For the past year Sen. Howie Morales has been working with the Department of Transportation Supervisor Loren Hatch and District Engineer Trent DooLittle, Mayor and Council of Hurley and Priscilla Lucero from the SW Council of Governments. As you can see on the attached letter, we are pleased that the full amount to reconstruct the Hurley Crossing on Diaz Avenue was awarded.

This was important to the Council for several reasons. Councilor Ed Stevens (even before he was on council) met with Morales and then Mayor Ed Encinas to alert Morales of the condition of the crossing Hurley residents have had to deal with for many years. It was an immediate safety concern to him, Morales said, with the non-functioning crossing signals, walkway paths for residents and children exiting school buses and damage to vehicles caused by crossing.

Initial discussions showed funding had been approved at one point but for various reasons was not listed as a priority anymore. During the legislative session this past year "we were all able to meet with NMDOT staff and was pleased to find the project had about $600,000 in funds available for project. However that was not nearly enough to complete it. In a series of discussions, the Department agreed to fund the whole project in the amount of award listed in letter."

The residents of Hurley and Grant County are deserving of this funding and is a demonstration of cooperation between local government, council of governments, state legislature and state agencies. What was even more gratifying was, "as we met during Grant County Prospectors Day in Santa Fe with the Department of Transportation, Hurley Mayor Fernando Martinez and Councilors, this was at a time we had been told there was not much money for anything. Rather than just throw their hands up in defeat, the Hurley Mayor, Council members and staff utilized Grant County day to advocate for their communities and the results speak for themselves," Morales said.

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