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
Map
I-25 and US 85 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NMDOT
Length462.124 mi[1] (743.716 km)
Existed1957[2]–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-10 / US 85 / US 180 in Las Cruces
Major intersections
North end I-25 / US 85 / US 87 near Raton
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew Mexico
CountiesDoña Ana, Sierra, Socorro, Valencia, Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, San Miguel, Mora, Colfax
Highway system
  • New Mexico State Highway System
← NM 24I-25→ NM 25
← US 84US 85→ US 87

Interstate 25 (I-25) in the US state of New Mexico follows the north–south corridor through Albuquerque and Santa Fe. It replaced U.S. Route 85 (US 85), which is no longer signed, but still exists in route logs sharing most of the I-25 alignment. I-25 starts in New Mexico at an interchange with I-10 in Las Cruces and extends roughly 460 miles (740 km) 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

[edit]

I-25 begins at I-10's exit 144 in Las Cruces (elevation 4,000 feet (1,200 m)),[3] just south of the New Mexico State University (NMSU) campus. I-25 is concurrent with US 85 at this point, and carries US 85 concurrently for the remainder of its run in New Mexico, save for a 4-mile (6.4 km) through Las Vegas where unsigned US 85 follows Interstate 25 Business (I-25 Bus., Business Loop 15) through the town. Immediately, the Interstate passes east of the NMSU 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 US 70.[4] Upon exiting the city, the speed limit increases by 10 mph (16 km/h) to 75 mph (121 km/h). 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 US 380 and a concurrency with US 60.[8] State Road 6 (NM 6), the original US 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]

I-25 in Albuquerque

The speed limit on I-25 in Albuquerque is 65 mph (105 km/h), except for one 1.5-mile (2.4 km) 55-mile-per-hour (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 I-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, at sunset. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with snow, are in the background.
Sunset on I-25 at Santa Fe

Leaving Albuquerque, the 75-mile-per-hour (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] It climbs out of the Rio Grande Valley at a steep hill called La Bajada 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Santa Fe.[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 (743.716 km) long in New Mexico.[1]

Exit list

[edit]
CountyLocationmi[21]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Doña AnaLas Cruces0.000.00
 I-10 east (US 85 south / US 180 east) – El Paso		National southern terminus; southern end of US 85 concurrency; I-10 exit 144; tri-stack interchange; US 85 continues south on I-10/US 180 east to Texas state line
—
 I-10 west (US 180 west) – Deming		Southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-10 exit 144; tri-stack interchange
2.273.651University AvenueAccess to New Mexico State University
4.206.763Lohman Avenue
6.9111.126 US 70 / Del Rey Boulevard – Las Cruces, Alamogordo, White Sands National Park, White Sands Missile Range
10.5917.049 NM 320 – Doña Ana
Radium Springs19.8231.9019 NM 157 – Radium SpringsLeasburg Dam State Park, Fort Selden State Monument
​33.7454.3032Upham
Rincon36.4858.7135
 NM 140 west – Rincon
Hatch42.2267.9541

 NM 26 west to I-10 – Hatch, Deming, Lordsburg
SierraGarfield52.0283.7251 NM 546 – Garfield, Salem
Caballo Lake60.4897.3359 NM 187 – Caballo, Percha State Parks
Caballo64.75104.2163 NM 152 – Hillsboro, Silver City
​72.51116.6971Las Palomas
Williamsburg75.99122.2975
 I-25 BL north – Truth or Consequences, Williamsburg
Truth or Consequences80.13128.9679
 I-25 BL south – Truth or Consequences
84.74136.3883 NM 195 (NM 181) – Elephant Butte, Elephant Butte Lake State Park
​89.99144.8289
 NM 181 to NM 52 – Cuchillo, Monticello
​92.66149.1292 NM 1 – Mitchell PointElephant Butte Lake State Park
​101.41163.20100 NM 1 – Red Rock
Socorro​116.23187.05115 NM 107 – Magdalena, Camino Real International Heritage Center
​125.55202.05124San Marcial, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
San Antonio140.33225.84139
 US 380 east – San Antonio, Carrizozo, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Socorro148.95239.71147


