State Representatives Cathrynn N. Brown and Jimmy Mason, who both represent Lea County, have come together with Rep. Greg Nibert, Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell and Rep. Jim Townsend to introduce House Bill 223 – the funding of certain highway projects in Lea, Chaves and Eddy counties.
The five legislators, all Republicans, represent the New Mexico counties of Chaves, Eddy, Lea and Otero and are asking for an appropriation of $650 million to fund needed highway projects.
Monies would come from the state’s Appropriation Contingency Fund and be given to the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) for “… infrastructure projects on certain portions of United States Highway 380 and New Mexico Highways 31 and 128,” states the bill.
Spending would take place during 2024, 2025 and 2026. According to Mike Smith in an article he authored for the Carlsbad Current-Argus, HB 223 states that the monies would be used “…for acquisition of rights of way, planning, design and construction for projects on U.S. Highway 380 in Chaves County and New Mexico 128 and 31 from Eddy County to Lea County.” Smith continues that funds appropriated through the passage of HB 223 “…would match federal and state funds already set aside for construction work….”
The bill’s first hearing was scheduled for Thursday, February 9 before the New Mexico House, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee
Southeastern New Mexico’s Thriving Oil and Gas Industry Fueling Need for Highway Improvements
About the need for the approval of HB 223, Rep. Townsend said, “We desperately need to get those highways up to speed. We have growing and growing enterprises in the Permian (Basin) that desperately need that. … This is $650 million we need in southeast New Mexico to enhance our businesses in oil and gas, agriculture and just tourists. We need those and we need it quickly.”
In addition to state legislators, other Lea County government officials well understand the importance of working with NMDOT and other partners to find effective solutions to the traffic problems the county and all of southeastern New Mexico face each and every day. Jal’s mayor David Aldridge has been proactive in his fight for the proposed highway improvements for some time. Last summer Aldridge was quoted in an article posted at CurrentArgus.com as saying, “‘The traffic burden out here sometimes of the day is unbelievable. Industry traffic backs up east and west and sometimes to the south.'” It should be remembered that Jal, with a population of approximately 2,500, is Lea County’s southernmost community and located close to the area where oil and gas activity is booming.
Lea County Manager Mike Gallagher also calls out the need for highway improvements. Gallagher says in his video summary posted on Facebook of the Lea County Commissioners July 14, 2022 meeting that “…these roadways often receive more usage than New Mexico state thoroughfares.”
NMDOT Aware of Problem
Highway congestion on NM 31 and NM 128 in the southern, oil patch area of Lea County has been a problem NMDOT has known about for some time. Dealing with the problem is complex. NMDOT has the challenge of carefully managing the balance between accommodating the growth of the oil and gas industry and ensuring that the region’s roads can handle the increased traffic that comes with that growth.
On its website NMDOT states, “Initial evaluations have determined that the highways need pavement improvements, additional lanes and shoulders, passing lanes, sight distance/vertical alignment improvements, and drainage improvements.”
The result of the needed improvements coupled with the high level of usage is many accidents. According to the CurrentArgus article, “More than 700 vehicle crashes occurred on New Mexico 31 and 128 from 2014 to 2019….” Of these accidents 28% resulted in injuries and/or death.
City of Jal Affected
The City of Jal is in the heart of the area, and according to Mayor Aldridge, road work in Jal has already taken place to ready the community for the highway construction project that will result if HB 223 is passed. Aldridge points out that Jal will serve as “the detour spot for traffic”. He says, “We’ve rebuilt the majority of roads in town to handle that heavy load traffic.”
NMDOT at its website states that construction to relieve congestion on highways 128 and 31 could start in 2023. According to the Current Argus article, NMDOT has already “secured nearly $500 million in federal and state funds for phase one work….”
NMDOT data confirms that State Road 31 travels from a junction with US Highway 285 to US 62/180 near Carlsbad, a distance of 22 miles. State Road 128 extends from New Mexico 31 through Lea County to the Texas border, about 60 miles.
