Bernalillo County, along with Sandoval County and the Village of Los Lunas, has been designated as a Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for the I-40 TradePort Corridor.
This announcement was made in a press release by Bernalillo County. The I-40 TradePort Corridor is a system of interconnected clean energy, logistics, and industrial hubs. The designation includes collaboration with tri-state partners such as the Port of Los Angeles, California, Kingman, Arizona, and Winslow, Arizona.
According to Bernalillo County, the initial intention of the partner group is to develop the project on the 805-mile-long stretch from Los Angeles to Albuquerque. They also plan to collaborate with partners to extend the corridor into Texas and Midwest markets.
The Albuquerque region is planning to establish a Truck Mobility Complex that will cater to Class 8 electric and hydrogen trucks. This complex will act as a logistics center, attracting private investments. These initiatives aim to streamline trade within New Mexico, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.
Barbara Baca, the Bernalillo County Commission Chair, expressed her excitement about the project, stating, "I am honored to be a part of Central New Mexico's collaboration and leadership on this project which I believe will be a catalyst that proactively prepares for future transportation needs throughout the I-40 system."
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (USDOT RIA) will aid in project delivery, including planning, studies, and preliminary engineering efforts over the next year. An initial $974,000 in seed funding will support the planning phase of the I-40 TradePort Corridor. This funding will focus on the utilization of various agency financing programs in collaboration with the USDOT Build America Bureau for infrastructure investments at key corridor hubs.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed his support for the expansion of the Regional Infrastructure Accelerator program. He said, "We are pleased to expand the Regional Infrastructure Accelerator program to 24 regions, helping communities build capacity and get much-needed transportation projects underway. DOT partners with these regions to help them secure financing and develop in-house expertise for innovative delivery of regionally significant projects."
The designation of Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, and the Village of Los Lunas as a Regional Infrastructure Accelerator for the I-40 TradePort Corridor will pave the way for the development of a strategic infrastructure system that will benefit the region's trade and transportation needs.
