INTERSTATE HIGHWAY LOCATION, TUCUMCARI, N. MEX. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1969 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON ROADS, COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS, Tucumcari, N. Mex. The subcommittee met at 8 a.m., pursuant to call, in the Youth Recreation Center, Senator Joseph M. Montoya presiding. Also present: M. Barry Meyer, counsel; and Toney Anaya, legislative assistant. Senator MONTOYA. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. At this hearing of the Public Roads Subcommittee of the Committee on Public Works of the Senate, I want to welcome our three highway commissioners who are here today with us: Chairman Reggie Espinoza, Holm Bursum, and Ken Towle. I also want to welcome Mr. Boles, the highway engineer, and Mr. Howell, who have come here to try to help us resolve this important question for this community. Now, I am particularly pleased that we are able to be here and were at last able to schedule and hold this hearing in Tucumcari on the difficulties surrounding the alinement of Interstate 40 from Tucumcari to the New Mexico-Texas border. Along with all of you, I have for some time been concerned with the delay in achieving a final agreement on the location of this important segment of the Interstate System. My patience, like yours, I might say, has come to the end of the road. On a number of occasions, I have discussed this matter with many of you and have worked with the State highway department in seeking to reach an understanding with the Federal Government on the proper route for this vital road. We have here today Mr. Swanson, who is the head of the Right-ofWay Section of the Bureau of Public Roads, and I want to welcome him, also. Now, you will recall that investigation and study of the routing of the Federal-aid primary and interstate highway from Tucumcari to the Texas lines dates back to 1940. For almost 30 years this matter has been studied. Yet, construction of the highway has been stymied. As you know, the village of San Jon passed a resolution on August 17, 1964, giving consent under the New Mexico antibypass law for a bypass adjacent to the north corporate limit. The State highway commission accepted this resolution on September 24, 1964. The chief counsel of the State highway department has reported that commitments made under the antibypass law must be honored. The State has sought to comply with this agreement, but the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads has stated time and again that although the State may have to abide by the agree ment, that the Bureau of Public Roads certainly was not bound by it As a result, the Federal Bureau of Public Roads has merely acknowl edged the existence of the agreement and then has proceeded to reject it on the basis that alternate routes are preferable. Numerous hearings have been held by the State highway department and local interests. Two different directors of the Bureau of Publi Roads have become personally involved in this matter, with one of them having personally visited this area to study the problem first hand. Yet, the Bureau of Public Roads has refused to approve the routing desired by your representatives here locally. Most recently on October 17, 1969, the Bureau again refused to approve your aline ment request, and has instead insisted on its own alternate routes. These alternate routes have not been satisfactory to you here in San Jon and Tucumcari, and thus, we have had a stalemate which has delayed construction and completion of Interstate 40. I wish at this point to pay proper tribute not only to the present highway commission and its chairman, Mr. Reginaldo Espinoza, but to previous members of the commission as well, and to Mr. L. G. Boles. State highway engineer, and all those who have struggled with this problem on your behalf during these years, never having given up hope. În preparing for these hearings, I requested Mr. Francis Turner. the Federal Highway Administrator, and members of his staff to meet with me and members of the staff of the Senate Committee on Public Works in an effort to break the impasse that has existed. I was encouraged by our meeting. This morning, we will hear from local, State, and Federal representatives. I believe that the results of your efforts and mine will be rewarded when we hear from the representatives of the Federal Government who will report on developments following my meeting with them in Washington this past week. For a long time, the Senate Committee on Public Works has been dedicated to the concept that final decisions on the location of roads, national, as well as local, must be based in large part on the economic, social, and cultural needs of the people of the communities which these highways are designed to serve. We will strive to insure that this concept is carried out. I am pleased that we are able to be here, and I certainly want to welcome all of you to this hearing. This is the citizens' right of petition. You people here have the right to express yourselves before a committee of the U.S. Senate. This is the way it should be. Before I call on the first witness, I want to thank the mayor of Tucumcari and the mayor of San Jon for the hospitality which they have gathered together to welcome us into this community, and my appreciation goes to the mayor and to the chamber of commerce and other citizens who were so instrumental in making our stay here a memorable occasion. Now, I would like to call as our first witness, the chairman of the Quay County