Site Navigation Arizona California Colorado Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Utah Wyoming     Interstate 40 East - Bernalillo County Interstate 40 East Exit 126 consists of a diamond interchange with the west end of New Mexico 6. New Mexico 6 follows the pre-1937 routing of U.S. 66 east 36.4 miles to New Mexico 47 east of Los Lunas. Photo taken 06/29/08. Eastbound Interstate 40 reassurance marker posted after New Mexico 6. Photo taken 06/29/08. Posted 30 miles outside of downtown Albuquerque, this mileage sign also lists the distances to the New Mexico control points of Santa Rosa (146 miles) and Tucumcari (205 miles). Photo taken 06/29/08. Peering northward at Bell Rock Mesa from Interstate 40 east in Cibola County. Photo taken 06/29/08. Canoncito School Road stems north from Interstate 40 at Exit 131 to To'hajiilee. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 east at the Exit 131 diamond interchange with Canoncito School Road. To'hajiilee lies northward within the Laguna Indian Reservation. Photo taken 06/29/08. Now Interstate 40 east is 26 miles from Albuquerque and 142 from Santa Rosa. Photo taken 06/29/08. Crossing into Bernalillo County, Interstate 40 sees a second sign touting the NMDOT district boundary between Districts 6 and 3. Photo taken 06/29/08. The Sandia Mountains take center stage along the eastern horizon as Interstate 40 enters vastly undeveloped west Bernalillo County. Photo taken 06/29/08. Looking southward, the Manzano Mountains occupy the horizon. Photo taken 06/29/08. An at-grade intersection provides access to adjacent ranch lands from Interstate 40 midway between Exits 131 and 140. Photos taken 06/29/08. Descending from a mesa toward the Rio Puerco interchange along Interstate 40 east. Original Central Avenue enters the area from the northwest and parallels the freeway as frontage roads through to Rio Puerco. Photo taken 06/29/08. Exit 140 joins Interstate 40 with the adjacent frontage roads and an Indian service road to the north. Photo taken 06/29/08. The main interest of Exit 140 is the Route 66 Casino that occupies the eastbound side of Interstate 40. Photo taken 06/29/08. U.S. 66's original Rio Puerco Bridge remains in place between Interstate 40 west and the adjacent frontage road. Photos taken 06/29/08. A partial-cloverleaf interchange joins Interstate 40 with Rio Puerco via the adjacent frontage roads. The Indian service road parallels the Rio Puerco northward into the Canoncito Indian Reservation. Photo taken 06/29/08. Views of the U.S. 66 Rio Puerco Bridge. This alignment of U.S. 66 was used between 1937 until the completion of Interstate 40 by 1970. U.S. 66 was decommissioned in 1985. Photo taken 06/29/08. A look at the nondescript Rio Puerco bridge of Interstate 40. The river below acts more of a wash as it only flows during rainy season. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 eastbound mileage sign posted 18 miles out from downtown Albuquerque. Photo taken 06/29/08. A truck climbing lane adds to the capacity of Interstate 40 eastbound toward the next mesa. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 finally enters the Albuquerque metropolitan area at Exit 149 (Central Avenue). Central Avenue represents the post-1937 route of U.S. 66 throughout the city. Photo taken 06/29/08. Albuquerque next 17 exits sign for the next 20 mile stretch of Interstate 40! Photo taken 06/29/08. One mile west of the partial "Y" split with Historic U.S. 66 (Central Avenue). The route was once also Business Loop Interstate 40, but that designation has since been retired and the street is now locally maintained. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 veers northward from the split with U.S. 66 and its frontage road system. Photo taken 06/29/08. Although not officially within the city of Albuquerque, Interstate 40's control city shifts to Santa Rosa. Paseo del Volcan travels north-south across Interstate 40 and Central Avenue between the Petroglyph National Monument Volcano day use area and a nearby sprawling mobile home park. The monument's volcanoes are Vulcan, Black, and JA. Photo taken 06/29/08. Long distance mileage signs are replaced with upcoming exits signs along Interstate 40 through the city of Albuquerque. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 descends into the city, first meeting 98th Street at a partial-cloverleaf interchange (Exit 153). 98th Street represents a growing north-south arterial between the sprawling Westgate Heights to Tierra Pintada Boulevard and Tres Volcanes. Photo taken 06/29/08. Tourist interests to the Petroglyph National Monument are directed northward from Interstate 40 at Exit 154 (Unser Boulevard). Unser skims eastern reaches of the monument to Rinconada Canyon, the Visitor's Center, Boca Negra Canyon, and Boca Negra Horseman's Complex. Photo taken 06/29/08. New Mexico 345 follows Unser Boulevard south to Central Avenue (U.S. 66) and north to St. Joseph's Avenue. The arterial overall represents a growing corridor south to Arenal and north to far flung suburbs in Rio Rancho. Unser Boulevard will be extended south to New Mexico 500 and north to Interstate 25 near Bernalillo in the future.1 Photo taken 06/29/08. Exit 154 consists of a partial-cloverleaf interchange between Interstate 40 and New Mexico 345 (Unser Boulevard). Unser Boulevard derives its name from Al Unser, an Albuquerque native.1 Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 continues east two miles to Coors Boulevard, a major