When will the state finish construction on Valley Drive in Las Cruces?

Following the closure of at least one Las Cruces business, the state of New Mexico is considering expediting the construction on Valley Drive.

“Be patient with us,” said Trent Doolittle, the district engineer for the New Mexico Department of Transportation. “We have heard the concerns brought to us.”

Almost immediately after the massive $22.9 million construction project began last summer, businesses began to suffer.

“You can see the aisles are empty, the parking lot is half what it should be” said Pete Ramondo in July 2018, the manager of the SaveMart on Valley Drive. “We should have twice as many customers.”

Last week, La Fiesta Bakery announced its closure after 10 years in business, blaming fewer customers than ever before.

“We’re doing paperwork and on Monday my husband is showing me the numbers and I’m like, “Oh, my God there’s no way,” said Gina Ortega, who opened up the business with her husband, Ray. “‘There is no way, we are beating a dead horse.'”

The project was originally set to end in April 2020, but Doolittle told ABC-7 they are attempting to find $2 million in funding to finish as early as January 2020.

“Construction always causes an impact, not only to the businesses, but to the traveling public through the area,” Doolittle said.

He could not yet predict whether the money will come from the state or the federal government. Seven months into the project, the state has not yet begun phase two of project, which has three phases in total.