State commitment will go beyond previous repairs, bolster infrastructure for years to come

ROSWELL – After a 100-year flood event resulted in the collapse of a Roswell bridge last month, Gov. Lujan Grisham on Saturday announced that the state is committing $1.7 million to not only repair the bridge, but also implement additional flood mitigation to protect the bridge in future incidents of heavy rainfall.

“I am happy to dedicate $1.7 million in state funding to this important investment for the community of Roswell,” the governor said. “My administration is deploying funds across the state that move beyond stop-gap measures when it comes to our infrastructure – in addition to repairing this bridge in Roswell, we will build more robust flood mitigation that will keep area residents safe for years to come.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to work with Gov. Lujan Grisham on needed flood mitigation for our community,” said Roswell Mayor Timothy Jennings. “This investment will go a long way to not only replace the bridge, but to fix it right for the safe travel of the citizens of Roswell.”

“We are very grateful that the governor came down to meet with us this morning to discuss the issues that we’ve had from flooding and to commit to putting forth the needed finances not just to fix a bridge, but take care of the problem completely,” said Roswell Mayor Pro Tem Jason Perry. “We are glad for the partnership.”

The bridge, near the intersection of Mescalero and La Jara roads, previously collapsed due to flooding in 2013 – while it was replaced, additional changes to address the flooding vulnerabilities were not implemented. The plan announced by the governor on Saturday will allow for enhanced debris flow, avoiding clogs and therefore reducing strain on the structure during heavy rainfall.

The $1.7 million investment will come from the State Road Fund via the New Mexico Department of Transportation.

Gov. Lujan Grisham was in Roswell following stops in Socorro, Belen, and Clovis, where she announced millions in state infrastructure investments that will improve the quality of life in these communities for generations to come.