Navajo Nation holding up Hwy. 491 work

By Brian Hassler
Staff Writer

SHIPROCK — There are still some final negotiations to be completed, but work has already begun on Highway 491.

The often-deadly stretch of road between Shiprock and Gallup has been in need of repairs and despite the lack of an agreement between the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the Navajo Nation, NMDOT has begun preparing for the remodeling of the highway.

Actual work on Highway 491 won't be let until summer of 2006, but designers have taken the proposals from project manager Morris Williams and are preparing for the final designs, said Rosie Sais of NMDOT. Upon being let, companies will have the opportunity to bid for the right to provide their respective services in assisting the NMDOT in improving the road.

"The road work will begin closer to Shiprock," said Sais. "It should be completed by 2011."

Included in the plans are the building of six bridges as well as adding crosswalks, acceleration and deceleration lanes and expanding the road to four lanes.

"We plan that each community will have lanes to speed up and slow down when they are turning onto or off of 491," said Williams. "The road will also have holding lanes for left turns and flashing hazard lights as well. I know at the major intersections with schools in the area, there will be crosswalks, hazard lights and the speed will be reduced to 45 MPH."

Despite waiting for the final plans to be completed and the project to be let, NMDOT has already begun preparations on the project and plans on having two of the six bridges completed by June 15.

"Those two bridges are on mile markers 54 and 67.5," said Williams. "The plan is to stay in front of the construction with the bridges. When they hit the bridges, the bridges will be done and it will be easier for the road to tie to the bridges."

Work on the road was originally supposed to have begun closer to Gallup but right-of-way issues with the Navajo Nation have the NMDOT beginning construction near Shiprock where there aren't any right-of-way issues.

"We are starting towards Shiprock and heading towards Gallup," said Williams. "We do have right-of-way issues with the Navajo Nation that concern the first 18 miles that are north of the Twin Lakes Chapter. It's the road that is a two lane road until Tohatchi."

Negotiations concerning the right-of-way are ongoing, with both sides looking for a compromise concerning considerations payments and the length of time attached to the lease of the road.

"We're still negotiating and still trying to resolve issues," said S.U. Mahesh, spokesperson for NMDOT. "As the project on 491 moves ahead, we're still negotiating with the Navajo Nation."

The money used to pay for the repairs on Highways 491 and 64 is state and federally based but the NMDOT's offer of $99,350 as a consideration payment in perpetuity for work on Highway 64 was turned down. The Navajo Nation is seeking to establish a rate of $66,798.86 for the first 20 years and additional payments of the same amount for the second 20-year term.

According to sources, the NMDOT and the Navajo Nation have yet to come to terms concerning the amount of consideration paid and the length of the contract. Such an agreement would help when similar situations arise in the future. The NMDOT is prepared to begin work immediately on the bridges regardless of the status of current negotiations.

"Right now, it's all in the design process except the bridges," said Williams. "The designers are working on the designs and are going off what we proposed. Soon we'll be able to know exactly what we are going to do."

— Brian Hassler is The Independent's Four Corners reporter based in Shiprock. Contact him at (505) 360-7862 or via email at brianhassler@hotmail.com.