New Mexico
New Mexico congressional delegation announces more than $172M for transportation projects
The Rail Runner arriving at the Santa Fe Depot (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)
The U.S. Department of Transportation has will provide more than $172 million for a swath of New Mexico transportation projects, the state’s congressional delegation announced Tuesday.
The federal funding comes via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and “reflects” the law’s intention, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) said in a statement: to ” improve safety for everyone using our roads, grow local economies, lower transportation costs, and create high-quality jobs New Mexicans can build their families around.”
The funded projects include:
• $61.8 million to the City of Las Cruces for the Mesa Grande Drive Extension Project
• $44.8 million for the state Department of Transportation for the Allison Road Grade Separated Crossing Project, which will support improvements to BNSF Railway infrastructure and Amtrak’s Southwest Chief route in Gallup, New Mexico
• $36.1 million to the state transportation project for reconstruction of two segments on the NM 128 mainline and three major intersections at WIPP Road, Buck Jackson and Orla roads in Carlsbad
• $22.4 million to the Rio Metro Regional Transit District to construct a new Rail Runner expression operations and maintenance facility
• $3.3 million for McKinely County/BNSF’s rail crossing elimination project
• $2 million for the City of Gallup for its 2nd and 3rd street crossings community planning project
• $1 million for the City of Clovis for its New Mexico Corridor Improvement Project
• $480,913 to the Mescalero Apache Tribe for a snowplow and salt spreader
• $158,448 to the Pueblo of Taos for capital improvements for two of the pueblo’s bus stops to upgrade them to American with Disabilities Act standards
“These projects will ensure safer roads for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, while making our rail systems safer and strengthening the links between our communities,” U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) said in a statement
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A successful University of New Mexico Lobo athletics season and the athletics director’s departure has culminated in players and coaches making moves.
The moves follow a successful 2025 season and the departure of athletics director Fernando Lovo.
Running back coach John Johnson, special teams coordinator Daniel Da Prato and wide receiver coach Colin Lockett are all leaving the Lobos after just one season. Johnson is headed to Iowa State while Da Prato is expected to join Minnesota and Lockett is headed to UCLA, all for the same jobs.
Johnson’s Lobo running backs ran for more than 1,400 yards. Da Prato’s special teams finished top-five nationally in kickoff returns.
Running back D.J. McKinney entered the portal, he confirmed on social media the day the portal officially opened. McKinney rushed for 464 yards and seven touchdowns with the Lobos.
Two players who received all-Mountain West Conference recognition also made moves. All-Mountain West tight-end Dorian Thomas, who caught for touchdowns for the Lobos, entered the portal. Meanwhile, all-Mountain West honorable mention punter Daniel Hughes is set to leave.
Others set to leave include:
- Cole Welliver, backup quarterback who played in one game
- Landon Williams, defensive end who graduated from La Cueva High School
- Randolph Kpai, senior linebacker who is at the end of his college football career without a waiver
After Lance St. Louis served as the starting long snapper for the Texas Longhorns for four seasons, special teams coordinator Jeff Banks landed an experienced replacement when New Mexico Lobos transfer Trey Dubuc pledged while on a visit to the Forty Acres.
The pledge from Dubuc ensures that Texas has experienced replacements for three specialists despite signing high school prospects at each position — with the SEC expanding to 105 scholarships in 2026, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian can afford to develop high school recruits at those positions behind experienced transfers like Dubuc.
The Fort Lauderdale product started his career at USF after playing on two state championship teams at Cardinal Gibbons. A 6’1, 209-pounder, Dubuc redshirted during his freshman season in 2023 before appearing in one game as the backup long snapper the following year.
After transferring to New Mexico, Dubuc served as the starting long snapper while making two tackles for the Lobos.
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