ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Right now, $500,000 is in limbo after Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller vetoed a city council move to divert that funding away from the Rail Trail.

City councilors voted 8-1 in favor of diverting that money toward the complex before Mayor Keller vetoed it.

However, Keller said he is working with councilors to secure funding for both projects, adding he supports the sports complex. Josh Anderson, the city’s government affairs official, talked about how that could be done.

“We’re essentially putting $500,000 back into the Rail Trail to help complete that 1.5 million, $500,000 into this west side – Ken Sanchez West Side Sports Complex – and then $500,000 from council neighborhood set aside to the West Side Sports Complex,” Anderson said.

The Rail Trail, once finished, is going to be a seven-mile pedestrian loop around the city. City leaders broke ground last summer and are making progress already.

“We’re going to see these electric poles come down pretty soon, and you’ll get in the next two months, bulldozers and getting close to pouring the pavement. We got a retaining wall that’s being built in the back,” said Terry Brunner, of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency.

All that progress, backed by city funding. Keller is confident his veto will hold.

“I’m actually optimistic. We’re going to have the four votes we need,” he said.

City councilors will hear the mayor’s proposal and vote on it March 3.