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| Wilson Announces $4.65 Million for Albuquerque Projects |
June 07, 2006 |
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"Creating jobs and building better roads are two sides of the same coin – one leads to the other."
Rep. Heather Wilson
Funds for Coors/I-40 Corridor, Mesa del Sol/I-25 and Sunport Extension Set for House Consideration
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson today announced that seven key Albuquerque highway and community projects are slated to receive funding totaling $4.65 million, at her request, under a major appropriations bill proceeding in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill funds the Coors/I-40 interchange at $1.75 million, the Mesa del Sol/I-25 interchange at $1 million, the Sunport extension at $400,000 and Bosque bike trails at $300,000. The legislation also earmarks three projects totaling $1.2 million for the community: $500,000 toward a Senior Center facility for the Village of Tijeras, $400,000 toward the new South Valley Community Dental facility, and $300,000 toward an Albuquerque facility for Enlace, which helps Spanish speaking women and children threatened by domestic violence.
The Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2007 has already been approved by the House Appropriations Committee, and is slated for consideration by the full House soon.
“These interchanges are key access points for our booming West side and the future growth planned for Mesa del Sol,” Wilson said. “Creating jobs and building better roads are two sides of the same coin – one leads to the other.”
“The Tijeras Senior Center, South Valley Dental and Enlace all serve people in our communities who benefit from these programs,” Wilson said. “Additional federal support will help them better serve those who need it most.”
The Mesa del Sol interchange provides direct access to the 9,000-acre development project that will include new businesses, including Advent Solar, and new homes.
The Coors/I-40 corridor project includes plans for a grade separation at the Coors/Quail interchange. This upgrade is needed to handle traffic throughout the West side corridor.
The Sunport Blvd. extension is planned as a connection between I-25 and Broadway Blvd., providing an alternative route to the airport and direct connection for employees of several larger businesses in the area, and helping to relieve I-25 congestion during rush hours.
The Bosque bike trails are planned along the Rio Grande from Bernallillo to Belen. The $300,000 in federal funding will bolster the state funding for the effort.
The Tijeras Senior Center project is planned as a replacement for use of the Community Center, which is shared with various school programs.
The South Valley Dental facilities are aging and in disrepair, but Bernalillo County has provided adjacent land for a new facility to serve some of those who need it most.
The Enlace program helps Spanish speaking women and children with legal assistance, counsel, transitional housing and other services, jointly supported by New Mexico, Albuquerque and the federal Justice Department.
Wilson also welcomed the announcement that the bill contains $500,000 in support for the Sandoval County Northwest Loop Access Road.
In total, the bill would appropriate $67.8 billion, including highways ($39.1 billion), the federal judiciary ($6.1 billion), anti-drug efforts ($468 million), and agency funding for the Department of Treasury ($1.04 billion), the Department of Housing and Urban Development ($35.3 billion), the Federal Aviation Administration ($15.2 billion) and the Internal Revenue Service ($10.5 billion).
A highlight of the HUD funding is important support for Community Development Block Grants ($3.9 billion), Economic Development Initiative ($270 million), Housing for the Elderly ($735 million), and Housing for Persons with Disabilities ($237 million).
Last year, Wilson also worked to secure authorization for $15.6 million for the Coors/I-40 project, New Mexico’s second most-traveled intersection, and $5.6 million for Mesa del Sol within the 6-year highway authorization bill. The efforts will improve traffic flow and strengthen the economy at the local and state level.
The federal Department of Transportation’s JOBMOD Employment Estimation Model, an input/output (I/O) model of the highway construction sector of the U.S. economy, estimates that about 48,000 jobs are created for every $1 billion spent on highway and transportation infrastructure.
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