Pig in a poke?
Call of U.S. 491 upgrade doubles, doubles again

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Bill Donovan
Independent correspondent

GALLUP — For the past 25 or 30 years, whenever N.M. Sen. John Pinto, D-McKinley County, went to visit the chapters in his district, he could be assured that one question would be asked: When would U.S. Highway 666 or, as it is called now, 491, be four-lanes?

For the past several years, he had something good to report — the project was funded and one day soon, people would be able to travel from Gallup to Shiprock on four-lanes and the fatalities on that road would be sharply reduced.

He told this to members of the Legislative Finance Committee, who were meeting in Gallup last week. But he also pointed out that despite what he said, the project is still up in the air.

“They don’t believe me any more,” he said.

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