HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 3

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Candy Spence Ezzell

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO REDESIGN AND RECONSTRUCT UNITED STATES ROUTE 380 BETWEEN HONDO AND CARRIZOZO TO ALLOW FOR THE USE OF SHIPPING TRUCKS OF THE SAME LENGTH AS USED ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND REQUESTING THAT SUFFICIENT FUNDING BE APPROPRIATED TO COMPLETE THE REQUEST.

     WHEREAS, United States route 380 was commissioned in 1931; and

     WHEREAS, Unites States route 380 links or subsumes several smaller routes, creating an east-west highway corridor from interstate highway 25 at San Antonio, New Mexico, to interstate highway 30 at Greenville, Texas; and

     WHEREAS, United States route 380 is six hundred eighty-seven miles long and serves as an alternative shipping route from its junction with interstate highway 25 to Roswell, New Mexico; to Fort Worth, Texas; to Dallas, Texas; to Greenville, Texas; and to numerous other towns along its path; and

     WHEREAS, citing safety concerns regarding the roadway curves on United States route 380 between Hondo and Carrizozo, the department of transportation limits the length of shipping trucks that may be used on that stretch of roadway to no more than sixty-five feet in length; and

     WHEREAS, the imposed length restriction creates expensive and time-consuming logistical difficulties for companies that use the United States route 380 corridor to make shipments to locations in Lincoln county or to make shipments through Lincoln county; and

     WHEREAS, the imposed length restriction has created local logistical difficulties for companies that use United States route 380 from Roswell to Capitan to supply the local retail grocery store and the local farm and ranch store in Capitan; and

     WHEREAS, local Lincoln county and Socorro county ranchers have also experienced difficulties in moving their livestock to points east of Capitan and have been advised to use transportation routes that add significant time and expense for such transport of livestock; and

     WHEREAS, the board of county commissioners of Lincoln county unanimously passed Resolution Number 2018-6 requesting the legislature to address the safety concerns on United States route 380 so that its residents have access to opportunities and markets that serve this rural area of the state; and

     WHEREAS, Resolution Number 2018-6 also requested the legislature to address the safety concerns on United States route 380 to increase the safety of the roadway for all of the people who use United States route 380, including those visiting the historic sites in and around Lincoln and Fort Stanton; and

     WHEREAS, transportation and access to markets are vital to rural communities, and the restrictions imposed on United States route 380 limit the opportunities available to the people and businesses in Capitan and Carrizozo and the central portion of Lincoln county;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of transportation be requested to redesign and reconstruct the curves on United States route 380 between Hondo and Carrizozo to allow the same length shipping trucks to use that roadway as use the interstate highways; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature appropriate sufficient funds in fiscal year 2020 to the department of transportation to accomplish the redesign and reconstruction of the curves on United States route 380 between Hondo and Carrizozo; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of transportation.

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