Residents Raise Concerns Over Proposed U.S. 180 Intersection Changes

Neighbors worry about traffic, safety, and access to homes if direct route to Juniper Street is blocked

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Residents of neighborhoods around Juniper Street in Silver City, New Mexico pleaded with the state Department of Transportation to reconsider proposed changes to the intersection of U.S. 180, N.M. 90, and Juniper Street. The changes aim to improve safety at the high-crash intersection but would cut off direct access to homes north of U.S. 180, forcing drivers to take alternate routes that some fear will create new traffic and safety issues.

Why it matters

The proposed changes to the busy U.S. 180 corridor are intended to improve safety, but residents are concerned the rerouting of traffic could have unintended consequences for their neighborhoods, including increased congestion, longer emergency response times, and reduced pedestrian and bicycle access.

The details

The New Mexico Department of Transportation's U.S. 180 Corridor Safety Scoping Project would alter the intersection to prevent traffic traveling on Hudson Street from going straight north onto Juniper Street. This is one of the region's highest crash density intersections, but residents say the alternate routes via Yucca, Cactus, and Swan Streets could create new traffic problems, especially during peak times like school drop-off and pickup.

  • The project is expected to go out for bids in September 2026, with construction beginning by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
  • The NMDOT has about $2.8 million allocated for the first two phases of the project.

The players

New Mexico Department of Transportation

The state agency responsible for the U.S. 180 Corridor Safety Scoping Project.

Zach Troncoso

Project engineer with consultant Parametrix.

Andreas Linnan

Technical support engineer with NMDOT.

Sylvia Madrid

Resident who has accessed her home by traveling straight from Hudson Street to Juniper Street for 37 years.

Milo Lambert

Chief of the Silver City Fire Department.

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What they’re saying

“For 37 years, I have come from Hudson straight up Juniper. How am I going to get home now?”

— Sylvia Madrid (scdailypress.com)

“We understand that if you're coming from downtown and you want to get to Juniper Street or to the neighborhood north of there, that your route will change, and it will be an inconvenience to you.”

— Andreas Linnan, Technical support engineer, NMDOT (scdailypress.com)

“The alternative routes are what we're all concerned about. Yucca is insane to turn onto 180 or turn off.”

— Anne Nitopi (scdailypress.com)

“Unintended consequences.”

— Tom Hester (scdailypress.com)

“Roundabouts, when put in the right location, work wonderfully.”

— Andreas Linnan, Technical support engineer, NMDOT (scdailypress.com)

What’s next

The NMDOT says a project to improve safety on U.S. 180 will definitely move forward, but the funding could be lost if the design is not completed by July. The agency is still considering options like a traffic circle, but the timeline and funding constraints make that difficult for the current project.

The takeaway

The proposed changes to the U.S. 180 corridor in Silver City aim to improve safety, but residents are concerned the rerouting of traffic could create new problems for their neighborhoods. The NMDOT is working to balance safety improvements with community concerns, but the project's timeline and funding constraints are adding challenges to finding the best solution.