$1.7M committed for Roswell bridge repair, flood mitigation

ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the state is committing $1.7 million to repair a collapsed bridge in Roswell and implement additional flood mitigation strategies in the area.

Lujan Grisham made the announcement Saturday next to the damaged bridge in northeast Roswell.

The city has received close to three inches of rain so far this year and began experiencing intense flooding following severe torrential rainfall last year.

The $1.7 million is coming from the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s State Road Fund.

The funding will go to repairing the bridge and implementing flood mitigation measures to be ahead of the curve before the next major storm hits, according to Lujan Grisham.

“The more we put into communities, so that we have safe roads, safe bridges, safe flood mitigation, the better it is for these communities,” she said.

The bridge previously collapsed due to flooding in 2013. While it was replaced, additional changes to address the flooding vulnerabilities were not implemented, according to Albuquerque TV station KOB.