Interstate 25 in New Mexico

This article is about the section of Interstate 25 in New Mexico. For the entire route, see Interstate 25.

Interstate 25 marker

Interstate 25
Route information
Maintained by NMDOT
Length: 462.12 mi[1] (743.72 km)
Existed: 1957[2] – present
Major junctions
South end: I-10 / US 85 / US 180 in Las Cruces
  US 70 in Las Cruces
US 380 near San Antonio
US 60 in Socorro
US 60 near Bernardo
I-40 in Albuquerque
US 550 in Bernalillo
US 84 / US 285 in Santa Fe
US 84 in Las Vegas
US 64 / US 87 in Raton
North end: I-25 / US 85 / US 87 near Raton
Location
Counties: Doña Ana, Sierra, Socorro, Valencia, Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, San Miguel, Mora, Colfax
Highway system
← NM 24NM 26 →
← NM 83US 85NM 88 →

In the U.S. state of New Mexico, Interstate 25 (I-25) follows the north–south corridor through Albuquerque and Santa Fe. It replaced U.S. Route 85, which is no longer signed, but still exists in route logs sharing the I-25 alignment. I-25 starts in New Mexico at an interchange with I-10 in Las Cruces and extends roughly 460 miles before reaching Colorado. I-25 passes through principally rural land through central New Mexico and passes through or near the cities of Las Cruces, Truth or Consequences, Socorro, Belen, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and Raton.

Route description

Interstate 25 begins at Interstate 10's exit 144 in Las Cruces (elevation 4,000 feet (1,200 m)),[3] just south of the New Mexico State University campus. I-25 is concurrent with U.S. Route 85 at this point, and carries the US 85 concurrency for the remainder of its run in New Mexico. Immediately, the Interstate passes east of the New Mexico State campus, and the next three exits provide access to the city. The first exit is University Avenue, which provides access to NMSU. The final exit in Las Cruces is U.S. Route 70.[4] Upon exiting the city the speed limit increases by ten miles per hour to 75 mph. Before I-25 reaches Truth or Consequences and just south of Elephant Butte Reservoir State Park it crosses over to the west side of the Rio Grande.[5] From Las Cruces to Santa Fe I-25 follows the route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.[6]

At the Big I in Albuquerque, New Mexico

South of Albuquerque near Socorro it passes through the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.[7] As I-25 nears Albuquerque, it has interchanges with roads such as U.S. Route 380 and a concurrency with U.S. Route 60.[8] State Road 6, the original U.S. Route 66, meets up with I-25 in Los Lunas.[9] Just to the south of Albuquerque I-25 enters Isleta Pueblo where it crosses back to the east side of the Rio Grande.[10]

The speed limit on I-25 in Albuquerque is 65 mph (105 km/h), except for one 1.5 mile 55 mph (89 km/h) section between Gibson Boulevard and Central Avenue. Through Albuquerque I-25 is named the Pan American Freeway and there are frequent exits to city streets.[11][12]:248 A major interchange with Interstate 40 (which is styled as the Coronado Freeway in the city) is named the Big I.[12]:248[13] It was given an honorable mention by the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration for excellence in urban highway design in 2002.[14]

Approaching Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are in the background.

Leaving Albuquerque, the 75 mph (121 km/h) speed limit resumes as the freeway passes through Sandia Pueblo. After Bernalillo, I-25 passes through four more Indian Reservations (from south to north the Pueblos of Santa Ana, San Felipe, Kewa and Cochiti. I-25 turns to the northeast and away from the Rio Grande, alongside which it has run from its southern terminus, as it heads toward Santa Fe.[15] 11 mi (18 km) southwest of Santa Fe it climbs out of the Rio Grande Valley at a steep hill called La Bajada.[16]

