pg_0001

.164230.1

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 8

TH LEGISLATURE

- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -

FIRST SESSION

, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Daniel P. Silva

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TAKE ALL

ACTIONS NECESSARY TO OPEN PASEO DEL NORTE IN ALBUQUERQUE TO

TRUCK TRAFFIC.

WHEREAS, the number of roads that cross the Rio Grande in

Albuquerque is severely limited; and

WHEREAS, paseo del norte is a state highway and is one of

the few major thoroughfares in Albuquerque to cross the Rio

Grande; and

WHEREAS, residents and businesses on both sides of the Rio

Grande rely on trucks to transport goods across the river; and

WHEREAS, access by truck traffic to the west side of

Albuquerque is important to the New Mexico economy; and

WHEREAS, a settlement agreement negotiated in 1985

purports to forever ban trucks weighing over five tons from

pg_0002

.164230.1

using paseo del norte; and

WHEREAS, the significant growth of the west side of

Albuquerque has increased truck traffic across the Rio Grande

dramatically since 1985; and

WHEREAS, prohibiting truck traffic on paseo del norte

increases truck traffic on Alameda boulevard and other roads

that cross the Rio Grande; and

WHEREAS, the substantial increased truck use of alternate

routes across the Rio Grande places an unfair burden on the

residents and businesses that adjoin those alternate routes;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of transportation be

requested to take all actions necessary to open paseo del norte

in Albuquerque to truck traffic, including renegotiating the

1985 settlement agreement that prohibited truck use of paseo

del norte and seeking to re-open the underlying lawsuit, and to

invalidate provisions of the agreement that prohibit truck

traffic on paseo del norte in perpetuity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the secretary of transportation and the

governor.

- 2 -