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| Paseo del Volcan/I-40 Interchange to Get Facelift with Federal Funds |
April 25, 2003 |
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Wilson and Domenici Focus on Job Potential on Westside
Albuquerque, NM –Congresswoman Heather Wilson received a highway briefing today, the second in as many days, about another New Mexico road interchange project supported with federal dollars secured by Wilson and New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici. Wilson and Domenici worked in Congress to secure $2.08 million to help upgrade the existing interchange that connects I-40 to Paseo del Volcan on Albuquerque’s Westside because of a federal and local commitment to improving infrastructure in the area for business development.
The funding announced by Wilson today was included in the FY2003 Omnibus Appropriations bill that passed the U.S. Congress in February.
“The job potential on Albuquerque’s Westside is tremendous,” said Wilson. “I made a commitment to help improve the infrastructure at the top of Nine-Mile Hill, and today’s announcement is a delivery on that promise. This area, once fully developed, will be one of Albuquerque’s new job centers.”
“The poor state of this 40-year old interchange spurred our involvement and efforts to secure funding to improve it. The route was in need of some major updates and expansion to accommodate increasing traffic flows brought about primarily as a result of the airport. These improvements are crucial to maintain safe and secure access from I-40 to Double Eagle,” said Domenici, who as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee helped to secure funding for the project.
Paseo del Volcan, which has carried traffic for more than 40 years, leads to the Double Eagle II Airport. This federal funding will augment state and local funding to rebuild the interchange and improve it with changes to the ramping configuration, reconstruction and widening of the bridge structures, and operational improvements at the connecting arterial streets. The proposed plan also calls for improvements to the north side freeway, the two-way frontage road that connects the Double Eagle II Interchange to the proposed future Paseo del Volcan alignment, which would be west of the existing interchange.
Road planners say the federal funds will be used to conduct an environmental study, acquire right-of-ways services, do preliminary and final design, and serve as seed money for the ultimate re-construction of the interchange.
“This federal funding is another example of how the federal government can participate in projects to create jobs and strengthen our economic recovery,” said Wilson.
Yesterday, Wilson and Domenici announced federal funds to reconstruct the I-40 Interchange with Louisiana Blvd., which serves Albuquerque’s Uptown area. That part of Albuquerque is home to two of New Mexico’s three largest shopping centers.
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