New Mexico Awarded $71 Million Grant for Nogal Canyon Bridge Replacement Project

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is excited to announce the successful application for the Large Bridge Grant for our I-25 Nogal Canyon Bridge Replacement Project in Socorro County, New Mexico. The NMDOT has been awarded $71 million in grant funding through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) competitive Bridge Investment Program, established by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The project will replace two existing bridges that carry Interstate 25 over Nogal Canyon in Socorro County. The existing truss bridges contain nonredundant steel tension members, and the superstructures have experienced deterioration, which has accumulated over time. The bridges are approaching the end of their service life.  The project also includes the reconstruction of the vertical geometry of the I-25 approaches to the new bridges and flattening the decent grade into Nogal Canyon to make it appropriate for current design speeds.

“The New Mexico Department of Transportation is ecstatic to receive this funding to address the infrastructure needs in this portion of the state and make this the signature bridge of our interstate system,” said NMDOT Cabinet Secretary Ricky Serna.  He continued, “This will ensure efficiency for all users on the interstate corridor and will strengthen the economic competitiveness of the region and the State.”

“The grant funding will help the Department replace aging bridge structures, keeping the traveling public safe and ensures the movement of people and goods along the I-25 corridor, said David Quintana, Chief Engineer.  He continued, “This project will be the first project that will utilize an alternative procurement with the use of Construction Manager General Contractor, CMGC. This method of project development brings in the contractor early in the design process to minimize risks during construction and speed up the overall delivery of the project, thereby reducing costs.”

Nogal Canyon Bridge Replacement Project Summary

Socorro County, New Mexico; 1,070,545 trucks annually (2,933 trucks per day); 4,460,300 vehicles annually (12,220 vehicles per day)

Grant Funding: $71,250,000

Grantee:  New Mexico Department of Transportation

New Mexico Department of Transportation Grant Match: $34,750,724

Additional Federal Funding:  $36,525,600

Estimated Total Project Cost:  $142,526,324

The Large Bridge Project Grants under the Bridge Investment Program are available for bridges with total eligible project costs over $100 million, with minimum grant awards of $50 million and a maximum award of 50 percent of the total eligible project costs. Priority consideration is given to projects ready to proceed to construction. The program also funds projects that require pre-construction work and benefit from a multi-year grant agreement. New Mexico is one of 13 states that will receive funding for the repair and replacement of large bridges through the program.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the Bridge Investment Program and invests $40 billion over five years to ensure the nation’s bridges remain safe and operational, meet current and future traveler needs, support local economies, strengthen supply chains to keep costs down for consumers, and create good-paying jobs across the country. Additional information on FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program, including Large Bridge Project Grants and Bridge Planning Grants, can be found HERE.