITIONS 2.1 Project Purpose and Need The purpose of the NM 532 Curve Correction Project is to improve traffic and safety conditions between MP 0.0 and MP 12.0 while considering the needs of local residents, forest visitors, and the Mescalero Apache Tribe. The project need is based on the following conditions: • Insufficient shoulder width; roadway geometry does not meet current standards resulting in several sharp curves; • Post-fire soil erosion undercuts the roadway; • Steep drop-offs next to driving lanes; • Limited signage to inform drivers of roadway conditions; • Lack of pull-off areas; • Poor pedestrian access at scenic areas; • Extensive maintenance needs; and • Economic viability of recreation-related businesses. 2.2 Project History Initially NM 532 was established as an unpaved road to provide access to Ski Apache, which opened in 1961. The road was later paved in 1965 (Kidder and Brunell, 2009). During the next 40 years, the road was maintained, but no major improvements were constructed until 2008 when NMDOT constructed roadway and slope improvements in selected sections that were failing. In 2006, NMDOT initiated a corridor study to inventory existing conditions and development alternatives for improving access between the NM 48 intersection at MP 0.0 and Ski Apache at MP 12.0. NMDOT contracted with Smith Engineering Company (Smith) to prepare the corridor study. To obtain public input on the NM 532 Curve Correction Project, NMDOT and Smith held a series of public meetings in Ruidoso during the fall 2006 to identify and rank issues of concern. Local stakeholders including local residents, skiers, local businesses, Mescalero Apache Tribe, and Lincoln National Forest attended the meetings. The top four issues as ranked by stakeholders were: • Safety – risk of serious injury or death; • Safety – emergency medical services (EMS) response time to Ski Apache; • Local economy – increasing business at Ski Apache; and • Local economy – revenues of local businesses. The NM 532 Corridor Study recommended constructing a gondola between Eagle Lakes and Ski Apache and improving the existing NM 532 alignment as two viable alternatives. The Mescalero Apache Tribe subsequently received funding from the NMDOT to further develop these alternatives for moving the project forward. The Mescalero Apache Tribe intends to eventually identify a funding source and develop plans for constructing a gondola. Since gondola funding is not likely to be obtained in the next 1-3 years, a decision was made to focus on improving NM 532 between MP 0.0 and MP 12.0 since such improvements would have a lower cost and have a higher probability of obtaining funding. In 2009 and 2010, preliminary plans were prepared, and initial environmental studies were conducted for Texas Turn, Axle Bend Curve, and No Last Curve. In 2012, the plans and environmental studies were updated and are presented in this EA as the NM 532 Curve Correction Project. The Little Bear Fire burned many areas along the project area during the summer of 2012 (see Figure 2.1). 2.3 Traffic Conditions NM 532 is an undivided two-lane roadway that extends from the NM 48 intersection in Alto to Ski Apache. The roadway section covered in this EA document extends from the NM 48 intersection at MP 0.0 to Ski Apache at MP 12.0. March 2013 4 CN 2101140
Page 1 and 2: Notice of Environmental Assessment
Page 4 and 5: TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 SUMMARY .....
Page 6 and 7: NM 532 Curve Correction Project Env
Page 10 and 11: San Juan Rio Arriba Taos Colfax Uni
Page 26 and 27: VICINITY MAP LEGEND INTENT SCALES V
Page 28 and 29: ℄ NM-532 PROPOSED RSS WALL LEFT S
Page 30 and 31: TYPICAL GEOGRID COVERAGE TYPICAL RS
Page 32 and 33: FACING UNIT REINFORCED SOIL SLOPE D
Page 34 and 35: NM 532 VICINITY MAP NTS Δ LEGEND E
Page 36 and 37: NM 532 VICINITY MAP NTS Δ LAST CUR
Page 38 and 39: From: To: Subject: Date: Wallace, L
Page 40 and 41: NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT O
Page 42: parties involved in the project to
Page 46 and 47: Bibliography Banks, P.E. undated. B

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