Interstate 40Interstate 40 is a major west-east Interstate Highway in the United States. Its western terminus is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern terminus is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Much of the western portion of I-40,...
, a major east-west route of the
Interstate Highway SystemThe Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System , is a network of limited-access highways in the United States that is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who championed its formation...
, runs east-west through Albuquerque in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
New MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, it has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S...
. It is the direct replacement for the historic
U.S. Route 66 in New MexicoThe historic U.S. Route 66 ran east-west across the central part of the U.S. state of New Mexico, along the path now taken by Interstate 40. However, until 1937, it took a longer route via Los Lunas, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe, now roughly NM 6, I-25, and US 84...
.
As I-40 enters New Mexico in a southwesterly direction it begins following the basin of the intermittent Puerco River, roughly tracing the southern edge of the contiguous part of the Navajo Reservation in the state. The freeway enters
GallupGallup is a city in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 20,209 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McKinley County....
twenty miles (32 km) later paralleling the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway's southern transcontinental mainline.
Interstate 40Interstate 40 is a major west-east Interstate Highway in the United States. Its western terminus is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern terminus is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Much of the western portion of I-40,...
, a major east-west route of the
Interstate Highway SystemThe Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System , is a network of limited-access highways in the United States that is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who championed its formation...
, runs east-west through Albuquerque in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
New MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, it has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S...
. It is the direct replacement for the historic
U.S. Route 66 in New MexicoThe historic U.S. Route 66 ran east-west across the central part of the U.S. state of New Mexico, along the path now taken by Interstate 40. However, until 1937, it took a longer route via Los Lunas, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe, now roughly NM 6, I-25, and US 84...
.
Arizona to Albuquerque
As I-40 enters New Mexico in a southwesterly direction it begins following the basin of the intermittent Puerco River, roughly tracing the southern edge of the contiguous part of the Navajo Reservation in the state. The freeway enters
GallupGallup is a city in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 20,209 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McKinley County....
twenty miles (32 km) later paralleling the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway's southern transcontinental mainline. Leaving Gallup the now more westerly I-40 passes to the north of
Fort WingateFort Wingate is located near Gallup, New Mexico. There were two locations in New Mexico that had this name. The first one was located near San Rafael. The current fort was established on the southern edge of the Navajo territory in 1862. The initial purpose of the fort was to control the large...
and part of the fragmented
Cibola National ForestThe Cibola National Forest is a United States National Forest in western and central New Mexico, USA. The forest also manages four National Grasslands that stretch from northeastern New Mexico eastward into the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma. It is administered by the United States Forest...
before crossing the North American continental divide at an elevation of , with stratavolcano Mt. Taylor towering to the east.
The highway traverses more of the Navajo Reservation and the Cibola Forest before turning southeast and crossing a
malpaísA malpaís is a landform characterized by eroded rocks of volcanic origin in an arid environment. Although a malpaís may resemble the badlands that form by erosion of sedimentary rocks in the same environment, a malpaís occurs only in a volcanic field.-Etymology:A loanword from Spanish, malpaís is...
. After serving interchanges near
GrantsGrants is a city in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 8,806 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cibola County....
, the freeway, coinciding with the northern boundary of
El Malpais National MonumentEl Malpais National Monument is off I-40 in western New Mexico, USA, near the Cibola National Forest. It is named El Malpais due to the extremely rough, rugged lava flow that covers much of the park. The lava flows fill a large basin rimmed by higher sandstone that forms large, wind-carved bluffs...
, crosses another malpaís, turns east and enters the Acoma Indian Reservation, home of the
Acoma PuebloAcoma Pueblo ; Haak'ooh in Navajo, also known as "Sky City", is a Native American pueblo built on top of a 367-foot sandstone mesa in the U.S. state of New Mexico...
. The route leaves the Acoma Indian Reservation with Mt. Taylor to the north and enters the
Laguna PuebloLaguna is a Native American tribe of the Pueblo people in west-central New Mexico, USA. The name, Laguna, is Spanish and derives from the lake located on their reservation. The real Keresan name of the tribe is "Kawaik." The population of the tribe exceeds 7,000 , making it the largest Keresan...
