Title
Possible Approval of the Canyon Road Median Sustainability Redesign Conceptual Design to Move Forward with the Preparation of Design and Construction Documents
Recommended Motion
I move that Council approve the Canyon Road Median Sustainability Redesign conceptual design to move forward with the preparation of design and construction documents.
County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council approve the motion as presented.
Body
In 2022, the Community Services Department, Parks Division developed an Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPM). As part of implementing the IPM, staff began evaluating existing medians throughout Los Alamos and White Rock with the goal of reducing water consumption, lowering maintenance intensity, and improving staff safety. Historically, herbicides were used to maintain cracks and crevices within median surfaces. A core IPM principle is to employ design-based solutions that minimize pesticide reliance, making median redesign a key strategy within the County’s long-term sustainability goals.
Under Task Order No. 3 of Services Agreement AGR2221c, Huitt-Zollars was engaged to develop design concepts that balance aesthetics with reduced maintenance requirements. Initial concepts were presented to the Parks and Recreation Board (PRB) in January 2024, but the project was temporarily paused due to limited capacity and competing priorities. Work resumed in late 2025, and since that time staff has presented preliminary concepts to both the Transportation Board and the PRB, as well as conducted a two-option community survey that yielded 112 responses. These presentations and survey responses served as the primary means of gathering public input.
Following presentations to the PRB on August 13, 2026, and the Transportation Board on September 3, 2026, the Canyon Median Design Plan returned to the PRB for formal action on October 8, 2026. At that meeting, the PRB voted to support the Canyon Median Design Plan and recommended that it be forwarded to the County Council for consideration. Staff incorporated this feedback into the consolidated design now before Council.
Council also received a full project presentation from the Parks Division at the October 27 Council meeting, which provided an overview of the project’s history, community engagement process, and the conceptual design proposed for advancement.
During the community survey phase, staff presented two distinct design options for public consideration. Survey results indicated that community members favored specific elements from each option rather than a single comprehensive design. Based on this feedback, the most preferred components were merged into one unified conceptual design. This consolidated design is now being submitted to Council for approval to proceed with detailed design and construction documents.
During the initial evaluation phase, staff from the Parks Division and Public Works Department prioritized medians suitable for low maintenance redesign. Canyon Road, from Rose Street to 39th Street, emerged as the most suitable starting location due to its high visibility, intensive maintenance demands, access challenges related to roadway configuration and traffic volumes, and declining landscape conditions.
The project’s design consultant has developed an updated Opinion of Probable Construction Cost that includes construction cost, contingency, overhead, and Gross Receipts Tax (GRT). The updated OPCC total is $711,599, which will be finalized upon completion of design and construction documents.
This item now returns to Council to summarize the project’s history, community engagement, guiding design principles, and resulting conceptual design, and to request approval to proceed with detailed design and construction documents.
Alternatives
If Council chooses not to approve the design concept, the project will not move forward into the development of design and construction documents at this time. Staff would need additional direction from Council on whether to revise the concept, conduct additional public outreach, or discontinue the project. Any delay in approval would extend the project timeline and postpone future consideration of construction.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Planned Item
No fiscal impact is anticipated at this stage, as approval of the conceptual design does not commit the County to construction expenditures. Development of the design and construction documents is included within the existing project scope and funding previously authorized under the Services Agreement. Staff time required to support the next phase of design is expected to be minimal and can be accommodated within current workload.
Attachments
A- Canyon Median Design Presentation-Updated
B- OPCC from Huitt-Zollars-Updated