Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he was pleased a key spending bill that contains funding he secured for transportation project in the Four Corner region has cleared another hurdle.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the fiscal year 2009 spending bill that funds the U.S. Department of Transportation.  The bill, which can now be considered by the full senate, includes $1 million Bingaman secured to help with the four-lane upgrade to US 491 from Navajo 9 to Shiprock. 

"Completion of the US 491 four-lane construction project is important to the economy of the Navajo Nation and the safety of its tribal members.  This funding will help continue to make upgrades to this highway," Bingaman said.

Each year, there are several fatalities on this roadway due to insufficient roadway width and lack of turning lanes at intersections.  During the past three years alone, there were over 170 crashes on this road, which resulted in 22 fatalities.   Bingaman secured $2 million for this project in a 2005 highway bill.

Bingaman also secured $500,000 for a relief route to bypass the City of Aztec.  Funding would be used for the construction of a two-lane paved road designed to provide an alternative route for large truck traffic. More than 9,000 vehicles, including heavy industrial traffic, travel through Aztec on a daily basis, creating safety hazards and significantly deteriorating its roads.  Bingaman secured $600,000 for the project in FY 2008.

Additionally, the bill includes $1 million Bingaman secured for the Southwest Indian Foundation in Gallup.  Funding would be used to provide building materials, equipment maintenance and administrative costs associated with the "Operation Footprint" program to construct and place new homes for needy Navajo families.