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SANTA FE, N.M., Oct. 21, 2026—Santa Fe County residents will have an easier time requesting County adoption of private roads for full County maintenance, thanks to a streamlined process.

The revisions establish clearer timelines for processing applications, including property ownership research, public meetings, road evaluations, Transportation Advisory Committee review, and consideration by the Board of County Commissioners. The revisions modify responsibility for surveys and environmental assessments required as part of the road acceptance process. The County will now be responsible for the cost of the required survey and plat.

A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment would no longer be automatically required for every road proposed for acceptance. An environmental assessment may instead be required upon recommendation of County staff, with the County responsible for the associated cost when required.

There are requirements that must be met before a road is considered for County acceptance. The requirements and process are laid out in Resolution 2026-125. Once you have reviewed the requirements and process, if you are interested in moving forward with the request, you can reach out to the Santa Fe Public Works Roads Division.

These revisions are intended to provide a clearer and more efficient process for residents seeking County acceptance of a road while maintaining the technical, legal, safety, and financial considerations used to determine whether a road should be incorporated into the County-maintained road system.

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