Motorists should use caution, be alert for annual Good Friday walkers

Highway department stops construction on east side of highway

Every year on Good Friday, thousands of people walk to Chimayo in observance of the Easter holiday. Many of them walk along heavily used roads, such as NM 502 and 503 and U.S. 84-285.

With ongoing construction on U.S. 84-285 between Santa Fe and Pojoaque, walkers and motorists will need to be extra alert on Friday. Walkers this year will be diverted onto County Road 73, the main road through Tesuque, for part of their journey, for safety reasons.

Major Ron Madrid of the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said that beginning about noon Thursday, traffic patrols will be increased on U.S. 84-285 when the majority of walkers begin their journey. The increased law enforcement presence - including DWI and traffic enforcement units - will continue through Easter Sunday afternoon.

Sheriff's deputies will be assisted by State Police, Española Police Department, Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Department, and tribal officers from Tesuque, Pojoaque, Nambe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, said Madrid. In addition, personnel from volunteer fire departments in Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties also will be assisting.

"We see an increase [in walkers] starting Thursday and safety becomes an issue," said Madrid.

He said sheriff's deputies will hand out 3,000 glow-in-the-dark sticks to walkers beginning at 6 p.m., Thursday at the south Tesuque exit at U.S. 84-285; the NM 503 and U.S. 84-285 intersection; and at the NM 106 and NM 76 intersection. The glow sticks make walkers more visible to motorists at night, Madrid said.

FNF Construction Co. of Tucson, the general contractor rebuilding 12 miles of U.S. 84-285, will post signs on the east side of U.S. 84-285 to alert motorists to walkers. In addition, work will be suspended beginning today through Saturday on the east side of U.S. 84-285.

In a second construction zone around Gabriel's Restaurant, walkers will be directed to a pedestrian path on the east side of U.S. 84-285. Both construction zones will be illuminated for pedestrian safety. The New Mexico Department of Transportation is urging walkers to begin their walk from Pojoaque or from an open space north of County Road 73.

Madrid suggested that walkers purchase reflective tape and apply it to clothing, or wear reflective safety vests over clothing. "If you have some type of safety vest or anything that is reflective or will illuminate the body, we recommend you wear that," he said. Madrid also urged people making the annual walk not to smoke, to discard cigarettes in proper containers and not to use any flammable devices.

Motorists should reduce speeds and drive as far away from the road shoulder as possible, said Madrid. "Pay attention to speed and your driving and don't drink and drive," he said, adding, "Hopefully we'll have enough of a presence out there that we won't have too many problems."

Madrid also provided these safety tips for walkers:

• Wear bright clothing, especially Thursday night, traditionally the busiest evening during the weeklong religious event
• Take a flashlight and water
• Dress warmly and in layers and wear comfortable shoes and consider taking a rain coat
• Walk on the east side of the concrete barrier and don't cross onto the roadway. Walkers shouldn't use the median that divides four-lane U.S. 84-285
• Walk in groups of at least three or more for safety reasons.

Madrid also said that walkers should not use the U.S. 84-285 overpass at NM 502, but rather, should use County Road 84 E to County Road 109 S and then onto NM 503.

"We're trying to make this as safe a pilgrimage as we can," said Madrid.

-- Steve Sandoval

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