Lea County has spent or committed more than $2.5 million in roadwork so far this year, according to data submitted by the county’s Assistant Manager for Operations Corey Needham.
That amount includes multiple grants from the New Mexico Department of Transportation already budgeted for the road department.
The largest portion of the total will be about $1.9 million for reconstruction of Weaver Roadway near Eunice. According to Needham, that road will be widened and reconstructed during the winter and spring.
“Cost is shared between Lea County and (an) NMDOT CAP grant,” Needham said. “Construction start date is dependent on date of receiving final grant documentation from NMDOT.”
Constructors Inc. of Carlsbad received the contract to perform the work on Weaver Roadway.
Work on Texas Roadway west of Eunice, at a cost of about $248,500, was completed this month, along with the intersection of Texas and Legion roadways at $84,000. Constructors performed both projects requiring a widening of Texas Roadway and strengthening of the intersection where significant oilfield traffic occurs daily.
Completed in October, under a Constructors contract, was reconstruction of West Avenue J in a residential area west of Lovington at a cost of about $140,000.
Ramirez and Sons Inc. of Hobbs is contracted to perform reconstruction at several intersections along this winter or in the early spring, including the following.
The Alabama and Knowles intersection is slated for reconstruction at a cost of about $65,000 this winter.
The intersection of Alabama and NM-18, at a cost of about $45,000, includes work to be completed in the NMDOT NM-18 Right of Way, requiring additional coordination and permitting.
“This will postpone (the) project into the late winter or spring,” Needham explained.
He added the same thing is true of the Kansas Street and NM-18 intersection reconstruction at a cost of $35,000 and the Nadine Road and NM-18 intersection reconstruction at a cost of $45,000.
Wrapping up his review of county roadwork, Needham said, “Road Department personnel completed 62 miles of chip seal maintenance in the Lovington area in the summer of 2017. These roadways included the truck by-pass (17th Street), Anderson, Hightop, McDonald, Heidel, Prairieview, and Commercial (streets).”