WASHINGTON – The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved a spending bill that contains millions of dollars U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall requested for New Mexico transportation, housing and community development projects.
“The funding included in this bill will help New Mexico communities break ground or continue work on important transportation and neighborhood projects,” Bingaman said.
“Our growing New Mexico communities would benefit greatly from the project improvements included in this bill and the jobs that would be created in the process,” said Udall.
The fiscal year 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill is now ready to be considered by the full Senate. The bill contains the following:
$1 million - Albuquerque Regional East-West Trail and Bikeway : Funding would be used for a project to provide a continuous east-west trail and bikeway facility extending from Tramway Boulevard near the base of the Sandia Mountains to the Rio Grande Bosque.
$1 million - Cannon Air Force Base: Funding would be used to improve alternative routes and access to Cannon Air Force Base in response to the base’s request to close County Road R on the west side of the base due to growing concern about safety and security.
$750,000 – Improvements to San Jose Blvd in Carlsbad: Funding will be used for the reconstruction of 2.4 miles of San Jose Boulevard from Diaz Street south to National Parks Highway. The project will include the installation of a center turning lane and a bike lane, concrete curb and gutter and sidewalks, reconstruction of major intersections, street lighting and storm drainage improvements.
$800,000 - Hobbs Transit Intermodal Facility: Funding would be used to acquire a site and build/develop a new city transit facility, which will include bus maintenance and administrative areas, driver areas and break room, counting room, and office and storage areas. The facility will include several covered bus storage bays and outside parking spaces for 13 vehicles. The site will include necessary paved entry way and exiting lanes of minimum width of 50’ pavement and will be fenced with security fence.
$2 million – State of New Mexico Statewide Bus and Bus Facilities: Funding will be used to improve public transit services to customers, including: construction and improvements to park and ride services, replacement/expansion of transit vehicles for rural transit providers, increased access to transportation opportunities for elderly persons and persons with disabilities.
$500,000 - Community Area Resource Enterprise (CARE66) in Gallup: Funding would be used for the development of up to 60 units of affordable housing.
$410,000 - Luna County Community Recreation Facility: Funding would be used for the renovation of the old Pepsi building to house dedicated youth activities, practice space, and community meeting rooms.
$400,000 - Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint: Funding would be used for construction of a regional health center located on the campus of the Navajo Technical College.
$300,000 - Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in Rancho de Taos: Funding would be used for preconstruction costs of a youth facility.
$600,000 - Town of Silver City: Funding would be used for the construction of Vistas de Plata, a 56-unit affordable housing unit.