 I-25 BL north to US 60 west – Socorro, Magdalena
151.47243.77150

 I-25 BL south / US 60 west – Socorro, Magdalena		South end of US 60 overlap
Escondida153.30246.71152Escondida
Lemitar157.25253.07156 NM 408 – Lemitar
​164.08264.06163San Acacia
La Joya170.97275.15169Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
​176.34283.79175
 US 60 east (NM 116) – Bernardo, Mountainair		North end of US 60 overlap
ValenciaBelen191.37307.98190
 I-25 BL north – Belen, South Belen
193.01310.62191Camino del Llano
197.09317.19195
 I-25 BL south – Belen
Los Lunas201.75324.69201Los Lunas BoulevardProposed interchange; construction scheduled to begin in late 2024. Currently named Morris Road.[22]
204.42328.98203 NM 6 – Los Lunas
Bernalillo​211.04339.64209
 NM 317 to NM 45 (Coors Blvd) – Isleta Pueblo		To NM 314 (Isleta Boulevard)
​214.71345.54213 NM 314 (Isleta Boulevard)
Albuquerque216.56348.52215 NM 47 (Broadway) – Bosque Farms, Peralta
217.10349.39217Mesa Del Sol BoulevardProposed Interchange for Mesa del Sol
218.70351.96218Bobby Foster RoadProposed Interchange for Mesa del Sol
221.61356.65220 NM 500 (Rio Bravo Boulevard)
223.24359.27221 Sunport Boulevard – ABQ International Sunport
224.09360.64222Gibson Boulevard – Kirtland AFBSigned as exits 222A (east) and 222B (west) southbound
224.80361.78223Avenida Cesar Chavez
225.45–
225.52		362.83–
362.94		224 Coal Avenue / Lead Avenue / Central AvenueNorthbound access via Oak Street, southbound via Locust Street; northbound exit serves Presbyterian Hospital; Central Avenue not signed southbound. Formerly Exit 224A (Northbound)
225.73363.28224B Historic US 66 (Central Avenue) / Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenuepermanently closed and removed in September 2022; northbound access was via Oak Street, southbound was via Locust Street; served Lovelace Medical Center - Downtown; Hist. US 66 (Central Avenue) was not signed northbound
226.34364.26225 Lomas Boulevard / Menaul Boulevard / Candelaria Road – Local TrafficSouthbound signed as "Lomas Blvd." only; serves Heart Hospital of New Mexico and Kindred Hospital Albuquerque
227.36365.90226A-B I-40 – Gallup, Santa RosaSigned as exits 226A (east) and 226B (west); I-40 exits 159B-C; Big I interchange.
228.69368.04227Comanche Road / Griegos Road / Candelaria Road / Menaul BoulevardGriegos Road not signed southbound, Candelaria Road and Menaul Boulevard not signed northbound
229.62369.54228Montgomery Boulevard / Montaño RoadMontaño Road is west of I-25, Montgomery Boulevard is east of I-25
230.67371.23229Jefferson Street
231.57372.68230San Mateo Boulevard / Osuna Road
232.09373.51231San Antonio Avenue / Ellison Road / Osuna Road
233.06375.07232 NM 423 (Paseo del Norte)
233.79376.25233 NM 528 (Alameda Boulevard)
Sandia Pueblo235.15378.44234 NM 556 (Tramway Road / Roy Avenue)
SandovalBernalillo241.86389.24240 NM 473 (Avenida Bernalillo)
243.38391.68242

 US 550 north / NM 165 east – Placitas, Bernalillo, Rio Rancho		Former NM 44
​249.10400.89248 NM 315 / Historic US 66 – Algodones
​253.60408.13252San Felipe Pueblo
​258.73416.39257BudaghersMormon Battalion Memorial on west side about a mile south of the exit. Wagon ruts visible on both east and west side of highway.
​260.43419.12259 NM 22 – Santo Domingo Pueblo
Santa Fe​265.96428.02264 NM 16 – Cochiti Pueblo
​268.55432.19267Waldo Canyon Road
La Cienega272.77438.98271 CR 50F – La Cienega
​276.89445.61276

 NM 14 south / NM 599 north (Santa Fe Relief Route) – Madrid
Santa Fe278.75448.60278 NM 14 (Cerrillos Road)
283.63456.46282
 US 84 / US 285 north (St. Francis Drive) / Frontage Road – Santa Fe Plaza, Española, Los Alamos, Taos		West end of US 84/US 285 overlap; signed as exits 282A (Frontage Road) and 282B (US 84/US 285) southbound
285.14458.89284 NM 466 (Old Pecos Trail)
​291.56469.22290
 US 285 south (NM 300) – Clines Corners		East end of US 285 overlap
​295.14474.98294Cañoncito at Apache Canyon
​298.16479.84297Valencia
​300.28483.25299 NM 50 – Glorieta, Pecos
San Miguel​308.87497.08307 NM 63 – Pecos, Rowe, Pecos National Historic Park
Sands321.48517.37319San Jose, San Juan
​324.25521.83323
 NM 3 south – Villanueva
​331.19533.00330Bernal
​336.50541.54335Tecolote
​340.97548.74339
 US 84 south – Romeroville, Santa Rosa		East end of US 84 overlap
Las Vegas345.00555.22343
 I-25 BL south / US 85 / NM 329 / NM 283 – Las Vegas		Access to NM 283 via frontage road; North end of unsigned US 85 concurrency
347.05558.52345 NM 104 (University Avenue) / I-25 BL / NM 65
349.09561.81347

