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[abqtraveler]

It looks like your prediction came true. KRQE News just reported today that the MLK offramp from NB I-25 will be closed by early August. The auxiliary (exit only) lane to the Lomas exit will then be extended south to just north of the Lead Ave overpass (the NB bridge doesn't support more than 3 lanes).

That'll be a huge improvement to I-25 in that area. the onramp from Lead/Coal is already very short and the offramp to MLK even shorter. I've seen a lot of crashes happen in that spot, and even when there's not a crash, traffic always rubbernecks through the Lead/Coal/MLK area because of all the weaving that happens with the closely-spaced ramps.

[DJStephens]

There's a lot of things that NMDOT could do to improve its highways, from a safety perspective. For a state that ranks near the top for fatal highway crashes (per capita), it blows my mind that NMDOT can't even pursue simple, low-cost solutions such as cable barriers along its freeways and 4-lane highways to reduce the number of fatal head-on collisions.

There have been cable barriers installed in a FEW places.  I-10 and I-25, in the las Cruces area, both feature a very narrow median, that was just gravel for decades, have had alternating single cable barriers installed.   Both the 10 and 25 ROW's have plenty of room on the outside of the mainlines, have no idea why they didn't build the las Cruces interstates in the first place with more mainline separation.   There is close to a 300' to '350 wide ROW for 25 N-S through the city, it could have been reconstructed, in stages, with a wider median and greater horizontal clearances as the original interchanges were rebuilt.  Along with conversion to ONE way frontage.   Nope - foresight, planning, what's that??   
A double cable barrier was retroactively installed on the four lane "quasi" semi-expressway US 70 segment E of 25 in more recent times.  Have to wonder, wouldn't it been about the same expense, to go with the double faced CBR in the median, instead of a fragile single or double cable barrier??  Both the 25 and US 70 cable barriers have had numerous hits, and likely full conversion to concrete double faced CBR should have been pursued, instead of constant maintenance of the cable barriers.   Regardless, if the cable barriers have at least saved one life, am in support of them.   

[Bobby5280]

Yeah, New Mexico needs to add cable barriers to more of its divided highways. It's not like there is a lot of them state-wide. Cable barriers may be an optional or discretional feature for Interstate highways divided by large medians. For divided highways where the median is narrow the cable barriers are far more beneficial. Here in Oklahoma ODOT is adding cable barriers along more miles of divided US and state highways, not just Interstates. Part of OK-7 between Lawton and Duncan has cable barriers in the median.

I personally would like to see cable barriers added to the US-64/87 highway from Texline to Raton. That four lane highway is a better than nothing upgrade from the prior 2 lane version. The previous 2-lane version of the road was very frustrating to drive, especially in daylight hours when slow pokes (often in RVs) would cause big traffic back-ups. The 4-lane version could have been built better. Aside from the road quality the median is pretty narrow most of the way. There isn't much terrain at all for a vehicle out of control to cross into opposing lanes of traffic.

[abqtraveler]

Yeah, New Mexico needs to add cable barriers to more of its divided highways. It's not like there is a lot of them state-wide. Cable barriers may be an optional or discretional feature for Interstate highways divided by large medians. For divided highways where the median is narrow the cable barriers are far more beneficial. Here in Oklahoma ODOT is adding cable barriers along more miles of divided US and state highways, not just Interstates. Part of OK-7 between Lawton and Duncan has cable barriers in the median.

I personally would like to see cable barriers added to the US-64/87 highway from Texline to Raton. That four lane highway is a better than nothing upgrade from the prior 2 lane version. The previous 2-lane version of the road was very frustrating to drive, especially in daylight hours when slow pokes (often in RVs) would cause big traffic back-ups. The 4-lane version could have been built better. Aside from the road quality the median is pretty narrow most of the way. There isn't much terrain at all for a vehicle out of control to cross into opposing lanes of traffic.

