Improvements to busy Rio Rancho road to begin in September

RIO RANCHO, N.M. – One of the fastest growing areas in the metro is the Enchanted Hills neighborhood in Rio Rancho. Now, the Enchanted Hills Boulevard is about to get a nearly $9 million makeover. 

Rio Rancho City Councilor Bob Tyler says he’s been trying to get these roads fixed since he took office nearly five years ago.

Tyler finally got approval from city council this past week to get the near $9 million job done. He says that money is coming from the city’s G.O. Bond and the state. 

He also says voters are the ones who have been supporting this project, pushing for safer and smoother roads.

“Vehicles, will go over this at a high rate of speed. And it just keeps knocking, you know, creating a lot of damage to both the roadway and potentially to the vehicles. So as the cars drive over it, the asphalt keeps breaking up and keeps flying up, and could potentially hit folks on the side of the road or just anyone who’s driving,” said Tyler. “If we get them fixed now, it’s going to last a lot longer, and we’ll get a lot more use out of this road for a longer period of time.”

Tyler says he expects the work to start in September on both lanes, and the walking path lining Enchanted Hills Boulevard. 

He says it will be a complete reconstruction: we’re talking removal of the asphalt, repairing of water and sewer lines underneath.

But, because this is such a busy road, Tyler also says the work will be done in a way that will keep traffic flowing with minimal impacts on homes and businesses.

The work could take nine to 11 months to complete. This is only a fraction of the work the city is putting into the growing Enchanted Hills community.