Bloomfield City Council approves new landscaping plans

Vehicles turn onto West Broadway Boulevard from U.S. Highway 550 in Bloomfield on Monday. (Jon Austria The Daily Times)

BLOOMFIELD City councilors on Monday night unanimously supported plans for a greener look to Bloomfield's main thoroughfare.

At the council meeting, Greg Miller, landscape architect for Albuquerque-based Morrow Reardon Wilkinson Miller, presented his firm's final design plans for two miles of landscaped medians and parkways along U.S. Highway 64 and at the intersection of U.S. Highways 64 and 550.

Miller told councilors the enhancements to the most traveled stretch in the city will be an attractive addition. He has worked on the design of the landscaping project for about a year, an endeavor that has cost the city $50,000.

City officials are also hoping the investment will bring more businesses to Bloomfield, allowing the city to collect more gross receipts taxes.

"It's exciting. We're getting to the point as we move toward construction," Miller said.

Decorative pots were featured in the design plans Milled showed councilors.

Discussion over adding decorative lighting for trees and large pots supported by 10- to 15-foot-tall decorative poles like those in neighboring Aztec dominated discussion of the project.

Miller stressed the economic advantage of having lighting included as part of the project's plans. That, he said, would cost $100,000 to $150,000.

Ultimately, the council shied away from going forward with lighting right away.

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Bloomfield City Council approves new landscaping plans