U.S. Route 366

U.S. Route 366
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 66
Existed: 1927[1] – late 1930s[2]
Original alignment
Length: 416 mi[1] (669 km)
West end: U.S.-Mexico border at El Paso, TX
Major
junctions:

US 80 / SH 1 in El Paso
US 566 in Hondo, NM
US 70 / NM 18 in Clovis, NM
US 70 / SH 7 in Farwell, TX
US 385 / SH 9 in Canyon, TX

US 370 / SH 5 in Amarillo, TX
East end: US 66 / SH 13 in Amarillo
Final alignment
Length: 73 mi[1] (117 km)
West end: US 66 / US 85 / NM 6 in Albuquerque, NM
East end: US 60 / NM 41 in Willard, NM
Highway system

U.S. Route 366 or US 366 was the designation of two child routes of the former U.S. Route 66 in New Mexico and Texas during the late 1920s and 1930s. Both alignments of US 366 were original U.S. Routes created in 1927. The first alignment was a route from El Paso, Texas to Amarillo, Texas crossing through New Mexico that existed until 1932. The second was a route from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Willard, New Mexico that was previously assigned a different route number before 1932. That alignment was canceled in the late 1930s.

History

US 366 was one of the original routes of the network of United States Numbered Highways as published by the American Association of State Highway Officials in 1927.[1] The route branched off from its parent route US 66 in Amarillo, Texas[3] and was then defined as passing through Canyon before crossing the New Mexico state line west of Farwell. The route then passed through Clovis, Portales, Roswell, Hondo, Alamogordo, and Orogrande before reentering Texas south of Newman. The route then continued through El Paso to the U.S.-Mexico border for a total length of 416 miles (669 km).[1] Texas portions of the route were part of Texas State Highway 33 along both portions within the state.[3][4] US 366 followed or replaced portions of New Mexico State Road 50, NM 3, NM 16, NM 13, NM 2, NM 18, and NM 15.[5] The route was realigned in 1931[2] effective with the following year's route log[6] and was replaced by US 54 from El Paso to Tularosa, NM,[7] US 70 from Alamogordo to Farwell,[7] US 60 from Clovis to Amarillo,[3] and US 84 between Clovis and Farwell[7] in 1935.[8]

The realigned US 366 replaced U.S. Route 470 in New Mexico which was also one of the original routes of the 1927 AASHO log.[1] The parent route of U.S. 470 was US 70 which it met at Willard.[9] The route as published proceeded from Willard through Moriarty ending at Albuquerque for at total of 73 miles (117 km).[1] US 470 followed part of the route of NM 41 north from Willard to Moriarty, and NM 6 west to Albuquerque where it ended at the combined route of US 66 and US 85.[9] US 470 was renamed US 366 when US 70 was relocated southward over the previous US 366 ending the parent route connection, but creating a new one with US 66.[2] In the late 1930s, US 66 was rerouted south from its original path through Santa Fe[9] over to NM 6 from Albuquerque to Santa Rosa including the section of US 366 west of Moriarty.[7] At that time, US 366's designation was canceled,[2] and the portion between Willard and Moriarty retained its NM 41 designation.[7] The segment between Albuquerque and Moriarty is now part of I-40[10] and NM 333.[11]

Original alignment

U.S. Route 366
Location: El Paso, TX – Amarillo, TX
Length: 416 mi[1] (669 km)
Existed: 1927[1]–1932[2]

Route description

The original alignment of US 366 began at the international border between the U.S and Mexico[1] in El Paso County. The route followed SH 33 and intersected US 80 in El Paso. US 366 then went northeast to Newman where it crossed the state line.[4]

