ALBUQUERQUE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced on Thursday that the state will provide $1.8 million in funding to the City of Albuquerque for repairs and lighting upgrades in downtown Albuquerque to prevent crime.

“I have heard from business owners, residents and visitors that more lighting downtown is needed,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “Downtown Albuquerque should be a vibrant and safe area for all to enjoy, and we will continue working with the City to take actions that improve public safety. I am looking forward to seeing the city complete this project as soon as possible.”

Crews will repair, replace and upgrade more than 650 lights, better illuminating approximately 200,000 square feet of downtown Albuquerque’s most frequented sidewalks. The new LED lights are equipped with smart controls and will have the capability to immediately increase brightness as necessary for safety purposes.

“Better lighting means a safer downtown,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. “Well-lit streets create a sense of security, improving downtown Albuquerque for residents, visitors, and first responders. We are grateful to the Governor for investing in the infrastructure our city needs and building upon the work the City doing to light downtown.”

The new infrastructure will also be more resilient to vandalism, making sure that the lights are not tampered with and stay on.

The project is expected to be completed in three to six months.

The downtown effort builds upon the 100-plus lights installed by the City in the last five years in downtown alleys, sidewalks, and streets.