SANTA FE, NM — The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) announces the successful application for the Large Bridge Grant for the I-25 Nogal Canyon Bridge Replacement Project in Socorro County, New Mexico. NMDOT has been awarded $71 million in grant funding through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) competitive Bridge Investment Program, established by President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The project will replace two existing bridges that carry Interstate 25 over Nogal Canyon in Socorro County. The existing truss bridges contain nonredundant steel tension members, and the superstructures have experienced deterioration, which has accumulated over time. The bridges are approaching the end of their service life. The project also includes the reconstruction of the vertical geometry of the I-25 approaches to the new bridges and flattening the decent grade into Nogal Canyon to make it appropriate for current design speeds.

“The New Mexico Department of Transportation is ecstatic to receive this funding to address the infrastructure needs in this portion of the state and make this the signature bridge of our interstate system,” NMDOT Cabinet Secretary Ricky Serna said. “This will ensure efficiency for all users on the interstate corridor and will strengthen the economic competitiveness of the region and the state.”

“The grant funding will help the department replace aging bridge structures, keeping the traveling public safe, and ensures the movement of people and goods along the I-25 corridor," Chief Engineer David Quintana said. "This project will be the first project that will utilize an alternative procurement with the use of Construction Manager General Contractor (CMGC). This method of project development brings in the contractor early in the design process to minimize risks during construction and speed up the overall delivery of the project, thereby reducing costs.”

• Location: Socorro County, New Mexico
• Traffic: 1.07 million trucks annually (2,933 trucks per day); 4.46 million vehicles annually (12,220 vehicles per day)
• Grant Funding: $71.25 million
• Grantee: New Mexico Department of Transportation
• New Mexico Department of Transportation Grant Match: $34.75 million
• Additional Federal Funding: $36.53 million
• Estimated Total Project Cost: $142.53 million