Jal Relief Route

The City of Jal faced a difficult situation as heavy truck traffic, crashes, and fatalities have increased across the area. Within downtown, congestion was rated as an F at two intersections with NM 128 and traffic times had increased dramatically. Without mitigation, congestion and the level of service were expected to worsen as Jal’s growth pushed roads to their limit. That’s where we came in.

The protection of the City’s residents guided the urgent need for a truck relief route study and its subsequent construction. Our team took on this study and are looking for ways to alleviate the issues. We’ve identified both build and no-build options to route traffic around downtown or connect to other corridors. Another consideration was a railway crossing that backed up traffic when trains came through. Our team coordinated with the railway to identify a new crossing area that would negate the backup. While still ongoing, the project has encompassed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, federal guidelines, and New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) standards.

 The completion of this study and future construction will help save lives and protect the residents of Jal.