PETROGLYPH NATIONAL MONUMENT IN NEW MEXICO
IMPERILED BY ROAD PLANS
October 10, 1996
The Petroglyph National Monument comprises more than 7,200 acres along
Albuquerque's scenic West Mesa Escarpment and was established by Congress in
1990. The Monument is home to more than 15,000 documented works of rock art,
known as Petroglyphs, the largest known unexcavated pueblo in the region,
and more than three hundred other archeological sites. The Monument also
contains numerous unique natural and geological features, including five
volcanoes which frame Albuquerque's western skyline.
Visitors from around the globe flock to New Mexico to experience and learn
about the ways of its native peoples who first settled the region - the
Pueblo Indian and Hispano peoples who continue to maintain their spiritual
and cultural traditions. The Monument and its resources are of substantial
spiritual and cultural importance to the native peoples.
The Monument's resources are threatened by uncontrolled, sprawl development
of one of the nation's most rapidly growing urban areas. Congress recognized
this threat and created the Monument for the purpose of protecting the
area's nationally significant cultural and natural resources from the
threats posed by urbanization and vandalism.
The Monument is now threatened by the City of Albuquerque's plans to
construct two commuter highways through the Monument - six lane Paseo del
Norte and four lane Unser Boulevard. The roads are being pushed by
Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez. Mayor Chavez was elected in 1994 by the
narrowest of margins, thanks to hefty campaign contributions from developers
and landowners who now stand to benefit from the proposed roads. Chavez has
taken on the construction project as a personal crusade. Chavez has vowed
that the roads will be built and has predicted that there will be movement
on the issue within weeks of the upcoming November election.
It is widely acknowledged that construction of Paseo del Norte would violate
applicable federal laws. For this reason Chavez is pushing for a
Congressional fix - an amendment to the Act which created the monument which
would authorize construction of the road. We need you help in preventing
such an atrocity, which will result in desecration of a sacred area, set a
dangerous precedent by allowing construction of commuter highways through a
unit of the National Park System, and degrade the area's cultural,
archeological, scientific and natural values.
- Please write Mayor Chavez to let him know that you oppose his plans for
the roads. A sample letter follows.
- Please send a copy of your letter to the Albuquerque Petroglyph Coalition
c/o SouthWest Organizing Project / 211 10th Street, SW / Albuquerque, New
Mexico 87102
Thanks for your support!
Mayor Martin J. Chavez
City of Albuquerque
1 Civic Plaza
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
Dear Mayor Chavez:
I am writing to let you know that I strongly oppose your plans to build two
commuter highways through Petroglyph National Monument.
The Monument is a national treasure. It is a unit of the National Park
System. Its resources should not be degraded for commuter highways. It is
Albuquerque's responsibility to work with the Park Service to ensure that
the Monument receives the protection it deserves. Surely you and your staff
should be able to find alternatives for roads which would adequately serve
Albuquerque's transportation needs.
Albuquerque is fortunate that Congress has graced it with a National
Monument on its western border. With the possible exception of a few special
interests, the entire Albuquerque community benefits enormously from the
Monument. The City should make the Monument a showcase for its residents and
visitors.
While the Albuquerque area is attractive in many ways, the City is fast
acquiring the reputation of being a place of uncontrolled, sprawl
development, and a City which does not do a good job of protecting its
special places. It will not look good for Albuquerque if the City sacrifices
a unit of the National Park Service to sprawl development.
Please abandon your plans to build Paseo del Norte and Unser Boulevard
through Petroglyph National Monument.
Sincerely,