Cities in New Mexico work to repair potholes
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Warmer months are notorious for a road construction ramp-up in New Mexico, and spring storms this year are bringing out pothole crews from Albuquerque to Santa Fe.
Story continues below
New Mexico Crime Files: Grocery store worker hands out semen-tainted yogurt
Trending: Santa Fe man arrested after 'brandishing' gun at gas station
New Mexico Strange: Holy dirt and healing water: A look at NM's miraculous locations
News: National Guard deployment causes worry over New Mexico wildfire funds
Albuquerque fills roughly 1,0000 potholes citywide every month, like one on Candelaria Rd. that got patched Monday morning. For the two-man crew, it usually takes just under 30 minutes to repair what can become a big road problem. 'We clean it off, break it out, tack it, burn it, as you saw us with the torch burning it, the tack so it sets. And then from there, we put it on there, tap it, lay it out, and tap it again,' said Francisco Arteaga, crew leader, City of Albuquerque Street Maintenance.
Last month, the city repaired 950 potholes with just two crews, one for the east side and one for the west side. Their work usually comes through 311 requests, something the city tries to get to within 24 to 72 hours of being reported. Last year, Albuquerque filled 14,000 potholes, most coming from severe weather. 'The rain, the snow gets in the crack, freezes. Or if it doesn't freeze, it just breaks it down with these big vehicles that drive here daily, just breaks it up, breaks it up in pieces. It just starts coming back out or breaking up as you see them out,' said Arteaga.
Up north in Santa Fe, the city just started a week-long blitz called Pothole Palooza, where they're quadrupling crews to try to get around 800 potholes filled through Friday. 'It gives us an opportunity to kind of just, you know, tip of the spear, let's get a grip on all the potholes that the winter caused. And then during the rest of the season in the spring and the summer, as we get the monsoons or as we get like heavy rains like we had recently, it gives us an opportunity to kind of keep in check the potholes throughout town,' said Marcos Esquibel, street maintenance supervisor.
With their last palooza just happening three months ago, this second blitz is sooner than usual. 'This does seem a little bit earlier, but yeah, I mean, it's, you know, it needs to get done. So, we're getting it done,' said Esquibel.
In Albuquerque, if crews don't have any requests for repairs, you'll still see them out patrolling the city looking for any work that hasn't been reported.
Both cities ask drivers to be patient and mindful of crews who are expected to be out more often through the summer.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Taos County bus shooting, Curry County ICE partnership, More storms, New Mexico Pothole repairs, BioPark new orangutan
Who Will Fix New Mexico's Mental Health Problems? These productions were filmed at White Sands. Have you seen them? Man accused of shooting Albuquerque security guard will stay behind bars APD: 1 dead after crash in northwest Albuquerque Police look to issue summons for driver who crashed into barrier Malie Satete is the Gatorade New Mexico Player of the Year Trump sends Marines, more National Guard to LA [1] Bus passenger shot and killed in Taos County – A shooting in Taos County left a passenger of a bus dead. The Taos County Sheriff's Office says while the North Central Regional Transit District Bus waited outside the Rancho de Taos Post Office two men came up to the vehicle and fired shots through the window. Leroy Rodriguez, 40, died from his injuries; the driver and two other passengers who were on board at the time were not injured. The Taos County Sheriff's Office said a potential suspect vehicle has been located. [2] Curry County Sheriff explains why his department is partnering with ICE – The Curry County Sheriff's Office is explaining its decision to partner with the Department of Homeland Security to crackdown on illegal immigration. The goal of the program is to serve and execute administrative warrants on illegal aliens in the county jail. Before an inmate at the Curry County Detention Center is released, if ICE puts a warrant out for their arrest, the trained deputy would make the arrest. [3] More storms followed by hotter and drier air around New Mexico – Another round of showers and storms will develop Tuesday afternoon, with more storms in southern and southeastern New Mexico. Southeastern parts of the state will also likely see severe weather in the afternoon and evening with large hail, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rainfall possible. Storms will move out of the state late Tuesday night. [4] Cities in New Mexico work to repair potholes – With more wet weather in recent weeks, road conditions are worsening around New Mexico. The City of Albuquerque says their crews repaired roughly 950 potholes last month. Most pothole repairs come through 311 requests and the city reminds drivers they can't fix the problem if they don't know about it. Street maintenance officials say most potholes occur because of weather. Santa Fe recently kicked off a week-long event called Pothole Palooza, quadrupling crews to get roughly 800 potholes filled through Friday. [5] ABQ BioPark welcomes Sumatran orangutan – There's a new face at the ABQ BioPark. The male Sumatran orangutan named Elok, who is 24 years old, recently moved to the BioPark from the Oklahoma City Zoo. The move was recommended by the orangutan species survival plan. Elok joins Sarah, Rubi, Pixel, and Bulan in the new Asia habitats. Right now, he is acclimating to his new environment and will be introduced to the other orangutans in the future. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cities in New Mexico work to repair potholes
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Warmer months are notorious for a road construction ramp-up in New Mexico, and spring storms this year are bringing out pothole crews from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Story continues below New Mexico Crime Files: Grocery store worker hands out semen-tainted yogurt Trending: Santa Fe man arrested after 'brandishing' gun at gas station New Mexico Strange: Holy dirt and healing water: A look at NM's miraculous locations News: National Guard deployment causes worry over New Mexico wildfire funds Albuquerque fills roughly 1,0000 potholes citywide every month, like one on Candelaria Rd. that got patched Monday morning. For the two-man crew, it usually takes just under 30 minutes to repair what can become a big road problem. 