By Mary Alice Murphy

Pinos Altos Road, New Mexico 15, opened to two-way traffic for the first time since late spring 2018.

The stretch of the highway, within Silver City town limits, from Silver Heights Blvd. to 32nd Street, has been totally reconstructed—pavement, street lights, new drainage systems, curb and gutter, new bike lanes, a new entrance to Bosworth off P.A. Road, with the former entrance off Ranch Club now closed. A four-way stop at Pine Street and P.A. Road stops all traffic. With left-turn lanes in various spots, yields off 32nd Street, the first time you drive the road going northward or southward may shock those who are used to it being like it used to be.

Although this author hasn't had the chance or need to drive it at night, she has been told it's very well lighted.

Tall arching lamp posts light up the way with a lot—at least twice as many—more street lights than were on the street before.

Sidewalks will keep pedestrians off the street and gutters and new massive drainage systems should keep rain water corralled and not pooling in areas along the road as were common before.

Friday, June 26, 2019 was the day the road opened again to southbound traffic. For the entire many months of construction since May 2018, traffic has been northbound only.

Although all work has been completed and all the ubiquitous orange barrels delineating the lanes have been picked up, items may arise that will require further work. In the meantime, if you've been coming from north of the intersection at 32nd Street wanting to avoid the detours around to Swan or the other direction to 32nd Street and highway 180 East, enjoy the feeling of heading southward on Pinos Altos Road to get to your destination, whether it's to downtown, the Grant County Administration Center, Albertson's, Food Basket, the Post Office, Western New Mexico University, you name it, drivers now can travel in both directions on P.A. Road.