New Mexico now has a true inventory of the tens of thousands of miles of pavement that crisscross the state, and it shows some roads are in worse condition than previously thought.
The head of the state transportation department, Tom Church, outlined the findings of a recent state-of-the-art road assessment during a legislative committee meeting this week.
The survey found more than 5,200 miles need anywhere from minor rehabilitation to reconstruction.
Officials say it's becoming increasingly more difficult to address those needs thanks to shrinking state and federal budgets and growing debt.
New Mexico's unfunded need for building and maintaining roads will top $450 million this fiscal year and the total outstanding debt for infrastructure projects stands at nearly $2 billion. That has legislative leaders scrambling to fill the gaps.
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