'We clean it off, break it out, tack it, burn it, as you saw us with the torch burning it, the tack so it sets. And then from there, we put it on there, tap it, lay it out, and tap it again,' said Francisco Arteaga, crew leader, City of Albuquerque Street Maintenance. Last month, the city repaired 950 potholes with just two crews, one for the east side and one for the west side. Their work usually comes through 311 requests, something the city tries to get to within 24 to 72 hours of being reported. Last year, Albuquerque filled 14,000 potholes, most coming from severe weather. 'The rain, the snow gets in the crack, freezes. Or if it doesn't freeze, it just breaks it down with these big vehicles that drive here daily, just breaks it up, breaks it up in pieces. It just starts coming back out or breaking up as you see them out,' said Arteaga. Up north in Santa Fe, the city just started a week-long blitz called Pothole Palooza, where they're quadrupling crews to try to get around 800 potholes filled through Friday. 'It gives us an opportunity to kind of just, you know, tip of the spear, let's get a grip on all the potholes that the winter caused. And then during the rest of the season in the spring and the summer, as we get the monsoons or as we get like heavy rains like we had recently, it gives us an opportunity to kind of keep in check the potholes throughout town,' said Marcos Esquibel, street maintenance supervisor. With their last palooza just happening three months ago, this second blitz is sooner than usual. 'This does seem a little bit earlier, but yeah, I mean, it's, you know, it needs to get done. So, we're getting it done,' said Esquibel. In Albuquerque, if crews don't have any requests for repairs, you'll still see them out patrolling the city looking for any work that hasn't been reported. Both cities ask drivers to be patient and mindful of crews who are expected to be out more often through the summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Attending the Army-Trump birthday parade? Expect scans, drones, and leave pets home
Attending the Army-Trump birthday parade? Expect scans, drones, and leave pets home Officials gave a preview of what to expect at the Army's 250th birthday celebration and military parade. Show Caption Hide Caption Military equipment headed to DC ahead of Trump's birthday parade Battle tanks, fighting vehicles and infantry carriers departed Texas for D.C. for President Trump's military parade. The parade is to celebrate the 25oth anniversary of the U.S. Army, but it happens to fall on President Trump's 79th birthday. While pets and emotional support animals are barred from the June 14 event, service animals are welcome, the Secret Service said. WASHINGTON − People attending the Army's 250th birthday celebration and military parade in the nation's capital have been warned: Everyone is getting scanned, watch out for drones and leave the emotional support animals home. The event, which will coincide with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people and thousands of federal agents, police officers and other security from across the country, said Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Washington field office. Hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft, including tanks, will also be on hand for the parade − and so will metal detectors scanning anyone entering the area for weapons, McCool and other officials said at a June 9 news conference. A pet-unfriendly affair "One additional note, we'd ask the public, due to the large crowds, noise and the weather forecast, that for their safety, you leave your pets and emotional support animals at home," McCool said. "As always, service animals are welcome." There is a 50% chance of rain for Saturday, with partly to mostly cloudy weather with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, according to The parade, which will feature Army equipment, flyovers, musical performances and thousands of soldiers in uniforms from the past and the present, caps off a week of events designed to celebrate the country's military might. As a precaution, authorities are putting in place 18.5 miles of anti-scale fencing, 17 miles of bike rack concrete barriers and will be flying 'multiple' drones overhead to help with surveillance, McCool said. And while everyone will need to be screened before entering, McCool said 175 magnetometers will be in place to keep things moving. 'If a million people show up,' he said, 'there's going to be a line.' More: When is Trump's military parade? What to know ahead of June 14 McCool and other federal and local officials said they have no intelligence about any possible terrorist threats or the kind of violent protests now rocking Los Angeles that prompted Trump to call in the National Guard. "We're not expecting it. We have no intelligence of that happening here," McCool said in reference to protests. "But if it does, we have the resources to handle it." The National Guard already is being mobilized for the event because it has been designated as a National Special Security Event (NSSE) by the Department of Homeland Security – the fifth event in Washington to have such a designation this year, including the presidential inauguration. The Secret Service is the helm of the multi-agency effort, in close collaboration with the FBI, Capitol Police, D.C. police and city government – and military officials through the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, which is part of U.S. Northern Command. Tanks with 'new rubber track pads' By the morning of June 9, construction workers were erecting a stage along Constitution Avenue near the White House. Steel plates have been embedded in the asphalt to protect roads from 140,000-pound tanks. And the tanks themselves – and other military vehicles – had begun arriving by train. Col. Jesse Curry of the Army Corps of Engineers, said the military is doing all it can to make sure the tanks don't chew up DC streets, following complaints by city officials. That includes putting metal plating in areas where tanks have to make turns. Also, Curry said, padding will be put down in staging areas, and the tanks themselves have been fitted with new rubber track pads. 'This is our capital city as well, so we're committed to ensuring that we minimize any possible damage,' Curry said. So far, nine groups have registered with the National Park Service for protest permits. One of them is the National Black Justice Coalition, which is holding an "equity march" that will pass by the Lincoln Memorial and Freedom Plaza between the White House and the U.S. Capitol Building. Permits have been granted for a "Transgender Unity" march and "Refuse Fascism" protest in Lafayette Park before the parade, according to National Park Service documents shared with USA TODAY. McCool said he doesn't expect any trouble from protesters based on the information authorities have on hand. 'From a Secret Service perspective, if it's simply people using that First Amendment right to protest then we're not going to do anything with that,' McCool said. 'But if that turns violent, or if any laws are broken, that's when (DC police), Park Police, Secret Service will get involved, and that will be handled swiftly.'
