Should the two roads leading up to the Organ Mountains be fully paved? That is a question that has put a monumental divide between many Dona Ana County residents.
In 2013, Dona Ana County applied for federal money to pay for the proposed road enhancements with the intention of improving public and tourist access to the Organ Mountains and public lands.
In a Tuesday night meeting at the Farm and Ranch Museum County residents got a chance to discuss the proposal.
Retired photographer Williams Giles lives on the East Mesa, a 15 minute drive from Baylor canyon road. He says he would spend more time taking photos and hiking in the Organ Mountains if the rocky dirt roads weren’t so hard on his car.
“It is like driving on a wash board, slinging all that gravel up on your car. So its pretty loud and raucous.” Giles said.
The Bureau of Land Management or The BLM says paving of the roads would also make them safer in bad weather conditions, improve the drainage of water and it’s delivery into the water shed and lower maintenance costs and
But the roads could still be improved with out necessarily being fully paved. And the Bureau of Land Management says that laying gravel on the roads is an alternative that could side step some residence concerns over the increased traffic on the roads.
Retiree Terry Denning lives and works part time as a ranch hand on Baylor Canyon road. He says while Dripping springs road needs to be paved, paving Baylor Canyon road would bring traffic that would threaten wildlife and cattle grazing in the area.
“You can’t anticipate what a cow or a horse necessarily is going to do if something comes by at a high speed.” Denning said. “That is our concern for safety, both the people in the cars and the people that are using the road way for other purposes and for the livestock and for the wildlife that have to cross.” Denning said.
The BLM points out many of these impacts could be mitigated by road signs and an 35 miles per hour speed limit on the roads.
Ultimately the decision over whether or not to pave both the roads, simply dripping springs road or leave both roads unpaved will ultimately be left up to the County and the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM will be accepting public comment from on the proposal and the Environmental Assessment until May 26.
