New Mexico

[Plutonic Panda]

I rather like the overhead structure. It's unique and to me signifies when you've truly entered the west. I could OKC is the crossroads where a western landscape(minus the mountains of course) starts to begin with the grasslands slowly turning into desert the further west you go but whenever I see that New Mexico sign I get excited. Then right to the southwest you can see the huge plateau(the name eludes me).

[kphoger]

I rather like the overhead structure. It's unique and to me signifies when you've truly entered the west.

They're so common in Mexico, that I've never considered their being uncommon here in the US.

Entering:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3pPKseXipzRCyU72A — "Welcome to Coahuila"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/eBe5VsPh9a1XJndX7 — "Welcome / San Luis Potosí / Fascinating for its nature"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SNcLYn1RuJvwYX1N7 — "Welcome to Zacatecas"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QxwoAyG3Ud8NZSyy8 — "Welcome to Tabasco / Happy stay"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/o6qgLEQH3zQShXuh7 — "Welcome to Colima / State government of Colima"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5vV36JixE59iQaBy9 — "Welcome to the state of Oaxaca"

Leaving:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/S3HCvBNkDLu1M2LF8 — "Querétaro wishes you a happy trip"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jQLNyCEoHJBGbTXJ7 — "Happy trip / End Nayarit"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/yKfsUwierQT8xzQeA — "Happy trip / Baja California Sur"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ls9S4G4qPjBBQxecA — "Good trip / Come back soon" (Quintana Roo)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/uciW9cydLUsyS1L8A — "The state of Colima appreciates your visit"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Jwq6TNWYSZ9TcNVY7 — "San Luis Potosí / It has what you like / We want you here"

[Bobby5280]

Those overhead sign structures in Mexico look cheap and utilitarian. The roads look pretty bad too. The overhead Welcome signs on the NM/TX border at I-40 and I-10 are far more decorative and expensive looking.

[Plutonic Panda]

I rather like the overhead structure. It's unique and to me signifies when you've truly entered the west.

They're so common in Mexico, that I've never considered their being uncommon here in the US.

Entering:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3pPKseXipzRCyU72A — "Welcome to Coahuila"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/eBe5VsPh9a1XJndX7 — "Welcome / San Luis Potosí / Fascinating for its nature"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SNcLYn1RuJvwYX1N7 — "Welcome to Zacatecas"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QxwoAyG3Ud8NZSyy8 — "Welcome to Tabasco / Happy stay"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/o6qgLEQH3zQShXuh7 — "Welcome to Colima / State government of Colima"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5vV36JixE59iQaBy9 — "Welcome to the state of Oaxaca"

Leaving:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/S3HCvBNkDLu1M2LF8 — "Querétaro wishes you a happy trip"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jQLNyCEoHJBGbTXJ7 — "Happy trip / End Nayarit"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/yKfsUwierQT8xzQeA — "Happy trip / Baja California Sur"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ls9S4G4qPjBBQxecA — "Good trip / Come back soon" (Quintana Roo)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/uciW9cydLUsyS1L8A — "The state of Colima appreciates your visit"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Jwq6TNWYSZ9TcNVY7 — "San Luis Potosí / It has what you like / We want you here"

I don't know New Mexico that well apart from interstates. I've been on every interstate in NW with the exception of of I-25 between ABQ and Santa Fe(I still haven't been there) but those are some ugly looking signs. I still love the I-40 sign.

[abqtraveler]

I rather like the overhead structure. It's unique and to me signifies when you've truly entered the west. I could OKC is the crossroads where a western landscape(minus the mountains of course) starts to begin with the grasslands slowly turning into desert the further west you go but whenever I see that New Mexico sign I get excited. Then right to the southwest you can see the huge plateau(the name eludes me).

That's the Caprock Escarpment. It defines the northern edge of the Llano Estacado that makes up the landscape most of the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico.

[Plutonic Panda]

I rather like the overhead structure. It's unique and to me signifies when you've truly entered the west. I could OKC is the crossroads where a western landscape(minus the mountains of course) starts to begin with the grasslands slowly turning into desert the further west you go but whenever I see that New Mexico sign I get excited. Then right to the southwest you can see the huge plateau(the name eludes me).

That's the Caprock Escarpment. It defines the northern edge of the Llano Estacado that makes up the landscape most of the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico.

Thank you for the that. There's a rest area when it's open I go in and walk around for about 20 minutes and always read the stuff they have and observe the paintings. I stand and look towards the southwest and feel a wave a bliss.

[Plutonic Panda]

I was surprised to read this. There are discussions about widening I-40 to six lanes each way from ABQ to the AS state line. I personally haven't seen the need for that entire stretch to be six lanes but I wouldn't complain if it were either but at 4.8 billion dollars(if built today) I'd think there are better uses of that money around the state currently.