Continuing 'northbound' at Santa Fe, I-25 heads southeast for approximately 45 miles (72 km) traveling through the Santa Fe National Forest and crossing Glorieta Pass (7,452 feet (2,271 m)).[17] It turns north again at Blanchard toward Las Vegas.[18] The highway maintains a north and northeast orientation as it leaves New Mexico traversing Raton Pass (7,798 feet (2,377 m)[19]) and enters Colorado. The speed limit through Raton Pass is 65 mph (105 km/h). From Santa Fe to Raton Pass I-25 approximates part of the route of the Santa Fe Trail.[20] I-25 is 462.124 miles long in New Mexico.[1]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[21]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Doña AnaLas Cruces0.000.00 I-10 / US 180 east / US 85 south – El PasoSouthern terminus of I-25; southern end of US 85 concurrency; I-10 exit 144
— I-10 / US 180 west – DemingSouthbound exit and northbound entrance; I-10 exit 144
1University AvenueAccess to New Mexico State University
3Lohman Avenue
7.411.96 US 70 / Del Rey Boulevard – Las Cruces, Alamogordo, White Sands National Monument, White Sands Missile Range
11.1217.909 NM 320 – Doña Ana
Radium Springs20.3232.7019 NM 157 – Radium SpringsLeasburg Dam State Park, Ft. Selden State Monument
 34.2255.0732Upham
Rincon36.8259.2635 NM 140 west – Rincon
Hatch42.65968.65341 NM 26 west – Hatch, Deming, Lordsburg
SierraGarfield52.0383.7351 NM 546 – Garfield, Salem
Caballo Lake60.8997.9959 NM 187 – Caballo, Percha State Parks
Caballo65.175104.88963 NM 152 – Hillsboro, Silver City
 72.89117.3171Las Palomas
Williamsburg76.389122.93675 I-25 Bus. north – Truth or Consequences, Williamsburg
Truth or Consequences80.577129.67679 I-25 Bus. south – Truth or Consequences
85.2137.183 NM 195 (NM 181) – City of Elephant Butte, Elephant Butte Lake State Park
 90.141145.06889 NM 181 to NM 52 – Cuchillo, Monticello
 92.831149.39792 NM 1 – Mitchell PointElephant Butte Lake State Park
 100.82162.25100 NM 1 – Red Rock
Socorro 116.572187.604115 NM 107 – Magdalena, Camino Real International Heritage Center
 125.881202.586124San Marcial, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
San Antonio140.61226.29139 US 380 east – San Antonio, Carrizozo, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Socorro149.225240.154147 I-25 Bus. north to US 60 west – Socorro, Magdalena
151.728244.183150 I-25 Bus. south / US 60 west – Socorro, MagdalenaSouth end of US 60 overlap
Escondido153.62247.23152Escondida
Lemitar157.52253.50156 NM 408 – Lemitar
 164.32264.45163San Acacia
La Joya171.32275.71169Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
 176.566284.155175 US 60 east (NM 116) – Bernardo, MountainairNorth end of US 60 overlap
ValenciaBelen191.35307.95190 I-25 Bus. north – Belen, South Belen
193.435311.303191Camino del Llano
 197.56317.94195 I-25 Bus. south – Belen
Los Lunas205.376330.521203 NM 6 – Los Lunas
Bernalillo 209 CR 317 to NM 45 (Coors Blvd) – Isleta Pueblo To NM 314 (Isleta Blvd)
 213.394343.424213 NM 314 (Isleta Boulevard)
Albuquerque217.18349.52215 NM 47 (Broadway) – Bosque Farms, Peralta
221.768356.901220 NM 500 (Rio Bravo Boulevard)
221Sunport Boulevard – Albuquerque International Sunport
222Gibson Boulevard – Albuquerque International Sunport, Kirtland AFBSigned as exits 222A (east) and 222B (west) southbound
223Avenida Cesar Chavez
224ACentral Avenue, Lead Avenue, Coal AvenueNorthbound access via Oak Street, southbound via Locust Street
224BCentral Avenue, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue (MLK Avenue)Northbound access via Oak Street, southbound via Locust Street
225Candelaria Road, Lomas Boulevard, Menaul Boulevard
227.225365.683226A-B I-40 (Coronado Freeway) – Santa Rosa, GallupSigned as exits 226A (east) and 226B (west); I-40 exits 159B-C
227Comanche Road, Griegos Road, Candelaria Road, Menaul Boulevard
228Montgomery Boulevard, Montaño RoadMontaño Road is west of I-25, Montgomery Blvd. is east of I-25.
229Jefferson Street
230San Mateo Boulevard, Osuna Road
231San Antonio Avenue, Ellison Road, Osuna Road
232 NM 423 (Paseo del Norte)
233 NM 528 (Alameda Boulevard)
Sandia Pueblo Nation234 NM 556 (Roy Avenue, Tramway Road)
SandovalBernalillo240 NM 473 (Avenida Bernalillo)
243.533391.928242 US 550 north / NM 165 east – Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Placitas, Farmington
 249.258401.142248 NM 315 / Historic US 66 – Algodones
 253.736408.349252San Felipe Pueblo
 258.916416.685257Budaghers
 259 NM 22 – Santo Domingo Pueblo
Santa Fe 266.21428.42264 NM 16 – Cochiti Pueblo
 268.73432.48267Waldo Canyon Road
La Cienega273.13439.56271 CR 50F – La Cienega
 277.07445.90276 NM 14 south / NM 599 north (Santa Fe Relief Route) – Madrid
Santa Fe278.91448.86278 NM 14 (Cerrillos Road)Signed as exits 278A (south) and 278B (north) southbound
282 US 84 north / US 285 north (St. Francis Drive) / Frontage Road – Santa Fe Plaza, Española, Los Alamos, TaosSouth end of US 84/US 285 overlap; signed as exits 282A (Frontage Road) and 282B (US 84/US 285) southbound
284 NM 466 (Old Pecos Trail)
 291.773469.563290 US 285 south (NM 300) – Clines CornersNorth end of US 285 overlap
 295.596475.716294Canoncito at Apache Canyon
 298.47480.34297Valencia
 300.4483.4299 NM 50 – Glorieta, Pecos
San Miguel 309.1497.4307 NM 63 – Pecos, Rowe, Pecos National Historic Park
Sands321.72517.76319San Jose, San Juan
 324.59522.38323 NM 3 south – Villanueva
 331.52533.53330Bernal
 336.62541.74335Tecolote
 341.321549.303339 US 84 south – Romeroville, Santa RosaNorth end of US 84 overlap
