Thursday, May 14, 2015

Proposed Road Paving Puts Monumental Divide Between Dona Ana County Residents

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. 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...more


Terrible Terry is speaking out, and actually making sense.  One way or the other, you can bet BLM will spend that federal money.

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