New Mexico to Invest US$4.2 Million More in Border Projects

New Mexico is expanding its investment in border planning and infrastructure development, adding US$4.2 million to a state program led by the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD) and the New Mexico Border Authority (NMBA). The new funding amends a memorandum of agreement signed last year and brings the total state commitment to US$11.9 million, according to EDD and NMBA.

State officials say the additional resources will allow New Mexico to advance over 10 projects that had been stalled, focusing on feasibility studies and planning tied to ports of entry, transportation corridors, utilities, and site readiness across the border region.

EDD and NMBA frame the new allocation as a way to rebuild a pipeline of “ready-to-fund” projects that can later compete for federal support and attract private and binational partners. Projects cited by the agencies include planning work for the Border Highway Connector, Santa Teresa’s elevated water tank, Columbus’s wastewater pond and water tank, flood control berm improvements in Columbus, and road and drainage upgrades in Hidalgo County.

The EDD release also highlights targeted water and flood-related investments, including US$3.2 million toward the Santa Teresa elevated water tank and US$2.3 million for flood control berm improvements.

According to Gerardo Fierro, Executive Director, NMBA, several initiatives were delayed by post-pandemic inflation, particularly higher construction-material costs, which contributed to projects stalling before design and pre-construction steps could be completed. Fierro describes the added funding as a bridge between momentum and execution, arguing that upfront planning is what turns concepts into buildable projects that can support trade, jobs, and competitiveness along New Mexico’s border communities.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that one of the headline initiatives is the Border Highway Connector, described as an 8mi road intended to link the Santa Teresa Port of Entry with Sunland Park in Doña Ana County, with the design expected to be finalized by April, says Fierro.

The funding also supports planning tied to water tanks and wastewater ponds in Santa Teresa and the village of Columbus, plus work connected to port-of-entry expansion and road and drainage upgrades that state officials hope can be completed within about a year.

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, New Mexico exported US$7.0 billion in goods to Mexico in 2024, representing 58% of the state’s total goods exports. Santa Teresa's industrial base accounts for more than 60% of New Mexico’s exports, so the state is pursuing “shovel-ready” sites to attract outside firms and investment.