US Highway 550 comes to mind as a prime candidate for cable barriers, as it has been the scene of many gruesome crashes, particularly from Cuba to Bloomfield. A lot of those crashes were the fatal crossover type and involved drunk drivers. They made a huge mistake when they 4-laned 550 as they simply widened the pavement to accommodate 4 lanes, with no physical median, save for a pair of rumble strips down the center of the roadway.

Unfortunately, NMDOT has no plans in either the upcoming letting schedule or in the 3-year STIP to add more cable barriers to any of its highways. It appears that the only projects NMDOT has on the drawing board are mostly preservation of the existing highway system, with a few targeted capital improvements, such as widening US-285 from Carlsbad to Texas and improvements to other roads in the Oil Patch.

Even two major projects slated for I-25 in Albuquerque: the rebuild of the interchange at Gibson Boulevard and Montgomery Boulevard continue to slip to the right due to the lack of funding and growing costs for both. 

All of this of course in a state that constantly has more road improvement needs than there's money to go around. New Mexico is one of those states that doesn't borrow money to fund highway projects, so it relies solely on their allotment of federal funds and whatever it takes in from the state's fuel tax of 17 cents, which is among the lowest in the country. The New Mexico Legislature has had no appetite for raising the fuel tax, or indexing it to the price of gas. 

[jtespi]

The latest Google Street View Imagery from November 2022 shows the final completed auxiliary lane from the Lead Ave onramp to the Lomas Blvd offramp on I-25 northbound. The work starts at the north end of the Central Ave bridge and goes 200 m (655 ft) north to the sign bridge just south of the Dr. MLK Jr Ave bridge.

It came out not too bad except for the super tiny sign with squished text seen at the Lead Ave onramp (Street View link).

[abqtraveler]

The latest Google Street View Imagery from November 2022 shows the final completed auxiliary lane from the Lead Ave onramp to the Lomas Blvd offramp on I-25 northbound. The work starts at the north end of the Central Ave bridge and goes 200 m (655 ft) north to the sign bridge just south of the Dr. MLK Jr Ave bridge.

It came out not too bad except for the super tiny sign with squished text seen at the Lead Ave onramp (Street View link).

They did a nice job of eliminating the MLK offramp and extending the auxiliary lane from Lead/Coal to Lomas, and traffic seems to flow a lot more smoothly through that area. The New Mexico Legislature is in session right now, and with the state's coffers currently flush with cash, it'll be interesting to see what projects to fix I-25 through Albuquerque will get funded this year.  I doubt a straightening of the dreaded S-curve between Lead/Coal and Caesar Chavez will get funded, but I'm hoping the state can use some of this year's windfall to get shovels in the ground on the I-25/Montgomery interchange or the interchange at Gibson.

On a separate note, I flew out of the Sunport last week, and the extension of Sunport Boulevard from I-25 to Broadway is taking shape. The roadbed is pretty much graded, and it looked like they were setting the concrete beams for a bridge that will carry Sunport Boulevard over Edmond Street and the South Diversion Channel.

[DJStephens]

The latest Google Street View Imagery from November 2022 shows the final completed auxiliary lane from the Lead Ave onramp to the Lomas Blvd offramp on I-25 northbound. The work starts at the north end of the Central Ave bridge and goes 200 m (655 ft) north to the sign bridge just south of the Dr. MLK Jr Ave bridge.

It came out not too bad except for the super tiny sign with squished text seen at the Lead Ave onramp (Street View link).

They did a nice job of eliminating the MLK offramp and extending the auxiliary lane from Lead/Coal to Lomas, and traffic seems to flow a lot more smoothly through that area. The New Mexico Legislature is in session right now, and with the state's coffers currently flush with cash, it'll be interesting to see what projects to fix I-25 through Albuquerque will get funded this year.  I doubt a straightening of the dreaded S-curve between Lead/Coal and Caesar Chavez will get funded, but I'm hoping the state can use some of this year's windfall to get shovels in the ground on the I-25/Montgomery interchange or the interchange at Gibson.

