Pueblo of Jemez
Grants Awarded
The Hemish Path to Wellness project will create a 1.8-mile, 8- to 10-foot wide asphalt multi-use trail along NM 4, featuring pedestrian crossings, bridges, drainage upgrades, lighting, and signage. This initiative will enhance pedestrian access and safety for the Pueblo of Jemez community, fostering greater mobility and outdoor engagement.
The Youth Outdoor Education and Bicycle Safety Program, a partnership involving several departments within the Pueblo of Jemez and the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Service, Office of Environmental Health, will equip 260 children from kindergarten through 6th grade with bicycles, helmets, and essential safe cycling training. The program will offer hands-on learning experiences about local environment and environmental conservation, and organize bicycle field trips on the Hemish Path to Wellness trail. Its primary objective is to develop the children's understanding and appreciation of nature, cultivate safety consciousness, and encourage a commitment to wellness and active lifestyle.
Since time immemorial the Pueblo of Jemez people have maintained their traditional way of life, a life supported by strong values, deep cultural respect, and the unique Towa language. The Pueblo of Jemez is a federally recognized tribe located 50 miles northwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jemez is one of the remaining 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. The people of Jemez cherish their ancestral customs and integrate their culture with modern society. The Pueblo of Jemez and surrounding area has been continuously inhabited for hundreds of years. Today there are approximately 3,900 community members across 90,000 acres of non-contiguous land. The Pueblo of Jemez Planning, Development, & Transportation Department (PDTD) manages nearly all of the Pueblo’s planning, design, and construction projects including transportation facilities such as pedestrian and recreational trails. Over time, transportation needs have evolved across the Pueblo and new challenges have emerged. In particular, reliance on single-occupancy vehicles has grown, and conflicts have arisen between vehicles and pedestrians along the NM 4 highway as well as narrow streets that were developed long before motor vehicles were invented. PDTD completed the Trails & Bikeways Master Plan in 2020 and updated their Long-range Transportation Plan in 2023. During the development of these plans, the Pueblo of Jemez community members identified pedestrian facilities and trails as a top priority. PDTD was awarded $7M in funding for the highest priority pedestrian safety project – the NM 4 Multi-use Pedestrian Trail. The trail is currently in construction with an expected completion date of December 15, 2023. There have been several project change orders to-date, for which the PDTD is seeking additional funding. The PDTD is also seeking funding for trail wayfinding signage.