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The Land of Enchantment
Route 66 through New Mexico paralleled the Rock Island and Santa Fe railroads across the state through the cities of Tucumcari, Santa Rosa, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, Los Lunas, Grants, and Gallup. The towns and cities had benefitted greatly from the railroad, now the highway would in time, increase the economic viability of the communities even further.
Route 66, in its early years, saw greater changes in New Mexico during the 1930s. There was a push by state legislaturers, highway commissioners, businessmen, and travelers to replace the long Santa Fe-Los Lunas loop with a straight and direct route between Santa Rosa and Albuquerque and on to Laguna. New Mexico Highway 6 already existed as such a route and would in-time have more miles of pavement and gravel than US 66, which was still predominately gravel and even dirt, particularly from Santa Rosa to Las Vegas.
In 1937, the entire Chicago-Los Angeles stretch was completely paved for the first time. Even better, Route 66 was moved from the Santa Fe-Los Lunas route to a straighter alignment through Clines Corners (a popular gas stop), Moriarity, then into and through Albuquerque on Central Avenue past a large array of motor courts, diners, gas stations, , before entering the downtown area then westward through the Old Town Plaza and over the Rio Grande River before heading west toward Gallup and beyond. The 1937-rerouting of Route 66 cut out four hours' driving time through New Mexico.
Just as Route 66 was entirely paved and the Depression faded, events halfway around the world led by Adolph Hitler and Japan would change the direction of America ... and Route 66 as well.
The end of World war II brought a surge in migrating Americans taking to the roads and highways in record numbers. The highways were loaded with more cars than were designed for and were further deteriorated by wartime trucks.
In New Mexico, the heavy military use of Route 66 during the war left it in deplorable condition. In fact, Jack Rittenhouse pointed out in his "Guidebook to Highway 66" back in 1946 that Route 66 was not as wide or smooth as it was in Texas, but that New Mexico was paying special attention to improvements on Route 66. Indeed it was, by 1952 a straighter wide two-lane road was completed between Glenrio on the Texas border to San Jon, bypassing Endee. In the Albuquerque area, Central Avenue was a four-lane divided highway through the city from the Sandia Mountains to the east to Nine Mile Hill west of the city during this period.
In 1956, the Interstate Highway Act created the 42,000-mile Interstate Highway System of multilane, controlled access divided highways. U.S. 66 was designated as Interstate 40 through New Mexico.
The move toward Interstate designation on Route 66 in the state began shortly thereafter. By 1960, the highway was four-laned and designated I-40 from west of Clines Corners to Santa Rosa, a short stretch west of Tucumcari, and the eastern end of Albuquerque's Coronado Expressway from Eubank Blvd. to Central Ave. east of the city. Non-Interstate four-lane sections of US 66 had been completed earlier west of Albuquerque to near Laguna, and Grants to the McKinley County line.
Albuquerque was entirely bypassed by I-40 in 1970 and the only remaining long two-lane section of US 66 ran from Tucumcari east to Glenrio. Most Route 66 cities were bypassed by I-40 in New Mexico during the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1985, US 66 was officially decertified as a federal highway nationwide. Route 66 was gone forever in designation, but definitely not in spirit or historical value. In most of the towns, there are still vintage motels glittering in neon, diners that serve real food instead of fast food and service stations that provide "service."
Route 66, in its early years, saw greater changes in New Mexico during the 1930s. There was a push by state legislaturers, highway commissioners, businessmen, and travelers to replace the long Santa Fe-Los Lunas loop with a straight and direct route between Santa Rosa and Albuquerque and on to Laguna. New Mexico Highway 6 already existed as such a route and would in-time have more miles of pavement and gravel than US 66, which was still predominately gravel and even dirt, particularly from Santa Rosa to Las Vegas.
In 1937, the entire Chicago-Los Angeles stretch was completely paved for the first time. Even better, Route 66 was moved from the Santa Fe-Los Lunas route to a straighter alignment through Clines Corners (a popular gas stop), Moriarity, then into and through Albuquerque on Central Avenue past a large array of motor courts, diners, gas stations, , before entering the downtown area then westward through the Old Town Plaza and over the Rio Grande River before heading west toward Gallup and beyond. The 1937-rerouting of Route 66 cut out four hours' driving time through New Mexico.
Just as Route 66 was entirely paved and the Depression faded, events halfway around the world led by Adolph Hitler and Japan would change the direction of America ... and Route 66 as well.
The end of World war II brought a surge in migrating Americans taking to the roads and highways in record numbers. The highways were loaded with more cars than were designed for and were further deteriorated by wartime trucks.
In New Mexico, the heavy military use of Route 66 during the war left it in deplorable condition. In fact, Jack Rittenhouse pointed out in his "Guidebook to Highway 66" back in 1946 that Route 66 was not as wide or smooth as it was in Texas, but that New Mexico was paying special attention to improvements on Route 66. Indeed it was, by 1952 a straighter wide two-lane road was completed between Glenrio on the Texas border to San Jon, bypassing Endee. In the Albuquerque area, Central Avenue was a four-lane divided highway through the city from the Sandia Mountains to the east to Nine Mile Hill west of the city during this period.
In 1956, the Interstate Highway Act created the 42,000-mile Interstate Highway System of multilane, controlled access divided highways. U.S. 66 was designated as Interstate 40 through New Mexico.
The move toward Interstate designation on Route 66 in the state began shortly thereafter. By 1960, the highway was four-laned and designated I-40 from west of Clines Corners to Santa Rosa, a short stretch west of Tucumcari, and the eastern end of Albuquerque's Coronado Expressway from Eubank Blvd. to Central Ave. east of the city. Non-Interstate four-lane sections of US 66 had been completed earlier west of Albuquerque to near Laguna, and Grants to the McKinley County line.
Albuquerque was entirely bypassed by I-40 in 1970 and the only remaining long two-lane section of US 66 ran from Tucumcari east to Glenrio. Most Route 66 cities were bypassed by I-40 in New Mexico during the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1985, US 66 was officially decertified as a federal highway nationwide. Route 66 was gone forever in designation, but definitely not in spirit or historical value. In most of the towns, there are still vintage motels glittering in neon, diners that serve real food instead of fast food and service stations that provide "service."
Central Ave., downtown Albuquerque - 1930s
Tjieras Canyon - 1940s
Four-lane 66 through Tijeras Canyon, 1950s
Central Ave. through downtown Albuquerque, 1960s
Santa Rosa street scene, 1970
El Rancho Hotel, Gallup
For more Route 66 photos in New Mexico, check out the Links page for the albums of eastern and western New Mexico, and the Albuquerque area.
Site updated 4/13/10