Closure of N.M. 16 adds hour to commute for Red Rock Road neighbors

The drive from home to Santa Fe has doubled for many residents of a small community in western Santa Fe County.

Katharina Becker, 79, said her commute now takes an hour and 45 minutes. It used to take 45 minutes. She told a reporter recently that she cried on the way back home after making the trip at night.

The change began in late September when Santo Domingo Pueblo closed the section of New Mexico 16 that passes through tribal land. About 30 households on Baja Waldo Road and Red Rock Road relied on that road for quick access to Interstate 25. Now, those drivers must use unpaved private backroads to connect to New Mexico 14 near Madrid.

Justin Sachs, who leads the Baja Waldo Red Rock Community Coalition, said the closure leaves the neighborhood landlocked. He noted that the tribe rejected a county proposal to leave a key in a lockbox at the gate so ambulances could enter. Sachs said the coalition has created a list of repairs needed for the alternate route and is asking the state or county to consider the costs. They are also checking for any permanent easements on the old road.

Shawna Graves, a spokesperson for Santa Fe County, said the fire department evaluated emergency vehicle access. She stated that ambulances can reach the homes under normal conditions, but larger fire apparatus may face limits. She added that longer distances and road conditions could affect response times.

Santo Domingo Pueblo has not explained why the road closed. A governor’s office official said Gov. Raymond Aguilar Jr. declined to comment. The tribe has sought to expand its boundaries in recent decades. A 2000 federal law authorized $15 million for land acquisition, with an additional $8 million provided later. The law also approved the transfer of 4,577 acres of public land and the sale of 7,355 acres of national forest land to the pueblo.

Lynn Grimes, a resident of Baja Waldo Road, said locals are raising $70,000 on GoFundMe to improve the new road. The money would pay for rebuilding steep hills, fixing eroded gullies, and widening parts of the route. Grimes said the land was previously on the market for decades and is heavy in gypsum.

Brian Williams bought property on Baja Waldo Road in 2023 with his life savings. He said the closure makes it harder to bring in construction materials for his home renovation. He questioned how neighbors without four-wheel drive will manage in winter. Becker, who has lived in the area since the late 1980s, said it is horrible to get out now but remains her home.