CEDSStrategic Direction and Action Plan
Priority 3: Infrastructure Modernization and Economic Capacity
Strengthen the infrastructure systems necessary to support business growth, workforce mobility, community development, and long-term regional competitiveness.
Strategic Priority 3
Why This Priority Matters
The Regional Need
Economic growth depends on infrastructure. Businesses require reliable roads, utilities, broadband, water, wastewater, energy capacity, and transportation systems. Communities require the same infrastructure to support residents, housing development, public services, and quality of life. For Southeastern New Mexico, infrastructure is particularly important because of the region's geography, industrial activity, freight movement, and continued development pressures.
Regional Goal
Strengthen the infrastructure systems necessary to support business growth, workforce mobility, community development, and long-term regional competitiveness.
Regional Opportunities
Prioritize Infrastructure That Enables Growth
Infrastructure planning should consider where improvements can unlock broader economic opportunity.
Projects may include:
- transportation corridors
- industrial infrastructure
- water and wastewater systems
- broadband
- electrical capacity
- airports
- rail
- site development
- public facilities; and
- community infrastructure necessary for housing growth.
Coordinate Regional Transportation Needs
Transportation affects nearly every major industry in the region.
Freight movement, worker commuting, tourism, emergency services, agriculture, energy, and business activity all depend on reliable transportation networks.
Regional coordination can strengthen advocacy for improvements that benefit multiple jurisdictions.
Expand Digital Connectivity
Broadband should continue to be treated as core economic infrastructure.
Reliable connectivity supports:
- business operations
- telehealth
- remote work
- education
- entrepreneurship
- public services; and
- access to larger markets.
Support Infrastructure Readiness
Communities seeking business investment must be able to demonstrate that sites, utilities, transportation, and development processes can support new activity.
Infrastructure readiness should therefore be considered part of business recruitment and expansion strategy.
SNMEDD's Role
SNMEDD can support this priority by:
- helping communities identify infrastructure needs
- maintaining regional capital priorities
- supporting funding research
- assisting with grant development
- coordinating multi-jurisdictional projects
- connecting infrastructure projects to broader economic-development goals; and
- helping communities demonstrate regional impact.
Measures of Progress
Potential measures include:
- infrastructure projects funded
- grant dollars secured
- regional projects advanced
- broadband access improvements
- transportation projects completed
- utility-capacity improvements
- industrial or commercial sites improved; and
- capital projects aligned with CEDS priorities.
Measurable Objectives
Recommended milestones from the start of the authorized work program.
Month 6
Build one regional register of priority infrastructure projects covering all five counties; invite Tribe-directed entries.
Month 12
Complete at least five project-readiness assessments, including scope, cost basis, permits, match, operations, and funding fit.
Month 24
Advance at least three screened projects to a documented funding application or final design milestone.
Planning connections: SNMEDD: Infrastructure Capital Improvement Planning; SNMEDD: Southeastern Regional Transportation Planning Organization; New Mexico Finance Authority: Public Project Revolving Fund; New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion. Reviewed September 26, 2026.