Road Warrior: Would-be license plate artists should put the paint down

Alaina Mencinger, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read

May 12—Since speed cameras were installed in the city, Jo Nell Tillman Tyson said they've seen more license plates painted over to apparently "hinder detection" by the devices.

"Shouldn't this be illegal?" Tyson asked.

It is.

Charlie Moore, the director of communications for the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue, said the law essentially requires legible license plates. If a plate isn't readable for any reason, including wear and tear as well as intentional obscuring, the driver can receive a citation requiring them to replace it within 30 days.

The penalty assessment for the citation is $25, but Moore said court fees could drive up that cost should the driver decide to navigate the court system.

After 2023, the state no longer suspends licenses if fees aren't paid, but unpaid citations remain on a driving record as an outstanding payment.

NO MORE BRAKING THROUGH LA BAJADA: Orange barrels and construction signs have become a fixture on the drive up to Santa Fe from Albuquerque.

But if you — like I — have adjusted your autopilot to the slower speed limit through La Bajada, get ready to hit the gas.

The project is expected to wrap up by the end of this month — six months ahead of schedule, said state Department of Transportation spokesperson Kristine Mihelcic in an email to the Journal.

Several of the changes are attempting to stabilize the hillside, including the drilling and filling of more than 80 holes — about the diameter of an alligator and 20 feet deep — with a mixture of soil and cement.

Underground springs, Mihelcic said, were part of the problem. That's why new drainage structures were added.

The most noticeable part of the project is the 42-inch concrete barrier to separate two traffic flows.

A lane could now be added, if needed, as the southbound shoulder was enlarged.

HIGHLIGHTING TIERRA PINTADA: This week will mark the start of an approximately seven- month construction project at Tierra Pintada and Mirehaven NW on Albuquerque's West Side.

Closures of the road start today, but one lane in either direction will remain open.

The project includes the installation of a roundabout, as well as new overhead lights and landscaping.

Alaina Mencinger covers city and county government for the Albuquerque Journal. She can be reached at amencinger@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3864.