Interstate 40 in New Mexico

Interstate 40 (I-40), a major east–west route of the Interstate Highway System, runs east–west through Albuquerque in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the direct replacement for the historic U.S. Highway 66 (US 66).

Interstate 40
I-40 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NMDOT
Length373.530 mi[1] (601.138 km)
Existed1957[2]–present
Major junctions
West end I-40 at the Arizona state line
 
East end I-40 at the Texas state line
Location
CountiesMcKinley, Cibola, Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Torrance, Guadalupe, Quay
Highway system
  • State Roads in New Mexico
NM 39 NM 41

Route description

Arizona to Albuquerque

Aerial view, from the north, of Interstate 40 in western New Mexico between Grants and Albuquerque, with Laguna Pueblo, Mesita, and Rio San Jose, and tributaries Arroyo Conchas (left) and Rio Paguate (right, with Route 279)
Interstate 40 at Rio Puerco just west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the Route 66 Casino by their intersection

As I-40 enters New Mexico in a northeasterly direction it begins following the basin of the intermittent Puerco River (Rio Puerco of the West, as opposed to the Rio Puerco of the East that it crosses near Albuquerque), roughly tracing the southern edge of the contiguous part of the Navajo Reservation in the state. The freeway enters Gallup twenty miles (32 km) later paralleling the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway's southern transcontinental mainline. Leaving Gallup the now more easterly I-40 passes to the north of Fort Wingate and part of the fragmented Cibola National Forest before crossing the North American continental divide at an elevation of 7,275 ft (2,217 m), with 11,305 ft (3,446 m) stratovolcano Mt. Taylor towering to the east.

The highway traverses more of the Navajo Reservation and the Cibola Forest before turning southeast and crossing a malpaís. After serving interchanges near Grants, the freeway, coinciding with the northern boundary of El Malpais National Monument, crosses another malpaís, turns east and enters the Acoma Indian Reservation, home of the Acoma Pueblo. The route leaves the Acoma Indian Reservation with Mt. Taylor to the north and enters the Laguna Pueblo. Near the interchange with New Mexico State Road 6 (NM 6) the railway line that accompanies much of the route from the Arizona border diverts to the south while the freeway turns east by northeast towards Albuquerque. The route departs the Laguna Pueblo, briefly transits the Tohajiilee Indian Reservation (a chapter of the Navajo Nation), crosses the Rio Puerco and begins a steep climb to the top of a mesa marked by several small cinder cones overlooking the Rio Grande rift and Albuquerque.

From Laguna to the Route 66 Casino, I-40 has at-grade intersections with a number of ranch access roads in violation of Interstate Highway standards. These intersections are a vestige that remain from the conversion of US 66 to I-40 during the latter part of the 20th century.

Albuquerque Metro Area

Interstate 40 diverges from the former US 66 alignment (Central Avenue) at an interchange with Atrisco Vista Boulevard on the West Mesa that overlooks Albuquerque. I-40 descends Nine Mile Hill as it enters the city of Albuquerque, and intersects 98th Street, Unser Boulevard (NM 345) and Coors Boulevard (NM 45) before crossing the Rio Grande. The freeway then skirts the northern edge of downtown Albuquerque before intersecting Interstate 25 at a 5-level stack interchange (Big I). East of I-25, I-40 continues east, then turns southeast passing through Uptown before intersecting Old US 66 (now signed as NM 333/Central Avenue) at Tramway Boulevard (NM 556) as it leaves Albuquerque and enters Tijeras Canyon. This section of I-40 is also referred to as the Coronado Freeway.

Albuquerque to Texas

I-40 in eastern New Mexico
Club Cafe sign near Santa Rosa, exit 273 (1987 photo)

East of Albuquerque, Interstate 40 crosses the Sandia–Manzano Mountains by traversing Tijeras Pass, reaching its highest point of 7,200 feet at Sedillo Ridge. Continuing east, I-40 descends out of the mountains and into the Estancia Valley while passing through the town of Edgewood (m.m. 187). The highway continues east across the Estancia Valley, passing through Moriarty (m.m. 194). Before reaching Clines Corners, I-40 ascends into the Pedrenal Hills, a region of hills and low-level ridgelines averaging around 7,000 feet in elevation. East of Clines Corners,( m.m. 217) I-40 gradually descends from the Pedrenal Hills region and into the High Plains of eastern New Mexico. At Santa Rosa (m.m. 273) I-40 crosses the Pecos River, and then continues east-northwastward co-signed with US 54 to Tucumcari. At Tucumcari, I-40 diverges from US 54 and turns eastward and skirts the northern edge of San Jon before reaching the Texas state line at Glenrio.

