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Rio Rancho declines to consider residents' petition to fix dangerous corridor
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RIO RANCHO — The city of Rio Rancho said Monday it would not consider a petition by a group of residents who demand officials get ahead of a state traffic study and fix a stretch of highway prone to traffic accidents.
The response came following a letter issued by Rio Rancho resident Michael Jackovich, who urged Nicole List, a member of the Rio Rancho Governing Body representing District 6, to sponsor a resolution directing city staff to investigate and recommend steps to improve safety on NM 528 between the Riverside/Iris and Willow Creek/Idalia intersections.
“Waiting 18 months for a solution from NMDOT will result in fatalities and severe vehicle accidents,” Jackovich, a retired engineer, wrote.
He was referring to a June 24 town hall meeting with state Rep. Alan Martinez, R-Rio Rancho, who heard constituents sound off on problems with the corridor that resulted in the death of a local couple in October. Joining Martinez at the town hall meeting was New Mexico Department of Transportation Secretary Ricky Serna, who told residents his agency is working on a traffic study, expected to be complete in September.
Jackovich wrote in his letter that the town hall “did nothing to lessen the fears of those of us who use 528 on a daily basis.”
Jackovich added his belief that even though NM 528 is a state highway, the city has a responsibility to protect its residents and others who drive through the city.
“To shirk this responsibility due to bureaucratic reasons is unconscionable,” Jackovich wrote.
He and others plan to collect 1,000 signatures “within the next few months” to encourage List and city officials to support solutions that include increasing law enforcement presence along the corridor and lowering the speed limit from 55 to 45 miles per hour.
But city officials informed Jackovich that they cannot consider the petition because his request does not involve initiatives or referendums, city spokesperson Jaley Turpen wrote in an email to the Observer. In addition, Turpen wrote, the city does not have the power to make changes to a state road.
Informed of Turpen’s comments, Jackovich wrote that it is “concerning” the city believes the road is not its responsibility. He also said he and other residents will use the same petition and will file it with both the city and the state.
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In a prepared statement, Martinez said that while his office did not receive Jackovich’s letter, he shares residents’ concerns about the corridor, which he noted is a state road.
Martinez added that he is working with NMDOT to address the issue and he commended the Rio Rancho Police Department for stepping up enforcement in the area.
“We all know something must be done about this intersection,” Martinez wrote. “I applaud the community for coming together, and I remain committed to working with both state and local partners to find a lasting solution.”
Jackovich’s call on List to sponsor a resolution comes as more than a dozen residents are involved in a lawsuit alleging in state and federal court that the city’s ordinances were approved improperly since the measures did not include council member sponsorship.
