Site work, paving and new construction of a civil project in Loving, New Mexico. Completed plans call for paving for a road / highway; road / highway; for the construction of a bridge / tunnel; for site work for a bridge / tunnel; bridge / tunnel; and water / sewer project.

https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2022/08/06/1m-secured-for-jal-relief-route-as-part-of-larger-road-safety-project/65388905007/ - Federal funding for a relief route for a Lea County community dealing with increased oil and gas traffic was welcomed by local officials. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) asked for a $1 million allocation to the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) for a relief route study along New Mexico State Road 128, said Jal Mayor Stephen Aldridge and City Manager Matt White. The $1 million is part of a $250 million federal spending package for 130 local projects across New Mexico, read a joint press from Lujan and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM). The Senate Appropriations Committee released a nearly $1.7 trillion fiscal year 2023 spending plan which includes spending increases for various federal projects. Lujan said the full Senate has not voted on the appropriations bill. Aldridge said NMODT allotted the City of Jal $4 million previously for the ongoing study for a relief route along New Mexico Highway 128. "We've had good communications with Sen. Lujan they've always been responsive," he said. Aldridge said the relief route was needed as increased traffic from oil fields in the southernmost Lea County community caused traffic jams along major arterials, including New Mexico 128. The relief route is part of an overall safety improvement plan for New Mexico 128 and New Mexico State Road 31, according to NMDOT. State Road 31 extends 22 miles from a junction with U.S. highway 285 to U.S. 62/180 near Carlsbad. State Road 128 travels 60 miles from New Mexico 31 through Lea County to the Texas State line, according to NMDOT. NMDOT secured nearly $500 million in federal and state funds for phase one work along New Mexico 128 and 31. Studies on the safety improvements in Eddy and Lea counties were scheduled to conclude this year and construction could start in 2023, read an NMDOT website. Aldridge said the overall project would be a design-build, which would speed up construction. "This provides maximum funding flexibility for NMDOT and its partners and allows NMDOT to aggressively move towards starting construction of the improvements sooner," stated an NMDOT website. "That road is rough," said Aldridge of New Mexico 128. More than 700 vehicle crashes occurred on New Mexico 31 and 128 from 2014 to 2019, read data compiled by WSP Global, an engineering company. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2022/03/05/nm-31-128-safety-eddy-county-still-design-process/6923252001/ - Design work to improve safety on two New Mexico highways in Eddy and Lea counties is still underway, according to the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). NMDOT South Region Manager Michael Smelker said the New Mexico State Roads 31 and 128 project was in the Design Build Phase and estimated the cost at $80 million for the initial phase. "This provides maximum funding flexibility for NMDOT and its partners and allows NMDOT to aggressively move towards starting construction of the improvements sooner," read an NMDOT website dedicated to the project. More:Southeast New Mexico gets millions from lawmakers for local infrastructure projects "This is possible as NMDOT needs to complete 30 percent of the design, in the form of an Enhanced Conceptual Design, before it is released to potential Design-Build Contractors for bidding, and thereafter to the selected Design-Build Contractor for completion." "This is a safety improvement project," Smelker said. "Safety is NMDOT's number one priority." He said a study found on the website https://nm31-128project.nmdotprojects.org/ provided an engineering and environmental analysis of the project and alternatives for improvements. State Road 31 extends 22 miles from a junction with U.S. highway 285 to U.S. highway 62 near Carlsbad. State Road 128 extends 60 miles from New Mexico 31 through Lea County to the Texas State line, the website indicated. State Roads 31 and 128 crossed federal, state, and private lands mainly serving the oil and gas industry, the website read. "We've had so many traffic crash related deaths on 128," said Deputy Vivian Martinez, spokesperson for the Lea County Sheriff's Office. More:Louisiana man killed in Eddy County car crash She said Lea County Sheriff's officials investigated 53 crashes, including traffic deaths in 2021 on State Road 128 in Lea County. An NMDOT map from 2019 indicated a "large number" of crashes, including deaths along State Roads 31 and 128. The Eddy County Sheriff's Office does not keep track of crashes along State Road 128 in Eddy County, said Sgt. Gracie Gonzales, Eddy County Sheriff's Office spokesperson. Smelker said work on the project should start in 2023 and last nearly two years based on the final work schedule. He said the first phase of the project included widening of nearly eight miles of State Road 128 from two-lanes to four-lanes. "With intersection improvements to (the) State Road 31/128 intersection and Refinery Road. The railroad crossing within this portion of the roadway will be upgraded. Based on future funding the project has an alternative location through the Town of Jal, and several major intersections will be upgraded as part of the initial phase along State Road 128," Smelker said. Martinez said the Lea County Sheriff's office was "excited and nervous" for the construction project. "There's a chance there could be more traffic crashes (during construction)," she said. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) shall be valid for one hundred twenty (120) days subject to all action by the NMDOT. NMDOT reserves the right to reject any or all SOQs in part or in whole. SOQs shall be submitted to the NMDOT electronically. This Project is to improve a vital corridor in southeastern New Mexico. The base scope of the Project will include improvements to NM-31 from US 285 through the intersection of NM-128, including improvements to the NM-31 and NM-128 intersection. Improvements will consist of expanding the existing 2-lane facility to 4 lanes, including construction of a new bridge and rehabilitation of the existing bridge at the Pecos River and potentially a new railroad crossing overpass bridge at the NM 31-128 intersection. Specifically, the Project may include: - New roadway construction - Roadway reconstruction and rehabilitation - Bridge construction and rehabilitation New Mexico Department of Transportation Request for Qualifications 31-128 Design and Build Project August 31, 2021 Project No. CN 2104330 11 o Utility relocation The estimated cost of the base scope is $70-$80 million. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT: All qualified Offerors will receive consideration of contract(s) without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Proponents of this work shall be required to comply with the President's Executive Order No. 11246 as amended. Request for Qualifications will be available by contacting the Procurement Manager listed below: RFQ No. 22-01: Margo Gomez by telephone at (505) 470-2784, or by email at Margo.Gomez@state.nm.us