. Near the interchange with
NM-6New Mexico State Road 6 is an east-west road from Interstate 40 west of Albuquerque to its junction with State Road 47 in Los Lunas.-Route Description:...
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 ReservationThe Tohajiilee Indian Reservation, formerly known as the Canoncito Indian Reservation, is a non-contiguous section of the Navajo Nation lying in parts of western Bernalillo, eastern Cibola, and southwestern Sandoval Counties in New Mexico, USA, west of the city of Albuquerque. It has a land area of...
(a chapter of the
Navajo NationThe Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland covering about 26,000 square miles , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...
), crosses the Rio Puerco and begins a steep climb to the top of a
mesaA mesa is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape. It is a characteristic landform of arid environments, particularly the southwestern United States...
marked by several small cinder cones overlooking the
Rio Grande riftThe Rio Grande Rift is a rift valley extending north from Mexico, near El Paso, Texas through New Mexico into central Colorado. The upper Rio Grande flows south following the rift valley, but did not incise it....
and Albuquerque.
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 Moriarity, 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 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. 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 and Tucumcari (1981), Santa Rosa (1972), Moriarty (1973), Grants (1974) and Gallup (1980).
Control cities
Westbound
- Tucumcari, New Mexico
This article is about the city in New Mexico, USA. For other uses see Tucumcari .Tucumcari is a city in Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,989 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Quay County. Tucumcari was founded in 1901...
- Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Santa Rosa is a town in and the county seat of Guadalupe County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,744 at the 2000 census. It is a small town between Albuquerque and Tucumcari, situated on the Pecos River at the intersection of Interstate 40, U.S. Route 84, and U.S. Route 54...
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 521,999 as of July 1, 2008, according to U.S. census estimates, and ranks as...
- Gallup, New Mexico
Gallup is a city in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 20,209 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McKinley County....
- Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In July 2006, the city's estimated population was 58,213. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was estimated at 127,450 in 2007. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
Eastbound
- Gallup, New Mexico
Gallup is a city in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 20,209 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McKinley County....
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 521,999 as of July 1, 2008, according to U.S. census estimates, and ranks as...
- Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Santa Rosa is a town in and the county seat of Guadalupe County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,744 at the 2000 census. It is a small town between Albuquerque and Tucumcari, situated on the Pecos River at the intersection of Interstate 40, U.S. Route 84, and U.S. Route 54...
- Tucumcari, New Mexico
This article is about the city in New Mexico, USA. For other uses see Tucumcari .Tucumcari is a city in Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,989 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Quay County. Tucumcari was founded in 1901...
- Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 173,627 at the 2000 census. The Amarillo metropolitan area has an estimated population of...
Exit list
| County |
Location |
Mile |
#An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
|
Destinations |
Notes |
| McKinley |
|
|
8 |
.svg.png)  Defiance, Manuelito (NM 118/US 66) |
| Gallup |
|
16 |
 I-40 Bus. east; NM 118 - West Gallup (US 66) |
|
20 |
 US 491 north - Shiprock;  NM 602 south — Munoz Boulevard, Zuni |
|
22 |
Miyamura Drive; Montoya Boulevard |
|
26 |
I-40 Bus. west — East Gallup (NM 118/US 66) |
|
|
33 |
 NM 400 south - McGaffey (NM 118/US 66) |
|
|
36 |
Iyanbito (NM 118/US 66 west) |
West end of US 66 overlap |
|
|
39 |
Refinery |
|
|
44 |
Coolidge |
|
|
47 |
 Continental DivideThe Continental Divide of the Americas, or merely the Continental Divide or Great Divide, is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas that separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from, those river systems which drain into the...
(NM 122/US 66 east) |
East end of US 66 overlap |
|
|
53 |
  NM 371; NM 612 - ThoreauThoreau is a census-designated place in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,863 at the 2000 census.Practically all residents pronounce the town's name like "thuh-ROO" and definitely not like "thorough" or "throw." The town is also not named for Henry David Thoreau,...