I-40 from ABQ to Laguna definitely needs a six lane treatment. Some of the western four lane segments just need to be reconstructed(preferably with concrete).

NMDOT recommends spotty six lane widenings where needed and reconstruction otherwise. Amazingly I am here to say I agree with NMDOT. That said some legislators think otherwise.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/new-study-of-i-40-between-arizona-and-albuquerque-details-major-issues/

[JREwing78]

I'm moderately impressed at the 20,000 vpd (vehicles per day) at the Arizona state line, rising to about 30,000 vpd near Laguna, and about 34,000 on the western ABQ outskirts. I-40 apparently is a fairly heavily trafficked route. East of the Mississippi, however, that kind of traffic barely gets on anyone's radar. Michigan has 4 lane freeways running AADTs of 60,000 and 70,000 vpd, for example, with 10,000-15,000 of those commercial trucks.

If I was charged with New Mexico's transportation budget, I would certainly reserve ROW for 6-laning when they need to rebuild (and 8-laning closer to ABQ). If they haven't added a third lane on uphill grades, certainly that's in order. Yes, resolve the ramp length and curve deficiencies as the road is rebuilt. But those traffic levels don't scream a need for 6 lanes.

Some of those folks need a ride down I-94 in southern Michigan to re-calibrate their notion of what heavy traffic looks like.

[abqtraveler]

I-40 from ABQ to Laguna definitely needs a six lane treatment. Some of the western four lane segments just need to be reconstructed(preferably with concrete).

If they decide to pave any stretch of I-40 with concrete, they need to use low-alkali cement, as the failure of the current roadway that was originally paved with concrete and overlaid with asphalt, was largely due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) that shortened the life of the concrete to less than 20 years in some places.

[US 89]

I would like to see a lot of road projects in New Mexico get funded before a six-lane of I-40 from Arizona to Albuquerque. Plenty of rural corridors could do with an upgrade from 2 to 4 lanes - in particular, US 84 and 60 from Santa Rosa to the Texas line immediately comes to mind, as does US 285 from Clines Corners to near Santa Fe.

[Plutonic Panda]

I would like to see a lot of road projects in New Mexico get funded before a six-lane of I-40 from Arizona to Albuquerque. Plenty of rural corridors could do with an upgrade from 2 to 4 lanes - in particular, US 84 and 60 from Santa Rosa to the Texas line immediately comes to mind, as does US 285 from Clines Corners to near Santa Fe.

I can't believe they'd prioritize this over widening I-40 to six lanes from ABQ to Moriarty. I drive I-40 from LA to OKC multiple times a year and while there are some stretches that need it six laned this is one that needs it the most. ABQ to Laguna makes sense as well.

[DJStephens]

I would like to see a lot of road projects in New Mexico get funded before a six-lane of I-40 from Arizona to Albuquerque. Plenty of rural corridors could do with an upgrade from 2 to 4 lanes - in particular, US 84 and 60 from Santa Rosa to the Texas line immediately comes to mind, as does US 285 from Clines Corners to near Santa Fe.

Am of belief a complete six laning of 40 W of Albuquerque environs is simply not necessary.  Some climbing lanes in places - sure.  Just make sure they are built to the Outside and no lane shifting is done.  A tall order here.   
    US - 285 between I-25 and 40 should have been four laned decades ago.  Believe plans were on the books.  As a rural expressway, with access maintained, 60 to 88 foot grassed median.   Suspect NIMBYists (W coast imports) already living in area deep sixed those plans.   
    Frankly don't support any additional four lane jobs, until standards are restored.   A major focus of the Gary Johnson administration was to perform cheap four lane "jobbies" statewide.  Most were of low standards and could have been much better.  Most featured either flush or minimal median separation of opposing lanes of traffic.  Blame Johnson, Pete Rahn, and "practical design" for that.  Scores have died in cross over wrecks that were frankly avoidable if proper design had been employed.  Yes speed, alcohol, and inattention were major factors.  But absolutely no margin of error exists with a flush median.   No more flush medians.    View the most recent one, "NM 404" for the most recent example.   There are center barrier walls in places, mountable curbing in others, but the fact is that the end result will be, and is a poor product.   

[thenetwork]

At least for what I see in Northwest NM, they will spend boku time and money to rebuild and/or widen roads, but never do preventative maintenance on them to keep them in good shape for more than a decade.

About a 5 mile stretch of US-550 north of Azrec has been under construction for nearly 6 months.  They did add some curbing, but overall it has taken them forever to mill and resurface this stretch with little to no other improvements (sign/light/culvertt replacements).