   Nice job?  Hardly.  Am guessing? they eliminated the Left shoulder and shrunk the "lanes" down to 11 foot width.  The ancient original raised asphalt shoulder is visible on the right.    Typical cost-cutting or "value engineering".  Does the FHWA simply wave away the elimination of shoulders now?  On an Interstate?  Yes it's been done before, in Austin, and also El Paso.  And it's not a good trend.   
    This entire stretch of 25, S of Indian School, to S of Gibson, should have been done at roughly the same time as the "big I" project.  It has been over 20 YEARS since that was completed.   Depressed, straightened, and main lanes decked over in the Central/Lead/Coal environs.  A perfect response to the "greenie" and progressive element.  10 lane cross section, at the bottom of the trench. 
   They did spend probably $15 to $20 million (circa '01) to "hump" 25 over Lomas to connect the Big I project to the ancient fifties raised alignment in front of Presbyterian Hospital.  That's known as a "throwaway" element.   Locking in of obsolescence is a better theme. 
   Personally worked on the Presbyterian Hospital expansion roughly twenty years ago. McCarthy was the General contractor, a feature of the project was the arched balcony visible in the google street view.   

[abqtraveler]

The latest Google Street View Imagery from November 2022 shows the final completed auxiliary lane from the Lead Ave onramp to the Lomas Blvd offramp on I-25 northbound. The work starts at the north end of the Central Ave bridge and goes 200 m (655 ft) north to the sign bridge just south of the Dr. MLK Jr Ave bridge.

It came out not too bad except for the super tiny sign with squished text seen at the Lead Ave onramp (Street View link).

They did a nice job of eliminating the MLK offramp and extending the auxiliary lane from Lead/Coal to Lomas, and traffic seems to flow a lot more smoothly through that area. The New Mexico Legislature is in session right now, and with the state's coffers currently flush with cash, it'll be interesting to see what projects to fix I-25 through Albuquerque will get funded this year.  I doubt a straightening of the dreaded S-curve between Lead/Coal and Caesar Chavez will get funded, but I'm hoping the state can use some of this year's windfall to get shovels in the ground on the I-25/Montgomery interchange or the interchange at Gibson.

   Nice job?  Hardly.  Am guessing? they eliminated the Left shoulder and shrunk the "lanes" down to 11 foot width.  The ancient original raised asphalt shoulder is visible on the right.    Typical cost-cutting or "value engineering".  Does the FHWA simply wave away the elimination of shoulders now?  On an Interstate?  Yes it's been done before, in Austin, and also El Paso.  And it's not a good trend.   
    This entire stretch of 25, S of Indian School, to S of Gibson, should have been done at roughly the same time as the "big I" project.  It has been over 20 YEARS since that was completed.   Depressed, straightened, and main lanes decked over in the Central/Lead/Coal environs.  A perfect response to the "greenie" and progressive element.  10 lane cross section, at the bottom of the trench. 
   They did spend probably $15 to $20 million (circa '01) to "hump" 25 over Lomas to connect the Big I project to the ancient fifties raised alignment in front of Presbyterian Hospital.  That's known as a "throwaway" element.   Locking in of obsolescence is a better theme. 
   Personally worked on the Presbyterian Hospital expansion roughly twenty years ago. McCarthy was the General contractor, a feature of the project was the arched balcony visible in the google street view.   

Given that they did eliminate the MLK offramp and extended the auxiliary lane to Lomas on a shoestring budget (around $3 million was the awarded amount for the contract), it came out pretty well IMHO. Another element that is less talked about, but needless to say a major improvement, is the Oak Street frontage road will now be two lanes all the way through from Lead/Coal north to Lomas, instead of necking down to one lane where the old MLK offramp merged in.

[DJStephens]

All valid points, thanks for posting.  Still can't wrap head around - $500 to $600 million for a "pet train", $200 to $250 million for a "fantasy spaceport" and $100 to $150 million to destroy Central Avenue.   To benefit a handful of elites, celebrities, and the rich.  Simply can't understand it.   While failing to properly fix and modernize EXISTING highways. 

