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| Update: Wilson Secures $5.6 Million for Mesa del Sol Access |
August 02, 2005 |
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Congress Approved Federal Backing for Mesa del Sol Interchange
Congresswoman Heather Wilson has secured $5.6 million for the Access to Mesa del Sol from I-25.
Community planning is underway to make 12,000 acres of barren mesa land into Albuquerque’s newest neighborhood. That means business parks, schools, village centers, homes - and roads.
Rep. Wilson points out where new Mesa del Sol roads might lead once constructed. Just behind her is State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons and UNM’s Steve Beffort.
The federal funding requested by Wilson, passed by Congress just last week, is for planning and design of the proposed interchange, about 3.5 miles south of the existing I-25/Rio Bravo interchange.
Last week, the House passed the Transportation Equity Act (H.R. 3) 412-8, and the Senate also approved, authorizing $25 million in federal funds for Albuquerque area projects earmarked by Rep. Wilson.
"It`s been a long road for this bill, and we now have important funding in place for New Mexico," Wilson said. "These projects will create jobs and improve transportation infrastructure that is vital to our state’s growth."
The $286.5 billion six-year highway bill not only includes $25 million requested by Wilson for four key transportation efforts in central New Mexico, but reauthorizes federal highway spending through fiscal year 2009, and authorizes the proposed Belen-to-Santa Fe commuter rail as a federal project.
Wilson said the upgrades for Albuquerque area projects will benefit traffic flow and local and state economies.
Wilson also welcomed the authorization of funds in installments over the next four years totaling $6.9 million for Albuquerque Ride and Bus facilities.
Funding requested by Rep. Wilson for New Mexico projects:
Coors/I-40, $15.6 million – the state’s second most-traveled interchange
Mesa del Sol, $5.6 million
Tramway/I-25, $2.8 million
Corridor study, $1 million through the Middle Rio Grande Coalition of Governments (MRCOG) in 2006 and 2007 to plan the route alternative from Albuquerque to Santa Fe for the proposed Belen-to-Santa Fe commuter rail.
In addition to the $5.6 million for the I-25/Mesa del Sol interchange that would connect the highway with the new area, Congresswoman Wilson also recently announced that she secured $2.5 million to help jumpstart construction of the University Boulevard extension road, leading to the heart of the future Mesa del Sol development in southeast Albuquerque.
“As we can see from these charts and maps, Mesa del Sol has great potential,” said Wilson. “Anybody who’s been out to a concert at the Journal Pavilion has seen the vast expanse of land out there. And anybody who’s been to a concert has probably been stuck in traffic, too. The potential is there. Now we need to build the roads and infrastructure that will make jobs and homes and neighborhoods in Mesa del Sol possible. We’ll keep working to bring these artist renderings to life.”
Rep. Heather Wilson has worked for years with Mesa del Sol partners to provide federal funding for infrastructure that will make jobs and homes in the area possible. She secured $250,000 of seed money in FY04 to kick start planning for the University Boulevard road. City officials expect to break ground on road construction this summer.
“We appreciate the ongoing support for Mesa del Sol by Representative Wilson and of all of our elected officials,” Michael Daly, COO of Forest City Covington, said recently. “It is this support that helps us move forward quickly in trying to bring jobs to New Mexico and also supports our long term needs, such as funding for the Mesa del Sol Interchange that will ensure the project’s success.”
“Securing the $20 million to extend University and Rio Bravo boulevards has been a team effort and I am grateful to Congresswoman Wilson for her work on the federal level to see this project completed,” State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons said recently.
Wilson has said that extending University Boulevard and building a new Mesa del Sol road lays the groundwork for development of the area. This, she says, could lead to an economic boon for Albuquerque, with the potential for attracting and growing more and better jobs in the metro area.
“Government doesn’t create the wealth that builds a community, but it can help create the conditions for growth. In this case that means transportation infrastructure that will support jobs and homes,” Wilson continued.
Mesa del Sol will be developed over the next 35 to 50 years with the first building to be built after the extension of University Boulevard scheduled for completion in 2006. The property is in the southeast corner of the City of Albuquerque, bordered by the Bernalillo County Recreational Complex (Journal Pavilion), Tijeras Arroyo, I-25, Isleta Pueblo and Kirtland Air Force Base.
Federal Funding Rep. Wilson has secured for the University Blvd Extension and the Mesa del Sol area access:
FY04 Appropriations - $250,000
FY05 Appropriations - $2.25 million
Approved last week: $5.6 million in Transportation Reauthorization for the new I-25 Mesa del Sol interchange
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