 I-25 BL south to NM 65 / NM 518 / US 85 – Las Vegas, Taos		Sorth end of unsigned US 85 concurrency
​353.29568.57352AirportAccess via NM 250
​357.53575.39356Onava
​362.65583.63361No name exit
MoraWatrous365.82588.73364
 NM 161 to NM 97 – Watrous, Valmora
367.87592.03366
Wagon Mound389.01626.05387 NM 120 – Wagon Mound
​394.48634.85393Levy
Colfax​405.82653.10404 NM 569 – Colmor
Springer413.39665.29412


 To US 56 (US 412) / NM 21 / NM 468 – Springer, Museum		Access via unsigned I-25 BL; serves Santa Fe Trail Museum
415.93669.37414
​420.20676.25419
 NM 58 west – Cimarron
Maxwell427.36687.77426
 NM 505 to NM 445 – Maxwell, Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge
​436.50702.48435Tinaja
​448.01721.00446
 US 64 west / Santa Fe Trail Scenic Byway – Taos		South end of US 64 overlap
Raton451.25726.22450
 I-25 BL north (US 64 east) – Raton		North end of US 64 overlap
452.72728.58451
 US 87 east / US 64 – Raton, Clayton		South end of US 87 overlap
453.84730.38452
 NM 72 east – Folsom
455.80733.54454
 I-25 BL south – Raton
New Mexico–Colorado line461.72743.07460Truck weigh stationFirst southbound exit in New Mexico; exit not signed northbound

 I-25 north (US 85 / US 87 north) / Santa Fe Trail Scenic Byway – Trinidad, Denver		Continuation into Colorado
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
[edit]
Interstate 25 Business marker
Interstate 25 Business
LocationNew Mexico
Main article: Business routes of Interstate 25

I-25 in New Mexico currently has no auxiliary Interstates but it has six active business routes. The active business routes are located in Williamsburg–Truth or Consequences, Socorro, Belen, Las Vegas, Springer, and Raton. There was one other business route that was located in Santa Fe but was decommissioned.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Interstate Highways" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  2. ^ American Association of State Highway Officials (August 14, 1957). Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. Retrieved June 16, 2011 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  3. ^ "I-25 at I-10" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  4. ^ "I-25 in Las Cruces" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  5. ^ "I-25 parallels Elephant Butte Reservoir State Park" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  6. ^ Wilkerson, Lyn (2003). American Trails Revisited: Following in the Footsteps of the Western Pioneers. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse. p. 154. ISBN 0595282628. Retrieved February 13, 2013 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "I-25 near Socorro" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  8. ^ "I-25 near Albuquerque" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  9. ^ "I-25 at SR 6" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  10. ^ "I-25 near Isleta" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  11. ^ "I-25 exits in Albuquerque" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  12. ^ a b Bryan, Howard (1989). Albuquerque Remembered. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 0826337821. OCLC 62109913. Retrieved February 13, 2013 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ "I-25 at I-40" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  14. ^ "I-25/I-40 System-to-System Interchange". Excellence in highway design. Federal Highway Administration. 2002. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  15. ^ "I-25 nearing Santa Fe" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  16. ^ Julyan, Robert (1998). The Place Names of New Mexico (2nd ed.). University of New Mexico Press. Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013. La Bajada hill is located 11 miles [18 km] 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 [2.4 km] 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 [8.0 km] 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. Archived from the original on December 6, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  18. ^ "I-25 near Las Vegas" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  19. ^ "Raton Pass". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  20. ^ Glassman, Steve (2008). It Happened on the Santa Fe Trail. Morris Publishing. p. ix. ISBN 978-0762745739. Retrieved February 13, 2013 – via Google Books.
  21. ^ http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Travel_conditions/maps/SW_V9_2_ELEV_RB_2007.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  22. ^ Special Project: Los Lunas Blvd. Corridor Phase I, Village of Los Lunas, accessed April 29, 2024


Interstate 25
Previous state:
Terminus 		New Mexico Next state:
Colorado
U.S. Route 85
Previous state:
Texas 		New Mexico Next state:
Colorado
[edit]
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