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Santa Fe County Gears Up for Santuario de Chimayo Pilgrimage, Juan Medina Road Improvements Enhance Public Safety

Santa Fe, NM – April 15, 2014 – Santa Fe County is getting ready for the annual Santuario de Chimayo Pilgrimage, the preparation includes extensive internal coordination as well as external intergovernmental coordination. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office will be distributing 2,000 glow-in-the-dark sticks to walkers starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, 2014 at three locations along the route. The Sheriff’s Office will have saturation patrols on nights leading up to the event as well as a DWI checkpoint on Thursday evening and will have increased patrol both roving and on foot Thursday night.

The Santa Fe County Fire Department will be present with increased staffing on Thursday from noon until midnight and on Friday and Saturday for pilgrims in need of medical attention. There will be first aid stations along both 503 and 76 and at the Chimayo Fire Station. In addition to the extra staffing, Santa Fe County will have portable restrooms available throughout the route. The Santa Fe County Fire Department is also reminding pilgrims that Santa Fe County is currently in burn restrictions due to extreme fire conditions. No opening burning is allowed on the pilgrimage and cigarette butts should not be discarded on the side of the road (this is also littering). Santa Fe County is also asking people to please hold any trash they have until they find a trash can to dispose of it, please do not litter.

Along with walker safety guidelines (previously sent by the Sheriff’s Office), the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is also asking pilgrims to please carpool if possible to help alleviate traffic and to help keep the roadway clear for emergency vehicles. Parking will not be allowed on Juan Medina Road. Vending is prohibited on State and County road Right-of-way.

In addition to increased staffing and patrol, Santa Fe County recently completed a significant road project on Juan Medina Road(County Road 98) to improve public safety for non-motorized traffic off the roadway. Santa Fe County completed two eight foot shoulders on the east and west sides of Juan Medina road in two phases. In November 2013 the second phase of the Juan Medina Road project was completed. According to commission chairman, Daniel Mayfield, these road improvements will significantly enhance public safety for area communities, commuters and all travelers especially during high use times. In addition to the shoulders, guardrails were added and new striping was done. The total project cost was $2.3 million. The second phase of the project was funded through Gross Receipts Tax.