The Albuquerque City Council voted to use $100 million in bonds to fund quality of life projects throughout the city, including building a swimming pool and widening overcrowded roads, according to KRQE.
The money was previously designated for a new soccer stadium, but voters rejected it. Some of the projects have been in the planning stage for decades but never received funding.
“We are really trying to find a balance so taxpayers can see something for their buck,” City Council member Brooke Bassan told KRQE. “We want people to see that we are maintaining building things on [a] master plan for years. I think this is great [that the] council has come together unanimously to prioritize getting things done here in Albuquerque.”
Projects to be funded include a pool at North Domingo Baca Park; a pickleball complex at Manzano Mesa Park; a BMX Pump Track, bike shop, and new baseball and softball fields at Los Altos Park; indoor sports facilities at the Jennifer Riordan Sports Complex; and the widening of Unser Boulevard and Paseo Del Norte, KRQE reported.
Local residents said the roads can be congested during rush hour.
“It definitely gets really bad, especially in the mornings when there’s heavy traffic; like at 5:00, it gets backed all the way up to the lights down there and it’s crazy hectic to get home,” resident Anastacia Armijo told KRQE.
More funds are targeted to upgrade the Albuquerque Police Department’s headquarters and a public safety complex in the Southwest Mesa, according to KRQE. City councilors also approved funding for housing vouchers to help people who are struggling to pay their rent.
