New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson called the state’s Legislature into a special session today to tackle a number of issues, including a road-improvement package, the governor’s office announced in a statement.

The GRIP program – Gov. Richardson’s Investment Partnership – is a $1.4 billion effort that the governor’s office said was designed to create more than 8,000 jobs.

More important to trucking is what it will do for the state’s roads. According to The Albuquerque Tribune, the program will include:

• A new interchange at Coors Boulevard and I-40 in Albuquerque.
• Widening U.S. 64 to four lanes from Raton to Clayton.
• Reconstructing and widening U.S. 491, formerly U.S. 666.
• Widening I-25 from four to six lanes from Tramway to Bernalillo.

While the initiative has wide support in the business community, The Tribune reported that the governor has not yet specified how the state will pay for the work.