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| Wilson Secures More Money for Mesa del Sol |
January 14, 2008 |
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Lawmaker Has Secured Nearly $10 Million since 2004 to Connect Mesa del Sol to I-25
Santa Fe, N.M. - Congresswoman Heather Wilson has secured nearly $10 million in federal funding to build a new interchange connecting I-25 to the Mesa del Sol development in Albuquerque. Wilson announced today that she secured $500,000 in the latest federal budget bill that Congress passed before the holidays. That bill was signed by President Bush on December 26, 2007.
With this most recent appropriation, Wilson has now secured a total of $9.95 million in federal funding for the Mesa del Sol/I-25 road project. In 2004, she secured $5.2 million, along with $2.25 million in ‘05, $2.0 Million in ‘06, and the $0.5 million announced today from the 2007 budget bill.
Wilson says the Mesa del Sol project and infrastructure improvements like a new interchange will help bring highly-skilled, high-paying jobs to Albuquerque. On May 27, 2004, she went on a “windshield tour” of the area and received a progress report from site planners. Wilson had previously secured $1.5 million for the University Boulevard extension to support the Mesa del Sol project. During the windshield tour, Wilson learned that the University Boulevard extension wouldn’t provide enough access and another access point from I-25 was necessary to make the project a success.
At the time, Wilson said planning for Mesa del Sol includes potentially thousands of jobs and homes in the coming decades.
“Government can’t create wealth, but it can help create the conditions for businesses to invest and create jobs. In this case that means roads and an interchange that will allow businesses to locate here,” Wilson said.
The $9.95 million in federal funding that Wilson has secured since 2004 is for planning, designing, and building the proposed interchange. The new exit from I-25 will be about 3.5 miles south of the Rio Bravo/I-25 Interchange, providing increased access to the new development project.
Wilson's announcement of federal funding came today during a press conference welcoming a major new employer to Mesa del Sol. Wilson joined Governor Bill Richardson and others to announce that SCHOTT Solar will build a plant in the Mesa del Sol development, creating up to 1,500 new jobs in the area.
“This is great news for bringing highly-skilled, high-paying jobs to Albuquerque, including many engineering jobs,” said Wilson. “I thank SCHOTT Solar for making New Mexico their home.”
“Welcoming SCHOTT Solar to New Mexico is yet another piece in making Mesa Del Sol a successful community and an important part of Albuquerque’s future,” said Wilson. “Attracting business and homeowners to Mesa Del Sol requires excellent infrastructure, including roads, water, and education.”
Wilson says SCHOTT’s $100 million investment in Albuquerque will build a plant that will manufacture both photo voltaic and concentrating solar power components. When the plant starts up in 2009 it will provide 350 high-tech jobs with plans to expand to 1,500 jobs.
Wilson says she'll continue her work to make Mesa del Sol a success.
“I urge the State and Federal Highway Administration to work together to make this a critical project on their transportation construction list so that the Albuquerque area can continue to attract good paying jobs.”
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