Meanwhile I have seen 10-15 mile stretches of roadway in Colorado and Utah get practically the same improvements in under 2 months this summer.  And slightly shorter stretches of roadway in NM with a quick milling and resurfacing in less than 2 weeks!

They should spend that "widening" money on preservation and upkeep of the roads they already have -- and keep construction activity ACTIVE where you see people working in zones more days than not.

[abqtraveler]

At least for what I see in Northwest NM, they will spend boku time and money to rebuild and/or widen roads, but never do preventative maintenance on them to keep them in good shape for more than a decade.

About a 5 mile stretch of US-550 north of Azrec has been under construction for nearly 6 months.  They did add some curbing, but overall it has taken them forever to mill and resurface this stretch with little to no other improvements (sign/light/culvertt replacements).

Meanwhile I have seen 10-15 mile stretches of roadway in Colorado and Utah get practically the same improvements in under 2 months this summer.  And slightly shorter stretches of roadway in NM with a quick milling and resurfacing in less than 2 weeks!

They should spend that "widening" money on preservation and upkeep of the roads they already have -- and keep construction activity ACTIVE where you see people working in zones more days than not.

While preventative maintenance is important to extend the amount of time between major overhauls of highways and bridges, NMDOT has been notorious in recent years of doing a half-assed job on both.

For starters, there's the reconstruction of US-54 between Carrizozo and Tularosa that took place from 2010 to 2013. In addition to not using that opportunity to widen 54 to 4 lanes, the pavement lasted less than 10 years before it completely failed and had to be reconstructed again.

Here in Albuquerque, they are reconstructing the intersection of Wyoming Blvd and Menaul Blvd. Currently the intersection itself is paved with concrete, but driving through there yesterday, they are paving the reconstructed lanes with asphalt.  So I expect they'll be back out here within 5 to 10 years ripping up the intersection yet again and laying down new pavement because the asphalt will be completely rutted and potholed by then. What really irks me though is they're taking out Victor Circle, which used to offer motorists a "free right" from eastbound Menaul to southbound Wyoming. After the project is finished, traffic will no longer be able to bypass the light to go from eastbound Menaul to southbound Wyoming.

Just more examples of doing things that make no sense.

[jtespi]

I would like to see a lot of road projects in New Mexico get funded before a six-lane of I-40 from Arizona to Albuquerque. Plenty of rural corridors could do with an upgrade from 2 to 4 lanes - in particular, US 84 and 60 from Santa Rosa to the Texas line immediately comes to mind, as does US 285 from Clines Corners to near Santa Fe.

I-40 gets a lot more traffic than I-10 does, so I would support making it 6 lanes all the way from the Arizona state line to Albuquerque. Remember that many semi trucks are obsessed with efficiency and won't be considerate to move their cruise control 2-3 MPH higher. They'll take 5 minutes to complete a slow truck pass. During that time, passenger cars get stacked up behind them and some people might start driving aggressively.

I believe if the Interstate Highway System were built today with the amount of truck traffic we have, all divisible by 10 cross-country Interstates would be 6 lanes minimum in most places.

Yup, not sure why US-285 wasn't made a divided highway between Santa Fe (I-25) and Clines Corners (I-40). It makes all the WIPP traffic take a 1+ hour detour through Albuquerque that has a 3000 ft elevation change (La Bajada hill plus crossing the East Mountains).

US-285 is also getting really rough north of Roswell. When I drove through there I had to camp out in the left lane when there was no traffic. Staying in the right lane would mean that I would shake to bits with all the poorly patched potholes. It's like that too on I-40 between Clines Corners and Tucumcari.

[DJStephens]

I would like to see a lot of road projects in New Mexico get funded before a six-lane of I-40 from Arizona to Albuquerque. Plenty of rural corridors could do with an upgrade from 2 to 4 lanes - in particular, US 84 and 60 from Santa Rosa to the Texas line immediately comes to mind, as does US 285 from Clines Corners to near Santa Fe.

I-40 gets a lot more traffic than I-10 does, so I would support making it 6 lanes all the way from the Arizona state line to Albuquerque. Remember that many semi trucks are obsessed with efficiency and won't be considerate to move their cruise control 2-3 MPH higher. They'll take 5 minutes to complete a slow truck pass. During that time, passenger cars get stacked up behind them and some people might start driving aggressively.

I believe if the Interstate Highway System were built today with the amount of truck traffic we have, all divisible by 10 cross-country Interstates would be 6 lanes minimum in most places.

Yup, not sure why US-285 wasn't made a divided highway between Santa Fe (I-25) and Clines Corners (I-40). It makes all the WIPP traffic take a 1+ hour detour through Albuquerque that has a 3000 ft elevation change (La Bajada hill plus crossing the East Mountains).

