Northern Blvd. reconstruction gets go-ahead

The Northern Blvd. reconstruction project was given more funding and approved to start at the Oct. 12 Governing Body meeting.

The city of Rio Rancho received bids for reconstruction of Northern Blvd. from N.M. 528 to Rockaway Boulevard that includes full-depth roadway reconstruction; a new water line; and the replacement of damaged curbs, the existing asphalt path and the existing curb ramp to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Before the roadway got approved for construction, the Governing Body had to approve an increase in funds because of an inflation in costs.

“We are facing budget challenges due to our inflationary area in our labor costs. As you know, some of our other projects have also come in over budget,” City Engineer BJ Gottlieb said.

Due to cost escalation in materials and labor for 2022, general obligation bond projects, including the Northern Boulevard project, are reportedly underfunded. In 2021, the estimate for the project was $3,959,600.

Gottlieb says this budget adjustment of $3,750,000 for the roadway and $1,531,176 for the utilities is necessary to allow the city to proceed with the construction of Northern Boulevard Reconstruction Project.

Shortly after this adjustment was approved, the governing body also assigned the project to Franklin’s Earthmoving.

The project totals at $7,496,749.16, including New Mexico Gross Receipt tax funds.

The construction duration for this project is estimated to be 10 months from the notice to proceed date, which has not been determined yet.