New Mexico’s Permian Basin is one of the most prolific oil and gas producing regions in the world and is the source of NM’s billion dollar increase in state revenue this year. While this region of NM is responsible for the tremendous increase in state revenue, road and transportation infrastructure in the southeastern part of the state is crumbling and unable to support the boom in industry. That is, until NMDOT announced last week that it will receive some much needed support in the form of nearly $300 million in road improvements.
State Secretary of Transportation Michael Sandoval said funding had been secured for improvements to U.S. Highway 285 from the Texas State Line 22 miles north to Loving NM, and for an upgrade to New Mexico State Road 31 to expand it to four lanes. A project to add another four lanes to US 128 from Carlsbad to Jal had about $60 million funded of the $200 million needed, he said.
Overall, Sandoval said about $150 million was still needed to fully repair and update the three priority roads in southeast New Mexico: 285, 128 and 31. Read more HERE.