Commission, the Honorable Newell Rose. STATEMENT OF HON. NEWELL ROSE, CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, QUAY COUNTY, N. MEX. Mr. Rose. First of all, Senator, we want to thank you for your cooperation and your help to bring about this meeting which we in the county commission have felt is long past due. Now, as I give my testimony, any comments, or any time that you would like to ask any questions, I would be glad to try to answer them. The Board of County Commissioners of Quay County unanimously endorse the alinement of Interstate Highway No. 40 as approved by the New Mexico State Highway Commission in compliance with its bypass agreements with San Jon and Tucumcari and urge that work be started immediately to construct this badly needed section of interstate highway. A copy of our resolution is attached and made a part of this testimony. The Quay County commissioners have always been concerned with the improvement of roads and highways within the borders of our county. Two years ago we appointed a county road planning committee. After a careful study of all roads in the county, this committee submitted a proposal for development of county roads and established a priority system for their improvement. The committee report was approved and submitted to the State highway commission in May of this year. The highway commission accepted the report and made it part of their official minutes. Three of the six roads submitted for improvement are contingent upon the alinement of Interstate 40 and the delay in establishing the alinement of the interstate road is holding up the entire county road improvement program. And now, I would like to talk for a few moments about the agricultural economy of Quay County and how it affects and is affected by Interstate Highway 40. As you know, Tucumcari is the center of a large ranching and farming and livestock area. Immediately adjacent to Tucumcari there are 40,000 acres of land in the Arch Hurley Conservancy District. Ninety percent of the irrigated land lies east of Tucumcari with Highway 66 as the main channel of commerce in and out of these farms. Some of the best dryland farming area in the State is in the vicinity of San Jon. Attached to this testimony is a report on the feed and livestock industry in Quay County. A tremendous amount of tonnage is generated here in Quay County and shipped into the area to supply the needs of our feedlots. The major channel of commerce for our agricultural economy is from Tucumcari to west Texas with Interstate Highway 40 as the principal route. But more than that, the tonnage shipped in and out of Quay County will continue to increase. Five years ago there were very few cattle fed in Quay County. Next year, existing and proposed new feedlots will produce in excess of 30,000 head. The increase in feedlot capacity will also create a demand for additional feed to be produced right here in Quay County or shipped in over Interstate Highway 40. Failure to improve Interstate Highway 40 from Tucumcari to the Texas line has had an adverse effect on our agricultural economy. It has delayed the development of our county roads and has caused a postponement of much needed business and commercial development in the fine communities of Tucumcari and San Jon. Businesses interested are withholding plans for development until the interstate alinement has been definitely established. Further delay can no longer be tolerated. Senator MONTOYA. Thank you, Mr. Rose. I think you have presented a very fine statement. The data attached to your submitted statement, including a resolution passed by the Quay County commissioners, will be made a part of the record at this time. Mr. ROSE. I noticed you had looked at it, sir. On the third page, Mr. Senator, is Senator MONTOYA. I noticed that, also. The tonnage, feed and livestock, and other statistical data, and I have read it, sir, and it will be made a part of the record. (The resolution and data referred to follow :) RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, QUAY COUNTY, N. MEX. Whereas the Quay County Commissioners, being representative of all the people of the County, have studied extensively the current highway realinement problems of the County. It is our opinion that no one now in the County would benefit from a radical change in road location. However, many citizens now in business would suffer from any policy which would move the traffic away from them. Schools, businesses, churches, and other civic groups must be considered when working on the problem. It would appear that the interest of the people involved can best be served by adopting no radical change from the present road alinement. Now, therefore, it is hereby recommended by the Quay County Commission that the New Mexico Highway Department and the Bureau of Public Roads adopt the by-pass proposition submitted by the Village of San Jon when considering for Interstate 40. Done this 20th day of November, 1969, at Tucumcari, New Mexico. BOARD OF QUAY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, 1 Attest: JEAN B. CATES, Clerk. Senator MONTOYA. Thank you. And, I would like to make a part of the record a map showing the different routes that have been considered, including Route 3. Route 3 goes to San Jon, and is the route that I understand the local people are endorsing. Mr. Rose. That's true. Very true. Senator MONTOYA. The map will be retained by the subcommittee for its use. Thank you, Mr. Rose. The Honorable Kenneth M. Schlientz, mayor of the city of Tucumcari. Mayor Schlientz? 38-567 0-70-2 |