[abqtraveler]

All valid points, thanks for posting.  Still can't wrap head around - $500 to $600 million for a "pet train", $200 to $250 million for a "fantasy spaceport" and $100 to $150 million to destroy Central Avenue.   To benefit a handful of elites, celebrities, and the rich.  Simply can't understand it.   While failing to properly fix and modernize EXISTING highways.

That's what happens in a state whose government ranks near the top of the list for the most corrupt in the country.

[US 89]

All valid points, thanks for posting.  Still can't wrap head around - $500 to $600 million for a "pet train", $200 to $250 million for a "fantasy spaceport" and $100 to $150 million to destroy Central Avenue.   To benefit a handful of elites, celebrities, and the rich.  Simply can't understand it.   While failing to properly fix and modernize EXISTING highways.

That's what happens in a state whose government ranks near the top of the list for the most corrupt in the country.

I don't think there's another state whose capital and state government is so insulated and ignorant of the realities in 90% of the rest of the state, at least to the extent you see in NM.

[abqtraveler]

All valid points, thanks for posting.  Still can't wrap head around - $500 to $600 million for a "pet train", $200 to $250 million for a "fantasy spaceport" and $100 to $150 million to destroy Central Avenue.   To benefit a handful of elites, celebrities, and the rich.  Simply can't understand it.   While failing to properly fix and modernize EXISTING highways.

That's what happens in a state whose government ranks near the top of the list for the most corrupt in the country.

I don't think there's another state whose capital and state government is so insulated and ignorant of the realities in 90% of the rest of the state, at least to the extent you see in NM.

And they keep getting re-elected by keeping the population dumb and ignorant.

[Bobby5280]

I was born in New Mexico (both of my parents were as well). But the way it sounds I'm glad my Dad joined the Marines and got us out of there.

[abqtraveler]

I was born in New Mexico (both of my parents were as well). But the way it sounds I'm glad my Dad joined the Marines and got us out of there.

You somehow managed to escape the Land of Entrapment! Good on you!

[Rothman]

I've got old friends in New Mexico.  They like it.

[Bobby5280]

I guess it depends on where in New Mexico one chooses to live for it to be likeable. Anyone visiting the Southeast part of New Mexico might assume the state flower was the oil pump jack.

[Rothman]

I guess it depends on where in New Mexico one chooses to live for it to be likeable. Anyone visiting the Southeast part of New Mexico might assume the state flower was the oil pump jack.

My parents lived in Las Cruces for a while.  They liked it.

[Bobby5280]

At least Las Cruces is in a decent location, not far at all from El Paso. The mountain range East of Las Cruces is pretty scenic looking. Las Cruces is the only NM city besides Albuquerque with 2 Interstate routes. Las Cruces has also been growing; it's now the 2nd largest city in the state. Overpriced Santa Fe has fallen to 4th place.

[Rothman]

At least Las Cruces is in a decent location, not far at all from El Paso. The mountain range East of Las Cruces is pretty scenic looking. Las Cruces is the only NM city besides Albuquerque with 2 Interstate routes. Las Cruces has also been growing; it's now the 2nd largest city in the state. Overpriced Santa Fe has fallen to 4th place.

Have you been to Las Cruces?

[Bobby5280]

Yes, I've been to Las Cruces quite a few times, just not recently. Las Cruces does seem like a nicer and more connected place to live than some other towns in New Mexico.

I have relatives in the Roswell, Artesia and Carlsbad areas. Those places aren't as desirable a place to live as Las Cruces. Generally there is a lot of zones across New Mexico that are really pretty trashy. I hate to say that about the state where I was born, but the truth hurts sometimes.

[triplemultiplex]

Southeastern New Mexico is the absolute worst.  The whole region smells like toxic chemicals from all the oil wells. I'm surprised the people haven't mutated into some kind of "Hills Have Eyes" type of creatures.  Felt like I was going to get cancer just by driving around for a week.

All the roads are shit from being pounded by heavy oil industry equipment.  Trash alongside every road everywhere.  The actual towns are unremarkable copy/pastes of each other, and you can tell NO ONE would live there if there wasn't any oil.

