WASHINGTON – The Senate 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.
“Many of our state’s communities depend on federal dollars for important transportation and housing projects. The funding included in this bill will help get important New Mexico projects off the ground,” Bingaman said.
“This legislation contains almost $8 million in funding for a wide range of projects designed to improve the quality of life of New Mexicans from across the state – everything from highway and public transportation improvements to affordable housing and new youth and public health facilities,” Udall sai d. “I am proud that we won support for these important initiatives, all of which will be a boom to our economy and create quality jobs for hardworking New Mexicans.”
The fiscal year 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill will now be subject to a House-Senate panel, which will negotiate final legislation that can be signed into law.
The bill contains the following for New Mexico:
$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 – Curry County: 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. The project was also awarded $482,000 in recovery funding from the Federal Transit Administration.
$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.
