Smooth going
Jones Ranch Road getting regular maintenance

A truck drives down Jones Ranch Road as a culvert lies on the side of the road on Monday. Despite the fact that the road was torn up from construction earlier this past fall, the condition of the road remains in good shape. — © 2009 Gallup Independent / Brian Leddy

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Gaye Brown de Alvarez
Staff writer

CHICHILTAH — The snow is gone from Jones Ranch Road. But the muddy mess that was expected after almost a foot of snow fell right after New Year’s Eve, was kept under control.

“It’s a joint effort between NECA, the chapter, the Navajo Nation Transportation Department and the BIA,” said Tim DeAsis, the acting superintendent for the BIA eastern agency roads, in an interview Friday. He added he appreciated the Independent printing an article about how much effort they are putting in to the road.

“I drive it about twice a week to run errands,” Chichiltah Office Specialist Melita Martinez said. “They’ve been maintaining it regularly.”

The 13-mile road that goes to David Skeets Elementary, Chichiltah BIA School and a Head Start School has been hard to travel since the pavement was milled and mixed with the dirt underneath. It was so bad after the snow, that Raymond L. Lancer Sr., president of Chichiltah Chapter asked Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr., to declare an emergency so that it could receive immediate attention.

But after a bit of squabbling, DeAsis made a few phone calls, organized some people and got the equipment out to Chichiltah. Jones Ranch Road was graded, snow was pushed off, and the BIA road was made a little easier to navigate.

NECA is still going to work on the road to repave it, but some problems were found. Excess clay was found in the soil, the road was built up and then it was discovered the elevation was wrong. The 10-inch build-up had to be shaved off.

Also, during the winter, the soil is frozen and hard to move. Joe Henley, the transportation manager of Gallup/McKinley County Schools said he heard it would take two to 2 1/2 years to get the road fixed. He urged residents to be patient.

“The job is shut down for the winter,” said Terry Patterson, who works out of NECA’s main Shiprock office. The work started last spring.

So, before construction can begin again, BIA has been keeping the road in pretty good shape.

And with the recent dry weather and the road maintenance, life has been a little easier for some 4,000 residents who live in the Chichiltah chapter.