AASHTO Journal - NMDOT Opens $24M Pedestrian Bridge in Church Rock

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) and the New Mexico Department of Transportation recently marked the opening of a new $24 million bridge on NM 566 near Church Rock that creates safer access for pedestrians with a dedicated walking trail.

[Above photo by NMDOT]

The steel girder bridge spans the BNSF Railway and delivers pedestrian infrastructure that keeps community members off the highway and out of harm’s way. The project includes a full bridge replacement, roadway reconstruction, improved lighting, upgraded drainage systems, and a new pedestrian trail that directly serves the Church Rock community.

The NMDOT said it completed this active transportation project – a collaborative effort between NMDOT District Six, the City of Gallup, and the Navajo Nation – over the course of 29 months, using a combination of federal and state National Highway Performance Program funds.

“This project demonstrates our commitment to protecting New Mexico families and improving access to every corner of our state,” Gov. Lujan Grisham noted in a statement. “Every bridge we build, every trail we construct, and every safety improvement we make helps ensure no family has to experience the tragedy of losing a loved one in a preventable pedestrian accident.”

By creating safe, dedicated pathways for pedestrians, NMDOT Secretary Ricky Serna said his agency is taking “concrete action” to protect lives and strengthen communities.

“By working closely with the Navajo Nation and the City of Gallup, we’ve created safer, more direct access for the Church Rock community,” he added. “New Mexico has long faced an urgent need to improve pedestrian safety, and this bridge delivers real solutions.”

Several state departments of transportation in different parts of the country have undertaken similar active transportation-focused projects.

For example, the Maine Department of Transportation is working on a $7 million project to build a series of bridges over a 1.6-mile-long section of a multi-purpose trail in southern Maine, surmounting a series of barriers – such as a river and railroad tracks – and set to be completed by November 2027.

When finished, the new trail will tie into existing trails that are part of southern Maine’s Eastern Trail and U.S. Bicycle Route 1. It also will become part of the East Coast Greenway; a 3,000-mile, 15-state route along a series of multi-use roads and trails from Maine to Florida.

Meanwhile, the Washington State Department of Transportation recently finished construction in mid-June on a new $8.7 million bridge above SR 500 exclusively for pedestrians and other active transportation users – fulfilling a nearly seven-year commitment by the agency to build such a structure when funding became available.

And in April, the Utah Department of Transportation installed new “under-mast” lights statewide to improve safety for pedestrians at intersections. The agency said its engineers developed under-mast lights to boost visibility to areas where typical lighting can’t be installed; creating a spotlight in the exact area where a person might be walking, jogging, or rolling across.