In New Mexico, US 366 passed through Orogrande in Otero County and then merged with NM 3 in Alamogordo and intersected NM 83 in La Luz further north. The route intersected NM 52 in Tularosa and separated from NM 3. The highway then went to the northeast intersecting NM 24 in Mescalero. The route then crossed into Lincoln County where it intersected NM 37 in Ruidoso and then turned west intersecting US 566 in Hondo. In Chaves County, the highway turned north along NM 2 and intersected NM 13. A short distance north of Roswell the route turned northwest off of NM 2 and passed through Acme. In Kenna, the highway entered Roosevelt County where it intersected NM 92 at Elida and then merged with NM 18 in Portales. The route then turned north and entered Curry County. In Clovis, the route turned east off of NM 18 and on to US 70 and crossed the state line back into Texas.[9]

At the state line, US 366 reacquired its secondary SH 33 and entered Farwell in Parmer County where it separated from US 70 and headed northeast. The route intersected SH 86 in Bovina and passed through Friona before crossing into Deaf Smith County where it passed through Hereford. In Randall County, the highway joined the combined route of US 385 and SH 9 at Canyon. US 366 then went north to Amarillo where it entered Potter County. In Amarillo, the route merged with the combined route of US 370 and SH 5 before ending at US 66 and SH 13.[3]

The segment of US 366 from El Paso to the state line was fully paved.[4][9] In New Mexico, the route was classified in 1930 as a first class road for use all year. Most of the roadway in New Mexico was gravel; however, there was a fully paved segment between Roswell and Acme. Most of the roadway between Ruidoso and Hondo was merely graded as were two short segments between Acme and Kenna and between Elida and Portales.[9] As late as 1933, most of the route in the Texas Panhandle was only graded, although the portion between the Deaf Smith-Randall county line to Amarillo was paved.[4]

Major intersections

In El Paso County, Texas:[4]

In New Mexico:[9]

In the Texas Panhandle:[3]

Final alignment

U.S. Route 366
Location: Albuquerque, NM – Willard, NM
Length: 73 mi[1] (117 km)
Existed: 1932–late 1930s[2]

Route description

The final alignment of US 366 began at the intersection of NM 6 with the combined routes US 66 and US 85 at Albuquerque in Bernalillo County. The route proceeded to the east along NM 6 and intersected NM 10 at Tijeras. The route then passed through Barton and then crossed the southwestern corner of Santa Fe County. The route then entered Torrance County where the route intersected NM 41 at Moriarty. The route then turned south along NM 41 and passed through Estancia before terminating at US 60 just west of Willard.[7][9]

The 1930 state highway map described the route as a first class road usable all year. From Albuquerque to a point just west of Tijeras, the highway had an oiled and concrete surface. From that point to Barton, the highway had a gravel surface. From Barton to Moriarty, the surface was graded, and the surface was gravel beyond Moriarty to Willard.[9]

Major intersections

In New Mexico:[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 United States Numbered Highways (1927 ed.), American Association of State Highway Officials, p. 46
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Weingroff, Richard F. (June 18, 2003). "U.S. 666: "Beast of a Highway"?". Highway History. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. Section: Later Changes. Retrieved 2011-04-09. External link in |work= (help)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Official Map of the Highway System of Texas (Map) (June 15, 1933 ed.). ⅞"=30 mi. Cartography by R. M. Stene. Texas State Highway Commission. § D9-E12. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Official Map of the Highway System of Texas (Map) (June 15, 1933 ed.). ⅞"=30 mi. Cartography by R. M. Stene. Texas State Highway Commission. § J2. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  5. ↑ Map Showing Condition of State Roads, State of New Mexico (PDF) (Map) (1920 ed.). New Mexico State Highway Commission. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
  6. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "U.S. Highway No. 54". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Official Road Map of New Mexico (PDF) (Map) (1941 ed.). Cartography by Jorgensen. New Mexico State Highway Department. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  8. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "U.S. Highway No. 84". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Road Map of New Mexico (PDF) (Map) (1930 ed.). Cartography by B.C. Broome, K.M. Zook. New Mexico State Highway Commission. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Interstate Routes" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2011-04-07.
  11. ↑ "State Routes" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. p. 18. Retrieved 2011-04-07.
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