City of Albuquerque details nearly $70M in state money for projects

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The City of Albuquerque detailed nearly $70 million in capital outlay that New Mexico lawmakers allocated to them during this year’s session.

The money will go toward several projects encompassing three categories they outlined:

Public Safety

  • Fire station renovation and construction: $3,959,900
  • Road projects and infrastructure: $3,800,000
  • APD helicopter: $3,045,000
  • Paseo del Norte and Unser expansion: $2,800,000
  • Southwest Public Safety Center construction: $1,700,000

Housing and Homelessness

  • Affordable housing construction: $2,205,000
  • Housing navigation construction: $1,645,000 

“Placemaking”

  • Balloon Fiesta Park improvement projects: $15,725,000

The improvement projects include: Restrooms; water, sewer and electrical upgrades; road, parking lot and walkway improvements to increase access and safety; additional parking; and protection of balloon landing sites

  • Park improvement and construction: $11,445,000
  • Rail Yards renovations for the film academy: $10,130,000
  • Library renovations: $2,105,000
  • Rio Grande State Park improvement: $1,635,000
  • Albuquerque Museum Education Center construction: $1,585,000
  • Cibola Loop Multigenerational Center construction: $1,200,000
  • North Domingo Baca Aquatic Center construction: $1,050,000

The city also touted these public safety policy initiatives they pushed for that legislators passed and the governor signed into law:

  • Removal of the bond option for repeat felony offenders
  • Seven-day waiting period for gun purchases
  • Incentives to improve officer retention 
  • Stronger penalties for 2nd-degree murder and attempted murder
  • Ban guns from polling places