Money from the State of New Mexico is forthcoming for a major Carlsbad thoroughfare identified as a priority in a long-term improvement plan.
Tuesday night Carlsbad City Councilors approved a $500,000 application for New Mexico Department of Transportation (DOT) Capital Outlay money.
Marisa Maez, DOT spokesperson, said Capital Outlay funds were awarded through the legislature to various agencies for projects that senators and representatives have supported and placed on a bill in their areas.
She said eligible projects need to be on an Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP).
“Which local entities work with the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) to do. Once awarded NMDOT provides drafts and executes grant agreements and provides oversite to the funds to ensure they are being used in accordance with law language,” Maez said.
She added locals have to work with DFA to have projects listed in the Capital Outlay ICIP plan.
“They also need to work with their local senator or representative to have a project sponsored on a Capital Outlay Bill,” Maez said
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City of Carlsbad Deputy City Administrator KC Cass said in a memo to City Council, the City plans to design and construct improvements to Radio Boulevard. The project was included in the City’s 2021 through 2025 ICIP as a major project, the memo read.
Maez said the project in Carlsbad was approved in a December 2020 bond sale and the agreement was drafted and sent to the City for signatures.
“Once the agreement has been fully executed the City of Carlsbad can begin work on the project,” she said.
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway said there are some portions of Radio Boulevard, “that are in pretty bad shape.”
He said there is major growth in some areas of Carlsbad, including portions around Radio Boulevard.
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Janway cited the growth involving residential and industrial properties.
“Radio Boulevard is one of the primary roads in the area,” he said.
In the memo, Cass said work includes reclaiming the existing pavement on Radio Boulevard.
“And repaving of the existing roadway from the intersection of Standpipe Road and the City limits which lies approximately 476 feet to the east of South Quay Street,” Cass wrote in the memo to Councilors.
He said the total length of the project is around 3,000 feet.
According to the resolution approved by the Council, DOT paid the full cost of the project, the City of Carlsbad does not pay for a matching share.
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“This will be the completion of a commercial corridor in the area that also included recent work to Boyd and Kircher,” Janway said.
The City expects the work to start during the summer and could be finished in three to four weeks once it starts.
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Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
