Valles Caldera Continues Improvements to Entrance Road

Date: September 15, 2017
Contact: Kimberly DeVall, 575-829-4820

Valles Caldera National Preserve will continue making improvements to the preserve’s main entrance road starting Monday, September 18, 2017, through Thursday, September 28, 2017. The road improvement work is being implemented using Congressional funding provided to the National Park Service to reduce its deferred maintenance backlog. Visitors can expect minor traffic delays; one lane of the road will remain open while the road work occurs over the next two weeks. Flagmen will control the flow of traffic keeping all visitors and staff safe.
 
The road improvements will start at the preserve’s main entrance near mile marker 39 on NM State Route 4 and continue for two miles to the preserve’s entrance station. The work will include adding a final layer of gravel mix to create a more permanent driving surface. It is anticipated that the work will greatly improve road conditions for visitors and reduce future maintenance costs. 
 
“The work on the entrance road is among the first of many projects we hope to implement over the next few years to improve visitor access and experience at Valles Caldera,” said Jorge Silva-Bañuelos, the preserve’s superintendent. “We appreciate the public’s understanding and patience while this work is on-going,” continued Silva-Bañuelos.