26th Street Reconstruction Project to begin this summer

Artesia residents will need to prepare for yet another bout of major road construction on one of Artesia’s most active streets.

Smith Engineering will begin a four-phase project towards the end of the summer — potentially five phases. The project corridor includes 26th Street from West Main Street to West Hermosa Drive.

The 18-month-long overhaul will include rehabilitation on the road, new sidewalks and walking paths, replaced sewer lines and water lines, and new curbs and gutters.

The exact start date is still to be determined, although the project will begin in the late summer, and the phases will run three to five months each.

“We’re looking at an overall project timeline of 18 months,” said Scott Hicks, project engineer for Smith Engineering.

A potential Phase One, still dependent on funding, will be from Main Street to just north of Grand Avenue, moving south.

Following that, four more phases will follow its completion:

⦁ Phase Two: From West Grand Avenue to Washington Avenue, just south of Guardian Self Storage Center
⦁ Phase Three: From West Washington Avenue to West Ray Avenue, which will also include rehabilitation on the bridge
⦁ Phase Four: From West Ray Avenue to just north of West Mann Avenue
⦁ Phase Five: From West Mann Avenue to West Hermosa Drive, connecting with the recent Hermosa Drive construction

Hicks said there will be total closures, but detours will be clearly marked.

“Please drive with care and caution in the area of the construction,” he said. “We ask that people follow those detour routes and leave a little earlier if they need to. Please have patience and we’ll try to get each phase done as quickly as possible.”

Smith Engineering is the same engineering firm that has completed similar road construction projects in Artesia, including the work on Main Street in 2015, the 13th Street Reconstruction Project in 2016, the 20th Street Reconstruction Project in 2022, and the recent road construction on Hermosa Drive.