DOT staff told the Legislative Transportation Committee they monitor pavement condition with an automated road analyzer and a statewide pavement management system, then use that data plus local knowledge to pick preservation or reconstruction treatments.

The department’s presentation, led by a maintenance presenter identified in the hearing as John, outlined the agency’s data collection and treatment approach. John said, “We manage, 13,000 centerline miles of road which equates to about 28,000 lane miles,” and explained the agency uses an automatic road analyzer — ARAN — to scan pavement moving at posted speeds and collect measures including international roughness index, cracking, rutting and faulting.

The committee heard why the state uses preservation treatments wherever possible. John said pavement deterioration is largely “a result of oxidation” and that preservation keeps water out of the subgrade; he summarized the preservation-versus-reaction choice this way: keeping a surface at or above a 50 pavement-condition-rating is far cheaper than letting it fall into reconstruction.

Why this matters: DOT told lawmakers that reconstruction can cost millions per lane mile while preservation treatments cost a small fraction, and that persistent underfunding has left some corridors in a reactive state. The department said a recurring appropriation in the range of $250 million per year would be the “sweet spot” to operate a steady preservation program statewide and move the system toward consistently better condition.

Most important facts: According to presenters, interstate lane miles measured as part of the National Highway System are roughly 4,182 lane miles; the state collects NHS route data annually and non‑NHS routes every other year. Pavement condition ratings run 0–100 (0 = failing, 100 = excellent). The department reported condition splits by facility type: interstates about 56% good, 40% fair and under 3% poor; non‑interstate NHS about 35% good, 60% fair and just over 4% poor; non‑NHS about 14.6% good, 77.6% fair and 7.7% poor. Distress data are collected every 0.1 mile and imported to the pavement management system and the agency’s Transportation Asset Management Plan.

Costs and treatment tiers: John and other presenters gave approximate price ranges and expected service lives for common treatments: minor preservation roughly $6,000–$7,000 per lane mile with 3–5 years of service; major preservation roughly in the tens of thousands (presenters cited a range conceptually from tens of thousands to around $120,000 per lane mile for treatments yielding 5–7 years); minor rehabilitation in the low hundreds of thousands per lane mile with over 7 years of service; major rehabilitation roughly $1.5 million per lane mile (about a 10‑year life), and full reconstruction currently running about $2.5–$3.0 million per lane mile. The presenters stressed that preservation is a small fraction of reconstruction cost.

Recycling and in-house work: DOT staff described recycling approaches (hot‑in‑place and cold‑mix recycled asphalt, millings reuse) and said districts routinely reuse crushed millings for chip seal aggregate and donate millings to local governments, tribes and other public entities. A staff estimate given in the hearing said donation volumes have been on the order of hundreds of thousands of cubic yards.

Budget and recent appropriations: Rick, a department official who briefed the committee on budget, said the department received a one‑time $65,000,000 appropriation last year that the agency divided among six districts ($10 million each) with $5 million retained at the central office. Rick summarized that districts have discretion to allocate their shares to priority routes; for example, District 1 planned to use its $10 million on New Mexico 26 from mile 0 to mile 15 in Dona Ana County. Rick said recurring state formula funds remain the primary maintenance revenue, and that federal funds are typically difficult to use for short‑duration maintenance because of federal oversight requirements.

Federal programs and NEVI update: Committee members asked whether recent federal issues had reduced expected federal funding. The cabinet secretary — who addressed the panel without a full name on the record — reported the state had received a letter from Federal Highway saying the department may “move forward with obligating our NEVI funding” after an appeal deadline passed and no federal appeal was filed.

Staffing and capacity: Lawmakers and department leaders discussed staffing and vacancy rates. The secretary and other officials said the DOT vacancy rate had improved in recent years — they reported a recent overall vacancy near 14% (down from about 23% three years earlier) and said some districts were as low as about 6% vacancies. Officials said personnel costs and changes to benefits have increased pressure on the state road fund.

Questions lawmakers asked and DOT responses: Representatives asked about whether pavement management accounts for heavier future vehicle loads (for example electric vehicle or oversize freight impacts); DOT staff said design choices for higher loads are made in the construction program while maintenance focuses on preserving the as‑built facility. The committee also asked about new emulsion chemistries and additives (for example tire‑rubber modified binders); DOT staff said the agency evaluates new binders through the state materials group and has a products list for approved innovations.

What was not decided: Lawmakers discussed the $250 million recurring target as a planning figure rather than a legislatively adopted mandate. DOT officials said the $250 million number is a planning estimate to run a consistent preservation program and that actual appropriation would require legislative action.

Next steps: DOT said districts will continue to prioritize projects using the pavement management system and local engineering judgment; staff offered to provide follow‑up details requested by legislators (numbers of ARAN runs, exact project lists for particular routes, and specific treatment cost breakdowns). The department also said it will pursue obligated NEVI funding now that the federal appeal window passed.

Ending note: Lawmakers thanked DOT staff and indicated some members would follow up with district engineers on local projects. The department stood for questions at the end of the presentation and promised to provide additional specifics on request.