SENM legislators seek large monetary appropriation from state for key road projects
Five southeast New Mexico House representatives asked for a $650 million appropriation for two vital road projects in Eddy, Chaves and Lea counties.
House Bill (HB) 223 “Projects on Certain Highways” was introduced Jan. 27 by State Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R-55), State Rep. Greg Nibert (R-59), State Rep. Candy Spence Ezell (R-58), State Rep. Jim Townsend (R-54) and State Rep. Jimmy Mason (R-66), according to the New Mexico Legislature’s website.
The first hearing for the proposed legislation was set for Feb. 9 before the New Mexico House, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee, the website cited.
More:Sen. Ben Ray Lujan secures $1M for relief route in Jal as part of a larger road project
The legislators asked for the appropriation from the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) Appropriation Contingency Fund for spending during the 2024 through 2026 fiscal years for acquisition of rights of way, planning, design and construction for projects on U.S. Highway 380 in Chaves County and New Mexico 128 and 31 from Eddy County to Lea County, read part of the legislation.
The appropriation would match federal and state funds already set aside for construction work, per the proposed legislation.
"We desperately need to get those highways up to speed. We have growing and growing enterprises in the Permian (Basin) that desperately need that," Townsend said.
He said lawmakers had $3.6 billion in new revenues from oil and gas revenues and with the proposed appropriation the Legislature still has around $3 billion for other statewide projects.
"This is $650 million we need in southeast New Mexico to enhance our businesses in oil and gas, agriculture and just tourists. We need those and we need it quickly," Townsend said.
Jal Mayor Stephen Aldridge welcomed the proposed legislation as the southernmost Lea County community was impacted in recent years from increased oil and gas truck traffic traveling along New Mexico 128.
According to NMDOT, the New Mexico 31 portion extends 22 miles from a junction with U.S. Highway 285 to U.S. highway 62/180 near Carlsbad.
New Mexico 128 extends 60 miles from New Mexico 31 through Jal to the Texas state line, NMDOT noted on a website.
More:Carlsbad works with DOT to assess, meet transportation needs
Aldridge said traffic is bumper to bumper on a normal workday along the route which encompasses Jal whose population grew from 2,202 residents in 2020 to 2,250 people in 2023, according to data from the World Population Review.
NMDOT estimated phase one construction of the design-build project could start later this year. Aldridge said once construction starts Jal would be the detour spot for traffic.
“We’ve rebuilt the majority of roads in town to handle that heavy load traffic,” he said.
“We’re still growing, we’ve been under construction for five years the vast majority is infrastructure,” Aldridge added.
Both highways travel through federal, state and private lands mostly serving the oil and gas industry, according to NMDOT.
Initial evaluations by NMDOT determined the highways need pavement improvements, additional lanes and shoulders along with passing lanes and drainage improvements.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: SENM legislators sought $650M appropriations for road work