I just know that Roswell alien thing is bullcrap because there's no way intelligent life would purposefully pick that part of New Mexico, even if they were crashing.
"Captain Bleep-Blorp, the fulerron drive has failed! We're going down!  Need to find a safe place to set down!!"
"Hey let's go for that desolate, barely habitable region with all the stinking oil wells and racist-ass redneck kooks."
"Brilliant decision, sir."

I have a couple of cringy anecdotes from my extended time in rural New Mexico related that 'racist-ass redneck kooks' part of that vignette. But this post is getting kind of long as it is.  Instead I'll try and bring it back a little by saying there were plenty of places in New Mexico I liked and had a great time at.  But none of those places were east or south of Roswell.

[brad2971]

Southeastern New Mexico is the absolute worst.  The whole region smells like toxic chemicals from all the oil wells. I'm surprised the people haven't mutated into some kind of "Hills Have Eyes" type of creatures.  Felt like I was going to get cancer just by driving around for a week.

All the roads are shit from being pounded by heavy oil industry equipment.  Trash alongside every road everywhere.  The actual towns are unremarkable copy/pastes of each other, and you can tell NO ONE would live there if there wasn't any oil.

I just know that Roswell alien thing is bullcrap because there's no way intelligent life would purposefully pick that part of New Mexico, even if they were crashing.
"Captain Bleep-Blorp, the fulerron drive has failed! We're going down!  Need to find a safe place to set down!!"
"Hey let's go for that desolate, barely habitable region with all the stinking oil wells and racist-ass redneck kooks."
"Brilliant decision, sir."

I have a couple of cringy anecdotes from my extended time in rural New Mexico related that 'racist-ass redneck kooks' part of that vignette. But this post is getting kind of long as it is.  Instead I'll try and bring it back a little by saying there were plenty of places in New Mexico I liked and had a great time at.  But none of those places were east or south of Roswell.

Now, that's no way to talk about a place (NM's end of the Permian Basin) that is helping New Mexico become a much wealthier state than what it's been in the recent past. BTW, that part of New Mexico can also do clean energy: At Eunice, near the TX border, lies the USA's only uranium enrichment facility.

[Bobby5280]

The downtown portion of Artesia looks pretty decent. And a decent amount of funding has gone into their high school and football field. That's thanks in part to the tremendous amount of oil money certain local families have. Outside of the downtown area: Artesia looks like ass.

Southeastern New Mexico is the absolute worst.  The whole region smells like toxic chemicals from all the oil wells. I'm surprised the people haven't mutated into some kind of "Hills Have Eyes" type of creatures.  Felt like I was going to get cancer just by driving around for a week.

The scent of natural gas, diesel and other chemicals can be pretty strong around that area. There is a lot of poverty there too. Visit any number of homes and at least some will smell like cat pee.

I do like the mountains off to the West near Alamogordo. Towns like Cloudcroft and Ruidoso can be nice to visit.

[triplemultiplex]

Funny you should mention the football fields; I noticed that to.  Clearly that's everyone's one form of escape living in The Basin judging by how many resources they put into high school football fields.
Ruidoso was totally chill.  The Sacramento Mountains stand in sharp contrast to the wastelands further east.
I liked Silver City, as another example of good rural NM.  Nice little gateway to the Gila Mountains.  Did some good hiking, even tried to fish.

Spent the most time in ABQ and Santa Fe, though.  And I definitely had fun in those two cities.
The one area of NM I never made it to is basically everything due north of Santa Fe, so like Taos and stuff.  Like the "best" part, in most people's minds.  East of US 550, west of I-25, and north of Santa Fe; that's the part I didn't see.

[Bobby5280]

Considering there is a lot of movie and TV production in New Mexico, I think if George Miller was to make another Mad Max sequel and had to shoot some of it in the US he could do well shooting parts in SE NM. Parts of the area pass for having a post-apocalyptic look! No extra production design needed!