SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Transportation will hold six public hearings this month on proposed guidelines for administering state funds for local road improvements.

The proposed rule establishes procedures NMDOT will use when administering appropriations to the Local Government Transportation Project Fund, created by the 2019 Legislature to finance local road projects.

“We have a statewide commitment to reduce fatalities and crashes on roadways, regardless of who owns the road,” said Transportation Secretary Mike Sandoval.

The proposed rule describes the process by which local governments will apply for project funds, the process for reviewing and prioritizing projects, and the process the State Transportation Commission will follow for awarding funds to the local governments.

A local government can receive 95 percent of the total cost of a project -- 100 percent upon a showing of financial hardship.

Based on the location of the project, the rule specifies the degree of oversight by the department. Projects located entirely on local roadways receive the least amount of department oversight.

NMDOT will receive oral and written public comment from interested parties at these hearings:

• District 2: Nov. 19, 1 p.m., 4505 W. Second St., Roswell
• District 1: Nov. 20, 10 a.m., 750 N. Solano Drive, Las Cruces
• District 4: Nov. 20, 10 a.m., 28 Bibb Industrial, Las Vegas
• District 6: Nov. 20, 1:30 p.m., 1919 Pinon Drive, Milan
• District 3: Nov. 25, 9 a.m., 7500 Pan American Freeway NE, Albuquerque
• District 5: Nov. 25, 9 a.m., 1120 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe

A copy of the full text of the proposed new rule may be found on the NMDOT website at the following Internet link, under the Public Notices tab here.