Mesa Grande Extension Survey Results

In last Tuesday’s Issue on December 9th I included a survey about the proposed Mesa Grande extension and here are the overall results. Hearing some feedback from your neighbors might help bring up other suggestions. You can still voice your opinion if you wish.

Summary of Mesa Grande Alternate Route Community Feedback Form

(16 responses received between Dec 9–10, 2025)

Overall Sentiment Distribution

→ Total supportive (Strongly support + Support) = 10 responses (62.5%)
→ Total opposed (Oppose + Strongly oppose) = 3 responses (18.75%)
→ Neutral = 4 responses (25%)

The majority of respondents are clearly in favor of the project.

Primary Reasons for Support (most common themes)

• Reduces severe existing congestion and backups on Sonoma Ranch Blvd (too many stop signs/traffic lights during rush hour)
• Provides an alternate north-south route and better/faster access to/from US-70 (especially useful when accidents block 70 or Sonoma Ranch)
• Improves overall traffic flow as the East Mesa continues to grow with new residents and neighborhoods
• Offers redundancy and multiple routes instead of relying on a single congested corridor

Primary Reasons for Opposition/Strong Opposition (most common themes)

• Will dump even more traffic onto already-congested East Lohman Ave (especially the segment between Sonoma Ranch and Telshor near MountainView hospital)
• Creates a “highway” through existing quiet residential neighborhoods (Sedona Hills, Mesa Grande/Engler area) → safety danger for children, pedestrians, and seniors
• Solves the wrong problem: the real bottleneck is east-west travel (Lohman & US-70), not north-south; project is seen as wasteful ($75+ million) and unnecessary
• Increases noise, air pollution, and car dependency instead of encouraging walkable neighborhoods

Bike Lanes & Sidewalks Importance

A strong majority (75%) consider dedicated bike lanes and sidewalks at least somewhat important.

Key Suggestions & Recurring Requests from Respondents

• Extend the route farther south all the way to University Ave and I-25 instead of terminating at Lohman
• Widen existing Sonoma Ranch Blvd (especially between Dripping Springs/Lohman and University) and add a center turn lane/median, wider shoulders, or separate bike path
• Use traffic signals instead of all-way stops or roundabouts (“NO TRAFFIC CIRCLES!”)
• Make bike lanes actually wide and safe (current Sonoma Ranch bike lanes criticized as hazardous)
• Add landscaping/trees and police speed enforcement
• Preserve the historical Pat Garrett monument site
• Several respondents urged focusing on infill development downtown and creating truly walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods instead of more car-oriented sprawl

In conclusion, approximately 62% of the 16 submitted responses explicitly support or strongly support the Mesa Grande alternate route concept, primarily for congestion relief and growth accommodation. Opposition (≈19%) is intense but limited to a smaller group, centered on fears of worsening Lohman congestion and negative neighborhood impacts. Bike/pedestrian facilities enjoy broad support. The most frequent alternative suggestion is to extend the route to University/I-25 or widen the existing Sonoma Ranch corridor instead.