San Juan County says a deteriorating popular New Mexico highway presents a “dangerous situation” and needs repair.
New Mexico state Highway 173, an 18-mile stretch that connects to a popular recreational area, needs to be rebuilt, according to Steve Lanier, a country commissioner for District 3.
The highway was built soon after the Navajo Dam was finished in 1963 and is no longer stable.
“There are two sand washes on this highway and when they wash out it just creates a dangerous situation because it takes out what little shoulder is there and washes it completely away,” Lanier told KOB. “The state comes in and they try to fix it and rebuild it but during the monsoon season I bet they rebuilt it four to five times just this year.”
The road was considered a marvel when it was constructed nearly 60 years ago.
“Hundreds of volunteers got together and they came out and built the road all the way to the dam,” Lanier said. “They did it for free. In doing so they built the road as fast as they could which was in three months. which is just crazy."
Today the road is filled it potholes, and blind spots with very little shoulder. The county seeks funding from the state to make the extensive repairs.
“It truly needs to be completely re-engineered,” Lanier said. “We need a new surface. We need the highway widened.”
The estimated cost of the project is $40 million and needs the approval of the New Mexico Department of Transportation.
“We are asking the state to fund it,” Lanier said. “It is their highway. It’s a need that will benefit the whole state. We have a gorgeous state. Let’s get people from out of state here and draw them in. But we got to get them here safely or they will never come back.”