History

Planning and construction of Interstate 40 through New Mexico began shortly after the Federal Highway Act of 1956 created the Interstate Highway System. First sections of I-40 through the state were completed by 1960 including a short section west of Tucumcari in Quay County, from a point just west of Santa Rosa west past Clines Corners to just east of Moriarty, along with a section on the east side of Albuquerque and another section from near Cubero to Grants, which included a new spur route connecting the Interstate Highway with U.S. 66 on that city's east side. Construction of I-40, generally paralleling the existing U.S. 66 in some sections and replacing the older route in others, was hobbled for a few years during this decade by the New Mexico Legislature's passage of an Anti-Bypassing Law that prohibited the construction of an interstate bypass around a city or town opposed to it. That law was repealed in 1966 following a threat of loss of federal funds and most New Mexico cities along I-40, I-25 and I-10 then worked out agreements with state and federal highway officials in determining where the bypass routes around their municipalities should be located.

By the end of the 1960s, most rural sections of I-40 were completed across the state with the largest exception being a 40-mile (64 km) stretch east of Tucumcari to the Texas border at Glenrio, where traffic was diverted to the old U.S. 66. That section of highway by this time became locally and nationally known as "Slaughter Lane" due to tremendous amounts of traffic for a two-lane highway along with rough and narrow paving which led to numerous injury and fatal traffic accidents that reached epidemic numbers in 1968 and 1969.[3] Construction on this section of I-40 was held up by a dispute at San Jon concerning a proposed routing of I-40 bypassing that city to the north by some five miles (8 km), which was resolved in November 1969 when federal and state officials agreed to bring the bypass closer to the city along its northern limits. However, aside from a few small villages such as Montoya, Newkirk and Cuervo in the eastern portion of the state and Laguna, Budville and Cubero to the west, no major bypasses had been entirely completed in New Mexico so traffic was still diverted over the U.S. 66 routes through each of those cities.