north-south commercial arterial between Central Avenue (U.S. 66) / Alamosa and St. Joseph's Drive. Photo taken 06/29/08. Exit 155 with Coors Boulevard was upgraded between 2005-06 from a directional-cloverleaf interchange into a full stack with pedestrian and bicycle paths. Colors used in the project include Latte, Portabello, Jute Brown, and Spicy Hue as chosen by residents in an online survey. The $91-million project was built in conjunction with the GRIP I-40 corridor. Work began in December 2004 and finished in May of 2006. Photo taken 06/29/08. One half mile west of the Coors Boulevard off-ramp (Exit 155). Photo taken 06/29/08. A multi-use trail bridge spans Interstate 40 midway between Exits 154 and 155. Photo taken 06/29/08. Exit 155 departs for Coors Boulevard north to the Taylor Ranch community; north of St. Joseph's Drive, the arterial is a part of New Mexico 448. Photo taken 06/29/08. Coors Boulevard south continues from Interstate 40 through the West Mesa and Los Volcanes communities to Central Avenue at New Mexico 45. New Mexico 45 continues Coors southward to Los Padillas. Photo taken 06/29/08. Passing under Coors Boulevard, a flyover, and another multi-use trail bridge associated with the Exit 155 rebuild project. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 25 appears for the first time on the Rio Grande Boulevard (Exit 157A) sign bridge. Exit 157A serves the Old Town area of Albuquerque. Photo taken 06/29/08. Spanning the Rio Grande along Interstate 40 east. Levees and nature trails line the river throughout the downtown area. Included is the Albuquerque Biological Park and Tingley Beach Park. Photos taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 yields an eastbound lane to Rio Grande Boulevard (Exit 157A). Rio Grande Boulevard represents former New Mexico 194 between Central Avenue (U.S. 66) and New Mexico 528 at Alameda. Much of the route was decommissioned by the mid-1980s, yet most online mapping programs still show the route. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interchanges beyond Rio Grande Boulevard serve downtown via the numbered street grid. Photo taken 06/29/08. Historic Old Town lies at the junction of Rio Grande Boulevard and Historic U.S. 66 (Central Avenue). Nearby attractions include the Rio Grande Zoo, Albuquerque Aquarium / Rio Grande Botanic Garden, the Explora! museum, the National Atomic Museum, and the Albuquerque Museum of Natural History & Science. Photo taken 06/29/08. Drivers bound for Rio Grande Boulevard (Exit 157A) depart Interstate 40 east at a diamond interchange. Rio Grande leads north from Old Town to the Los Griegos neighborhood and the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. Photo taken 06/29/08. Next in line for eastbound motorists is the Exit 157B half-diamond interchange with 12th Street at the Los Duranes section of the city. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 swells to ten overall lanes between Exits 157A and 157B (12th Street). A segmented frontage road system begins via the 12th Street ramps through to University Boulevard. Photo taken 06/29/08. 12th Street leads south from Los Duranes to the Sawmill Area and West Park outside of downtown. Exit 158 (8th / 6th Streets) more directly serves the central business district in one half mile. Photo taken 06/29/08. Exit 158 leaves immediately after the 12th Street overpass onto the adjacent frontage road (Indian School Road) ahead of 8th Street south and 6th Street. 8th Street serves an industrial area east of 12th Street while 6th Street connects the Near North Valley community north of Interstate 40 with Wells Park and downtown to the south. Photos taken 06/29/08. Following in quick succession is the Exit 159A flyover ramp to the Indian School Road intersection with 4th Street at Coronado Park. 4th Street represents the pre-1937 routing of U.S. 66 leading south through downtown and north through Alameda. University Boulevard meanders its way south to the University of New Mexico campus and north to Candelaria Road. Interests to UNM should use Interstate 25 south to Exit 225 however. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 east parts ways with the two-lane Exit 159A for 4th & 2nd Streets. 2nd Street constitutes a four-lane arterial leading north to Los Candelarias and south as a one-way street couplet with 3rd Street to the Albuquerque Convention Center. Exits 159B/C meanwhile prepare to depart for Interstate 25 north to Santa Fe and south to Las Cruces. Photos taken 06/29/08. Interstate 25 provides the main route north to the Sandoval County suburbs and south to the University of New Mexico and the adjacent hospital district, Albuquerque International Airport, and Los Padillas. Photo taken 06/29/08. Interstate 40 expands five lanes again in anticipation of Exits 159B/C, the "Big I". Photo taken 06/29/08. Looking southward from Interstate 40 at the downtown Albuquerque skyline. Photo taken 06/29/08. Exit 159B/C depart Interstate 40 east for Interstate 25. Interstate 25 replaced U.S. 85 wholly from Las Cruces northward to Denver. Within the metropolitan area, the freeway joins downtown with Coralles, Bernalillo, and Rio Rancho. Photo taken 06/29/08. Directional ramps shuttle motorists onto Interstate 25 (Pan American Freeway). The freeway opened completely within New Mexico by 1980.2 Photo taken 06/29/08. Sources: Details of New Mexico State Routes 301-350 (Steve Riner). U.S. and Interstate Highways in New Mexico (Steve Riner). Page Updated September 5, 2008