Council will address Complete Streets project
FARMINGTON — City officials over the last year have brought in a number of consultants to advise the city on how to make the downtown area more friendly for pedestrians.
And now the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency is asking for permission to use up to $225,000 from its fund to hire an engineering consultant to create blueprints for the first phase of the Complete Streets project. That phase will be based on recommendations from consultants who visited Farmington last year.
At their meeting Tuesday at Farmington City Hall, councilors will discuss hiring an engineering consultant to create blueprints for the project. Funds to pay for the engineering services were set aside years ago to improve the downtown area, according to city manager Rob Mayes.
The first phase of Complete Streets will focus on the east portion of downtown Main Street from Miller to Orchard avenues. It will include two roundabouts that are intended to slow down traffic while increasing the street's capacity, Mayes said. The roundabouts will take the place of traffic lights.
Last year, consultants from Blue Zones recommended that Farmington reduce the number of lanes on Main Street to widen the sidewalks. They also suggested changing the format of parking spaces from parallel to diagonal parking.
The Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, which is a city-affiliated group, paid Blue Zones nearly $60,000 to examine Farmington's Main Street and prepare a plan for redesigning the area.
In addition to Farmington, the cities of Bloomfield and Aztec and the town of Kirtland will also have meetings this week.
Bloomfield City Council will meet Monday to discuss the East Blanco Bridge, as well as its requests to the Lodgers' Tax Board. The city has asked for more than $12,000 from the board's fund, which currently contains approximately $55,000, according to the council packet.
The city's four requests include $8,850 for upgrading and improving the city's website, $320 to set up a booth at the legislative Business Day, $1,000 for promotional items and $2,400 for a contract with Doug Lenberg to advertise and attract pilots to the annual San Juan River Balloon Rally.
Aaron Chavez with the San Juan Water Commission will give a presentation during Aztec's commission meeting Tuesday evening
The Kirtland Town Council will also meet Tuesday. It has not yet released an agenda.
Hannah Grover covers Aztec and Bloomfield, as well as general news, for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652.
