Recent renovations to the Industrial Park included widening of Mill Road and the addition of center medians and turning lanes.
By DAWN BOWEN
Staff Writer
After months of construction and detours, Artesia businesses are enjoying the renovations and improvements made in the Artesia Industrial Park.
The project began in August and included a variety of improvements to the area.
Acceleration and deceleration lanes were added at the intersection of U.S. Highway 285 and Mill Road to allow adequate space for trucks to accelerate into the flow of traffic and to decelerate to make a turn into the Industrial Park.
A one-block section of road was added to Commerce Road between Industrial and Pecos. The road section was constructed early in the project to help detour traffic through the Industrial Park during construction and is now a permanent part of the street system.
Mill Road was widened to provide turning lanes, center medians and shoulders. Storm drainage was also added along both sides of Mill Road.
A substantial and important part of the Industrial Park project was the addition of a sanitary sewage system.
Public Works Director Art Gall said the construction of the sanitary sewer system was in response to a number of requests from businesses in the Industrial Park.
Prior to the construction, sewage management in the Industrial Park consisted of separate septic tank systems at each business. The new system allows businesses to be connected to the city sewer system with individual sewer lines.
City Planner Deanne Connelly said the renovated sewer system is a valuable asset to the city.
"I think it's really going to benefit the businesses in the Industrial Park. ... It will also benefit economic development to the city as far as bringing in new businesses to the Industrial Park," Connelly said.
The project began in August and was originally expected to be complete in mid-January. Thirty additional days were added to the contract time when a delay occurred in the delivery of a lift station controller panel for the sanitary sewer system.
Connelly said the project is not yet at final completion, but only a few tasks remain before the project is deemed complete.
On Jan. 23, the Artesia City Council approved a change order for additional paving work, bringing the total contract amount to $1,509,368, less than an earlier estimate of $1,942,000.
A grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration in the amount of $1,165,000 covers much of the cost of the project.
The city also received a grant from the New Mexico State Highway Department's Municipal Arterial Program as well as NMSHD Co-op funds.
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