In 1970, I-40 was entirely completed through the city of Albuquerque. Other bypasses were completed around various cities through the state including San Jon (1976)[4] and Tucumcari (1981),[4] Santa Rosa (1972), Moriarty (1973), Grants (1974) and Gallup (1980).[5]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[6]kmExit[7]DestinationsNotes
McKinley0.000.00 I-40 west FlagstaffContinuation into Arizona
8.3613.458 NM 118 Defiance, Manuelito
Gallup16.3626.3316 NM 118 GallupWestern terminus of former I-40 Bus.
20.7333.3620 US 491 north / NM 602 south (Muñoz Boulevard) Shiprock, ZuniUS 491/NM 602 not signed westbound; westbound entrance includes direct entrance ramp from Maloney Avenue; former US 666
22.6636.4722Miyamura Drive / Montoya Boulevard
25.8341.5726 NM 118 GallupEastern terminus of former I-40 Bus.
McGaffey33.5253.9533 NM 400 McGaffey
Iyanbito36.6759.0136 NM 118 west IyanbitoEastern terminus of NM 118
39.7563.9739Refinery
Coolidge44.5171.6344Coolidge
47.8176.9447 NM 122 east Continental DivideWestern terminus of NM 122
Thoreau53.1785.5753 NM 371 / NM 612 Thoreau
Prewitt63.18101.6863 NM 412 Prewitt
CibolaBluewater Village72.05115.9572 NM 606 Bluewater Village
Milan78.93127.0379 NM 122 to NM 605 Milan, San MateoWestern terminus of former I-40 Bus.; access to NM 122 via Horizon Boulevard
Grants81.71131.5081 NM 53 to NM 122 San Rafael, GrantsSigned as exits 81A (south) and 81B (north) eastbound
84.95136.7185 NM 122 west to NM 547 Grants, Mount TaylorEastern terminus of NM 122, eastern terminus of former I-40 Bus.
89.26143.6589 NM 117 Quemado
96.33155.0396McCartys, Acoma, Sky CityNM 124 not signed; former US 66
San Fidel99.86160.71100San Fidel
101.69163.65102Acomita, Acoma, Sky City
104.60168.34104Cubero, Budville, Seama
107.74173.39108Casa Blanca, Paraje
Laguna113.99183.45114 NM 124 west LagunaEastern terminus of NM 124; former US 66
117.47189.05117Mesita
126.53203.63126 NM 6 east Los Lunas
Cañoncito130.98210.79131To'hajiilee
Bernalillo140.05225.39140Rio Puerco
149.25240.19149Atrisco Vista BoulevardFormer NM 500
Albuquerque151.98244.5915398th Street / Arroyo Vista Blvd
153.10246.39154 NM 345 (Unser Boulevard)
154.76249.06155 NM 45 (Coors Boulevard)
156.67252.14157ARio Grande Boulevard
157.39253.29157B12th StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance; westbound access via exit 158
157.85254.031588th Street / 6th StreetNo westbound entrance
158.02254.31159A4th Street / 2nd Street / University BoulevardEastbound exit and westbound entrance
159.05255.97159B-C I-25 / US 85 (Pan American Freeway) Las Cruces, Santa FeSigned as exits 159B (south) and 159C (north); I-25 exits 226A-B; serves Albuquerque International Sunport and Presbyterian Hospital
159.38256.50159D University Boulevard / 2nd Street / 4th StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance; serves University of New Mexico Hospital
160.50258.30160Carlisle Boulevard
161.46259.84161San Mateo Boulevard
162.62261.71162Louisiana Boulevard
163.75263.53164Wyoming Boulevard
164.19264.24Lomas BoulevardFormer westbound exit and eastbound entrance from eastbound Lomas Boulevard; replaced by completion of Wyoming Boulevard interchange
164.90265.38165Eubank Boulevard
165.97267.10166Juan Tabo Boulevard
167.10–
167.30
268.92–
269.24
167 NM 556 (Tramway Boulevard) / Historic US 66 (Central Avenue)Historic US 66 (Central Ave.) not signed eastbound
168.87271.77170 NM 333 Carnuel
173.90–
177.42
279.86–
285.53
175 NM 14 / NM 337 Tijeras, Cedar Crest
Zuzax177.17285.13178 NM 333 Zuzax
Sedillo181.04291.36181 To NM 217 Sedillo
Santa FeEdgewood186.73300.51187 NM 344 Edgewood
TorranceMoriarty194.55313.10194 I-40 Bus. east / Historic US 66 Moriarty
195.93315.32196 NM 41 (Howard Cavasos Boulevard)
197.33317.57197 I-40 Bus. west / Historic US 66 MoriartyNo westbound entrance
203.38327.31203Longhorn RanchExit does not sign this destination
Wagon Wheel208.39335.37208Wagon Wheel
Clines Corners217.59350.18218AClines CornersFormer westbound exit only (closed and removed 2015)
218 US 285 Vaughn, Santa Fe, Roswell
225.81363.41226PalmaExit does not sign this destination
230.17370.42230 NM 3 Encino, Villanueva
233.71376.12234Flying CExit does not sign this destination; westbound has two separate exits with the same number and destination
238.69384.13239McKenzieExit does not sign this destination
Guadalupe242.83390.80243MilagroExit does not sign this destination; signed as exits 243B and 243A westbound
251.58404.88Eastbound Rest Stop
Vaughn Route 66 Rest Stop; exit 252
255.86411.77256 US 84 north / NM 219 south Las Vegas, PasturaNorthern terminus of NM 219; western end of US 84 concurrency
San Ignacio262.83422.98263San Ignacio
Colonias267.16429.95267Colonias
Santa Rosa272.38438.35273 I-40 Bus. east (Historic US 66) Santa RosaI-40 Bus. not signed westbound
274.37441.56275Santa Rosa (I-40 Bus. / US 54)
276.19444.48277 I-40 Bus. west / US 54 south (Historic US 66) / US 84 south Fort Sumner, Santa RosaEastern end of US 84 concurrency; western end of US 54 concurrency; I-40 Bus./US 54 not signed eastbound
283.96456.99284Frontier Museum
Cuervo290.61–
291.21
467.69–
468.66
291Cuervo
Newkirk299.27481.63300 NM 129 Newkirk
QuayMontoya310.72500.06311Montoya
Palomas321.13516.81321Palomas
Tucumcari328.43528.56329 I-40 Bus. / Historic US 66 eastWestern terminus of I-40 Bus.
330.30531.57331Camino del Coronado
331.45533.42332 NM 209 to NM 104 (1st Street)
332.80535.59333 US 54 east (Mountain Road)Eastern end of US 54 concurrency
334.67538.60335 I-40 Bus. / Historic US 66 west
337.81543.65339 NM 278
343.13552.21343Quay Road ADExit does not sign this road
San Jon355.25571.72356 NM 469 / Historic US 66 San Jon
Bard360.35579.93361Bard
Endee369.02593.88369 NM 93 south / NM 392 north Endee
Glenrio372.52599.51 I-40 east AmarilloContinuation into Texas
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. "Interstate Routes" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  2. Public Roads Administration (August 14, 1957). Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, As Adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Public Roads Administration. Retrieved June 16, 2011 via Wikimedia Commons.
  3. "Historic Route 66: The Mother Road" (PDF). County Star-News. Shamrock, TX. March 15, 2012. pp. E2–E8.
  4. "Route 66 History Page". www.route66world.com.
  5. Sonderman, Joe (2016). Route 66 Roadside Signs and Advertisements. Voyageur Press. p. 89.
  6. New Mexico Department of Transportation (2007). Statewide Milepost/Point Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Santa Fe: New Mexico Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 22, 2013.
  7. "TIMS Road Segments by Posted Route/Point with AADT Info: I-Routes" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. June 8, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2019.

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Interstate 40
Previous state:
Arizona
New Mexico Next state:
Texas
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