(NM 122/US 66) |
|
|
63 |
 NM 412 - Prewitt (to NM 122/US 66) |
| Cibola |
|
|
72 |
 Bluewater Village (NM 606 to NM 122/US 66) |
| Milan |
|
79 |
I-40 Bus. east to  NM 605; to  NM 509 - MilanMilan is a village in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,891 at the 2000 census. A suburb of Grants, Milan has a decent population growth...
, San MateoSan Mateo is an unincorporated community in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States.San Mateo was founded in the late 1800s. The community has a Catholic church and an old abandoned elementary school.-Geography:...
, Chaco Culture National Historical ParkChaco Culture National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park hosting the densest and most exceptional concentration of pueblos in the American Southwest. The park is located in northwestern New Mexico, between Albuquerque and Farmington, in a remote canyon cut by the Chaco Wash...
( NM 615 to NM 122/US 66) |
| Grants |
|
81 |
 NM 53 to I-40 Bus.; to NM 122 - San Rafael, Grants (to US 66) |
Signed as exits 81A (NM 53 south) and 81B (NM 53 north to I-40 Bus.) on I-40 east |
|
85 |
I-40 Bus. west to  NM 547 - Grants, Mt. Taylor (NM 122 west to US 66) |
|
|
89 |
  QuemadoQuemado is an unincorporated community in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. Walter De Maria's 1977 art installation, The Lightning Field, is between Quemado and Pie Town, New Mexico....
(NM 117; NM 124 east; US 66) |
|
|
96 |
McCartys, Acoma, Sky City (NM 124/US 66) |
|
|
100 |
San Fidel |
|
|
102 |
Acomita, Acoma, Sky City |
|
|
104 |
Cubero, Budville (NM 124/US 66) |
|
|
108 |
 Casa Blanca, ParajeParaje is a census-designated place in Cibola County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 669.-Geography:Paraje is located at ....
(NM 23) |
|
|
114 |
NM 124 west - Laguna (US 66 west) |
West end of US 66 overlap |
|
|
117 |
Mesita Mesita is a census-designated place in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 776 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mesita is located at ....
|
|
|
126 |
 NM 6 east - Los Lunas (pre-1937 US 66 east) |
East end of pre-1937 US 66 overlap |
|
|
131 |
To'hajiilee |
| Bernalillo |
|
|
140 |
Rio Puerco |
|
|
149 |
Paseo del Volcan; Central Avenue (US 66 east) |
East end of US 66 overlap |
|
|
153 |
98th Street |
| Albuquerque |
|
154 |
 Unser Boulevard (NM 345) |
|
155 |
Coors Boulevard |
|
157A |
Rio Grande Boulevard |
|
157B |
12th Street |
Westbound exit is via exit 158 |
|
158 |
8th Street; 6th Street |
|
159A |
 4th Street; 2nd Street; University Boulevard - DowntownDowntown Albuquerque is the central business district of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is where a large number of the city's highrise buildings are located, as well as being the center of government and business for the region....
(pre-1937 US 66; NM 47) |
Signed as exit 159D westbound, since it is east of exit 159BC |
|
159BC |
 I-25 - Santa Fe, Las Cruces |
|
160 |
Carlisle Boulevard |
|
161 |
San Mateo Boulevard |
Signed as exits 161A (south) and 161B (north) on I-40 east |
|
162 |
Louisiana Boulevard |
|
164 |
Wyoming Boulevard - Kirtland AFB |
|
165 |
Eubank Boulevard |
|
166 |
Juan Tabo Boulevard |
|
167 |
 Central Avenue (NM 333/US 66);  Tramway Boulevard (NM 556) |
|
|
170 |
Carnuel Carnuel is a census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 872 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Carnuel is located at ....
(NM 333/US 66) |
|
|
175 |
 NM 14;  NM 337 - TijerasTijeras is a village in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 474 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Cedar CrestCedar Crest is a census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,060 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
(NM 333/US 66) |
|
|
178 |
Zuzax Zuzax is an unincorporated community in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It lies on New Mexico State Highway 333, former U.S. Highway 66, about eleven miles east of Albuquerque. It is now largely an area of subdivisions. An exit for Zuzax exists on nearby Interstate 40...
