Historian

Why is it that the majority of drivers CAN NOT adhere to the 35 and 40 MPH on Avenida Eldorado ( in Eldorado, Santa Fe, Nm 87508)? I can not begin to tell you how many cars are indeed driving at least 50 MPH and passing me, I am doing the 35 and 40 MPH drive. Not only is it'UNLAWFUL' but DANGEROUS! I see that some of these drivers have children in the car and talking on phones. Maybe twice a year there is police car positioned at the R.R. tract. WAKE-UP PEOPLE.....get up a little earlier, STOP speeding and obey the speeds set!

This is small area is unsafe every day and night, but especially on Fridays and during the winter. Since the posting last year by a neighbor yielded no change in conditions, I will give a detailed description of what goes on:

As you are aware, every Friday evening there is a farmers market in Eldorado at the corner of Avenida Vista Grande and Caliente Road. Due to the poor planning of the entrance from 285 to Ave Vista Grande to the parking lot, many drivers make unsafe U-turns in the left turn lane and in the double-double yellow line barrier, causing many “near misses.” The risk is heightened by the fact that there is inadequate lighting throughout the neighborhood, by choice of the homeowners’ association. Unfortunately, this is exacerbated by the lack of light this time of year. Many of the ongoing problems are probably due to lack of driving skills and a lack of knowledge of where the entrances are located. Every Friday evening, regardless of the light, we witness:

• fender benders in the left turn lane from residents who are expecting those in front to progress to the head of the turn and execute a left turn;
• fender benders in the right turn lane from residents who are exiting Eldorado and are not expecting a car to suddenly appear in front of them from an illegal U-turn;
• accidents arising from cars going into the ditch from drivers and/or cars not equipped to navigate such a sharp turn in the face of oncoming traffic – and at the speed they must do it to succeed;
• accidents from cars attempting to make a 3-point turnaround either in the double-doubles or in the intersection of Avenida Vista Grande and Caliente Road;
• dangers presented to pedestrians who are not afforded sidewalks in the Eldorado neighborhood and yet they have the right of way.

As a public servant I know how easy it is for folks to complain without suggestions for resolving a situation.

Perhaps the county could overstep Association restrictions on (a) lighting, (b) ingress and egress, and/or (c) sidewalks and crosswalks since this is a commercial area? Additionally, people of all ages cross to carpool and catch the bus in the Agoura shopping center.

Let's do something to keep people alive before we have a repeat of what has already happened on Avenida Vista Grande previously.

This falls on deaf ears at the Homeowners' Association.

While I have noticed the littering of empty alcohol containers throughout Eldorado my specific concern is with the heavy concentration of littering on Avenida de Compadres between Avenida Eldorado and Herrada Road. Over the past year I have collected hundreds (yes hundreds) of discarded cans, bottles (glass and plastic) and 1 ounce "shooters" primarily alcoholic in nature. The saturation and nature of the litter indicates more than casual drinking and drinking by more than a couple of individuals. One can assume a large portion of this drinking takes place during the day and by parties who are frequently in Eldorado. This stretch of road has four greenbelt access crossings. It's also an area where the prevailing 35 MPH speed limit is routinely violated. Visibility is poor at the Herrada Road intersection. I have discussed this situation with Eldorado Security (personally showing one of the personnel beer cans I had just collected), the ECIA, Neighborhood Watch, the Eldorado Road Committee as well as the Sheriff's Department. This is a serious issue with huge downside potential. It's illegal to drink and drive and litter—period. It's especially worrisome in a RESIDENTIAL area particularly given the concentration and saturation of the drinking and littering.

While I have adopted the stretch of road and virtually eliminated all tall weeds and related littering opportunities the problem persists. I continue to bring the problem to the attention and anyone remotely concerned. The simple fact is that alcoholism and littering seem to be an integral part of the New Mexico culture and there is a perverse acceptance, tolerance and certainly enabling of the situation. DWIs with death resulting continue to accumulate. This is a RESIDENTIAL neighborhood that will, unfortunately, experience some preventable tragedy before the problem is adequately considered.