Roosevelt awarded $2.7 million road grant

Road maintenance is a “never ending thing” so the New Mexico Department of Transportation Project Fund Grant award of over $2.7 million this week to Roosevelt County will be “money well spent,” said County Commissioner Dennis Lopez.

Maintaining the roads is “all about public safety and protecting our constituents,” Lopez said.

“The funding will be utilized to enhance approximately 62 miles of County Maintained Roadways, with about 59 miles of chip sealed roadways to be resurfaced with a micro-seal emulsion,” a county news release states.

Ricky Lovato, Roosevelt County Road Superintendent, said this grant money will help the county not to have to “dip into local government road fund grant money or Capital Outlay Grant money. The cost of maintenance on paved roads has gone up tremendously.”

“The County applied for this funding based upon identified needs highlighted in the County’s 5-year Road Maintenance Plan,” the release states.

Everything in the plan is “based on need,” Lopez said.

“The 5-year plan was constructed by the Commission and County personnel and is revised annually, following public road workshops, public input and commission direction,” as stated in the release.

“It’s such a great time for Roosevelt County! Anytime we are able to bring in grant dollars to the local economy is wonderful, and when we can secure large awards such as this – we are confident we can make substantial improvements to our roadways,” Lopez said in the release.

“The County has received the preliminary award notification for the grant funding,”the release states. “Once an agreement is fully executed, then the Road Department will begin this project.”

To view the 5-year plan go to the county’s website at www.rooseveltcounty.com on the Road Maintenance page.