Las Vegas345.339555.769343 I-25 Bus. north to NM 283 / NM 329 – Las Vegas
345 NM 104 (University Avenue) to I-25 Bus. / NM 65, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
349.595562.619347 To I-25 Bus. south / NM 250 / NM 65 / NM 518 – Taos, Las Vegas
 353.53568.95352Las Vegas Municipal Airport
 357.73575.71356Onava
 362.93584.08361Warren Ranch Road
MoraWatrous365.64588.44364 NM 446 north / NM 161 to NM 97 – Watrous, Valmora
368.43592.93366 NM 161 to NM 97 – Watrous, Valmora, Fort Union National Monument
Wagon Mound389.496626.833387 NM 120 – Wagon Mound
 394.89635.51393Levy
Colfax 406.19653.70404 NM 569 – Colmor
Springer413.69665.77412 To US 56 / US 412 / NM 21 / NM 468 (I-25 Bus. north) – Springer, Clayton
416.26669.91414 To US 56 / US 412 / NM 21 / NM 468 (I-25 Bus. south) – Springer
 420.43676.62419 NM 58 west – Cimarron
Maxwell427.611688.173426 NM 505 to NM 445 – Maxwell, Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge
 436.76702.90435Tinaja
 448.423721.667446 US 64 west – TaosSouth end of US 64 overlap
Raton451.675726.900450 I-25 Bus. north (US 64 east) – RatonNorth end of US 64 overlap
453.19729.34451 US 87 east / US 64 – Raton, Clayton, Capulin Volcano National Monument, AmarilloSouth end of US 87 overlap
454.29731.11452 NM 72 east – Folsom
456.213734.204454 I-25 Bus. south – Raton
 460Truck weigh stationFinal exit in New Mexico
 462.124743.716 I-25 / US 85 / US 87 northContinuation into Colorado
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. 1 2 "Interstate Highways" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
  2. ↑ Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (Map). American Association of State Highway Officials. August 14, 1957. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  3. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 at I-10" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  4. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 in Las Cruces" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  5. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 parallels Elephant Butte Reservoir State Park" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  6. ↑ Wilkerson, Lyn (2003). American Trails Revisited: Following in the Footsteps of the Western Pioneers. Lincoln, NE: ¡Universe, Inc. p. 154. ISBN 0595282628. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  7. ↑ Google (2013-04-13). "I-25 near Socorro" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
  8. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 near Albuquerque" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  9. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 at SR 6" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  10. ↑ Google (2013-04-13). "I-25 near Isleta" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
  11. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 exits in Albuquerque" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  12. 1 2 Bryan, Howard (1989). Albuquerque Remembered. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 0826337821. OCLC 62109913. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  13. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 at I-40" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  14. ↑ "I-25/I-40 System-to-System Interchange". Excellence in highway design. Federal Highway Administration. 2002. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  15. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 nearing Santa Fe" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  16. ↑ Julyan, Robert (1998). The Place Names of New Mexico (2nd ed.). University of New Mexico Press. Retrieved 13 February 2013. La Bajada hill is located 11 miles southwest of Santa Fe. From 1598, when Spanish colonists trudged beside lumbering oxcarts, to the early 20th century, when American tourists drove Model A automobiles, the steep and abrupt escarpment of La Bajada Hill was a notorious landmark on the road between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The old route up La Bajada Hill was barely 1.5 miles long, but it traversed tough volcanic rock; in the 20th century it included 23 hairpin turns and was the scene of countless frustrations and mishaps, from overturned wagons to boiling radiators. Residents of the village of La Bajada (see entry) at the hill's base named a spot on the hill Florida because a truck carrying oranges overturned there. In 1932, a new route up the escarpment was laid out, followed today by I-25, and the original route, 5 mi N and W, fell into disuse, though a few drivers still attempt it to test their vehicles' toughness. The name La Bajada now is gradually being transferred to the new route.
  17. ↑ "Glorieta Pass". Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway. The Santa Fe Trail Scenic Byway Profile. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  18. ↑ Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 near Las Vegas" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  19. ↑ "Raton Pass". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
  20. ↑ Glassman, Steve (2008). It Happened on the Santa Fe Trail. Morris Publishing. p. ix. ISBN 0762745738. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  21. ↑ http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Travel_conditions/maps/SW_V9_2_ELEV_RB_2007.pdf
Interstate 25
Previous state:
Terminus		 New Mexico Next state:
Colorado

Route map: Bing / Google

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