Homeowners near Laguna Pueblo are facing safety and access challenges after a gate on the only official road to their properties was locked, forcing them to rely on a difficult alternate route.
BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. —
Homeowners west of Albuquerque are struggling with access to their properties after Laguna Pueblo locked a gate on the only official road, citing safety concerns, while residents say the move has created new challenges.
Jerry and Michelle Daniele, who have lived on their property near Laguna Pueblo for 20 years, said the locked gate has disrupted their lives. "There are other landowners in the area that do the same, some of them with families," Jerry said.
Their property is located off Bernalillo County Road 36, which connects to the I-40 westbound frontage road. However, the road runs through multiple parcels of land held in trust by Laguna Pueblo, and the gate at the access point near the Laguna Pit Stop gas station was recently locked.
"We need to get this fixed. The landowners, Laguna, come to some reasonable agreement that's fair for everybody," Jerry said. He explained that the Pueblo cited safety as the reason for the lock, but he believes it has made the area less safe for residents.
"If something bad were to happen here, how would emergency vehicles get back here?" Jerry asked. He noted that residents must call a posted phone number for someone to unlock the gate.
Michelle recounted a recent emergency when Jerry suffered heat stroke. "I got a call from another landowner, and he told me that my husband was experiencing severe medical issues, and that in itself really scared me," she said. Emergency services contacted Pueblo officials to unlock the gate, but no one arrived.
"The EMTs cut the lock to get to service my situation," Jerry said. A Bernalillo County spokesman confirmed that first responders waited four minutes at the gate before cutting the lock.
As an alternative, residents have been forced to use a dirt road that runs through private property around a mesa. However, Michelle shared a video of flooding on the route, showing a truck struggling to navigate the mud.
When asked about the situation, a public affairs specialist for Laguna Pueblo declined to comment, stating that Bernalillo County is the responsible agency. A county spokesman said they are in active discussions with Laguna Pueblo to determine the next steps.
The Danieles said the county has assured them that a permanent solution is in the works. "They made a commitment to provide another access about one mile east of this particular access, and we're all for it. So we're just waiting on their engineering," Jerry said.
In the meantime, Michelle urged for a temporary resolution. "At least open this gate until the county resolves a temporary and then a permanent solution," she said.
"There are ways of doing things that is friendly for everybody," Jerry added.
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