RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – A Rio Rancho neighborhood is in mourning and is asking city leaders for help after a man was hit and killed by a car Tuesday morning while walking in a crosswalk. It comes after years of neighbors pushing the City to address road safety there.
Rio Rancho Police were called to a deadly crash on Terraza Blvd in the Loma Colorado neighborhood around 6 a.m. Tuesday morning. According to police, a car hit a man and his dog as they were crossing Terraza Boulevard near Valle Alto. The man died on the scene.
Neighbors have documented years of traffic safety issues in the area, leading some to ask the City for change. The latest crash comes about a year after a city study suggested some of the crosswalks on Terraza didn’t need to be there.
“As a retired school bus driver, I see the kids at the bus stops in the morning, and I wonder how they get across the street since there’s no more crosswalks,” said Bill Tracy, who said he is in the neighborhood often visiting family.
While the city removed some crossings last year, Tuesday’s crash happened at a still-marked crosswalk. Neighbors want the city to add blinking signs, more streetlights, and speed bumps along the route.
“We need something to get the drivers’ attention. There’s a light over here that blinks when you are going above the speed limit. That gets people’s attention,” said Al Guevara.
The City said they’ve studied the area and made some changes. However, they mentioned the most recent 2022 speed study did not warrant any changes.
Rio Rancho Police wouldn’t confirm the name of the man who was killed in Tuesday’s crash, but neighbors said he lived nearby. The incident is still under investigation.