(NM 333/US 66) |
|
|
181 |
To  NM 217 - Sedillo (NM 333/US 66) |
| Santa Fe |
Edgewood |
|
187 |
 NM 344 - EdgewoodEdgewood is a town in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,893 at the 2000 census.- History :...
(to NM 333/US 66) |
| Torrance |
Moriarty |
|
194 |
I-40 Bus. east to US 66 - Moriarty West (to NM 333 west) |
|
196 |
 NM 41 - Howard Cavasos Boulevard |
|
197 |
I-40 Bus. west; US 66 west - Moriarty East |
West end of US 66 overlap; no westbound entrance |
|
|
203 |
(no name) |
|
|
208 |
Wagon Wheel |
|
|
218B |
 US 285 - Vaughn, Santa Fe |
Signed as exit 218B on I-40 west, with exit 218A (Clines Corners) to the west |
|
|
226 |
(no name) |
|
|
230 |
 NM 3 - EncinoEncino is a village in Torrance County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 94 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Encino is located at ....
, VillanuevaVillanueva is a small unincorporated community along the Pecos River in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. It is located along New Mexico State Highway 3...
|
|
|
234 |
Flying C |
|
|
239 |
(no name) |
| Guadalupe |
|
|
243 |
Milagro |
Signed as exit 243B on I-40 west, with an unnamed exit 243A to the east |
|
|
252 |
(no name) |
|
|
256 |
 US 84 north - Las Vegas (pre-1937 US 66 west; NM 219 south) |
West end of pre-1937 US 66/US 84 overlap |
|
|
263 |
San Ignacio |
|
|
267 |
Colonias |
| Santa Rosa |
|
273 |
I-40 Bus. east - Santa Rosa (US 66 east; US 84 south) |
East end of US 66/US 84 overlap |
|
275 |
 Santa Rosa (I-40 Bus.; US 54; US 66; US 84) |
|
|
277 |
I-40 Bus. west, US 54 west - Santa Rosa; US 84 - Fort SumnerFort Sumner is a village in De Baca County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,249 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of De Baca County...
(US 66 west; to  NM 156 east) |
West end of US 54/US 66 overlap |
|
|
284 |
Frontage Road — Frontier Museum |
|
|
291 |
Cuervo (US 66 east) |
East end of US 66 overlap |
|
|
300 |
 NM 129 - Newkirk (to US 66) |
| Quay Quay County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2000 census, the population was 10,155. Its county seat is Tucumcari. It was named for Pennsylvania senator Matthew Quay, who supported New Mexican statehood....
|
|
|
311 |
Montoya (US 66 west) |
West end of US 66 overlap |
|
|
321 |
Palomas |
TucumcariThis article is about the city in New Mexico, USA. For other uses see Tucumcari .Tucumcari is a city in Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,989 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Quay County. Tucumcari was founded in 1901...
|
|
329 |
I-40 Bus. east; US 66 east - West Route 66 Boulevard |
East end of US 66 overlap |
|
331 |
Camino del Coronado |
|
332 |
 NM 209 to  NM 104 west - 1st Street |
|
333 |
US 54 east — Mountain Road |
East end of US 54 overlap |
|
335 |
I-40 Bus. west; US 66 |
|
|
339 |
 NM 278 south (US 66;  NM 286 north) |
|
|
343 |
(no name; US 66) |
| San Jon San Jon is a village in Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 306 at the 2000 census. The village has been slowly but steadily losing population. The name is supposed to be derived from "deep ravine".- History :...
|
|
356 |
 NM 469 to US 66 - San JonSan Jon is a village in Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 306 at the 2000 census. The village has been slowly but steadily losing population. The name is supposed to be derived from "deep ravine".- History :...
|
|
|
361 |
Bard (to US 66) |
|
|
369 |
  NM 93 south - Endee; NM 392 north |