The Importance of Infrastructure

Jerah R. Cordova

Infrastructure is the foundation of a community on which we can build a stronger economy — those things like roads, sidewalks, water lines, sewer lines, water tanks, airport runways and public facilities.

In 2015, the City of Belen brought together partners in federal and state government to help pay to construct a new crosswind runway at Belen Alexander Municipal Airport. It was a project to build a better airport, with a stronger runway that we knew could open up the opportunity for more aviation activity in Belen. This investment in new infrastructure led the United States Air Force to commit to use our airport for specialized training operations during the next 10 years, which in turn will bring the city $15 million.

This is a prime example of how infrastructure can help us build a stronger economy.