Reconstruction of I-25 overpass to begin soon

Major construction will begin soon in the heart of Las Cruces.

During the first phase of the project, crews will reconstruct 1-25 over Missouri Avenue and will work on nearby Triviz, Don Roser and Missouri.

The first phase of the project began Monday but residents won’t see crews reconstructing and diverting traffic for another week or so.

New Mexico Dept. of Transportation officials say it was time to reconstruct the 40-year old bridge. The project consists of five phases. The first being the replacement of the overpass. This will cost $15.6 million dollars and take a year. The other phases will include more construction along I-25 and road realignments along Missouri, Triviz and Don Roser. It’s certainly one of the busiest areas in Las Cruces. I-25 feeds directly into University Avenue and ties into the Lohman offramp, which means the project will affect nearby schools, residents and businesses.

“I know it’s going to hurt me, I know it really is. Anytime that you see signs for detouring here, they just won’t even go out of their way. I’m just being optimistic, hoping that it doesn’t hurt my business much,” Humberto Sanchez, owner of the Las Cruces Florist located on Missouri, said.

The demolition of the bridge will happen sometime in the summer and will completely shut down Missouri during that time, but it’ll only be for a couple of days.