US-285 is also getting really rough north of Roswell. When I drove through there I had to camp out in the left lane when there was no traffic. Staying in the right lane would mean that I would shake to bits with all the poorly patched potholes. It's like that too on I-40 between Clines Corners and Tucumcari.

40 doesn't need to be widened in all places.  A complete reconstruction, with climbling lanes to the OUTSIDE in certain locales is what's needed.   Far better, to open median up to standard rural 88 feet, in places where that is not the case, and where is fairly reasonable and easy to do so.   
US - 285 is not four lanes S of Lamy due to leftists and NIMBY's (likely W coast transplants) who already had moved into that area by the late seventies.   It should have been reconstructed as a rural expressway, with dual carriageways with a 60 foot median in the late seventies.  The collapse of common sense, during the Anaya administration meant projects such as 285 dualization were never done.   

[Bobby5280]

How much do New Mexico taxpayers shell out to subsidize movie and TV production there? What is the total amount? The state offers a 25% subsidy for production costs and in some cases that goes up to 40%. A decent number of movies and TV shows are shot there, but I can't tell if the activity is making any positive difference with the state-wide economy. Some reports say the state is losing money with the subsidy program. I suppose the TV and movie productions help Santa Fe grow ever more douchey. Other towns elsewhere in the state stay the same.

Movie and TV productions do help elevate the visibility of New Mexico to the rest of the nation. But if the roads and other infrastructure is crappy and public schools are poorly funded then only very select locations in the state will be attractive to new businesses and residents wanting to re-locate. The population of Artesia, my home town, has been stagnant for decades. The town is so far apart from the world of Santa Fe that it feels more akin to Midland-Odessa or other parts of the West Texas oil patch (long ago that land was indeed part of Texas).

[jtespi]

40 doesn't need to be widened in all places.  A complete reconstruction, with climbling lanes to the OUTSIDE in certain locales is what's needed.  Far better, to open median up to standard rural 88 feet, in places where that is not the case, and where is fairly reasonable and easy to do so. 
US - 285 is not four lanes S of Lamy due to leftists and NIMBY's (likely W coast transplants) who already had moved into that area by the late seventies.  It should have been reconstructed as a rural expressway, with dual carriageways with a 60 foot median in the late seventies.  The collapse of common sense, during the Anaya administration meant projects such as 285 dualization were never done. 

Definitely the state needs to add more climbing lanes, the saddest and most useless one is I-10 west of the Rio Grande in Las Cruces. It's way too short and almost useless. For big trucks, the climbing lanes need to at least be 1 mile if not 2 or more miles.

Regarding US-285 south of Lamy, back in the '70s I would say the traffic counts might not have supported making it a rural expressway. When did NMDOT make 285 a divided highway south of Clines Corners? Wasn't the freeway upgrade of US-84/285 between Santa Fe and Pojoaque done in the late '90s/early 2000s for WIPP traffic from Los Alamos?

Absent of making US-54 a divided highway, they should have made the passing lanes north of Carrizozo longer. At least 2 miles long. Most are a useless 1/2 mile or less.

[Plutonic Panda]

In a world of unlimited money, I would love for I-40 to be three lanes each way all the way through the state. But at this point I just wish they would repave most of it. They have a repaving job going on near to Tucumcari And it was an inactive construction site on a saturday afternoon, and they had a backup that went on for miles heading westbound.

[Scott5114]

In a world of unlimited money, I would love for I-40 to be three lanes each way all the way through the state. But at this point I just wish they would repave most of it. They have a repaving job going on near to Tucumcari And it was an inactive construction site on a saturday afternoon, and they had a backup that went on for miles heading westbound.

We lost a TV and a computer monitor to that section of I-40 when we were moving. The potholes in that area are killer, especially at night when it's harder to see them.

[DJStephens]

In a world of unlimited money, I would love for I-40 to be three lanes each way all the way through the state. But at this point I just wish they would repave most of it. They have a repaving job going on near to Tucumcari And it was an inactive construction site on a saturday afternoon, and they had a backup that went on for miles heading westbound.

"mill and fill" is a cottage industry here.  A quickie job, where the top few inches are diamond milled off, trucked to a remote portable asphalt mill, some is used in the replacement mix, then replacement asphalt is laid down.  If one gets a decade out of the surface, they are doing well.  Rinse and repeat.  Over and over, numerous cycles, since the original concrete pavements in many areas broke down prematurely.  In many cases, a full depth "reconstruction" is what's required.  Meaning milling out all of the asphalt, rubblizing and removing any original concrete, along with recycling old reinforcement.  Then replacing the subgrade, much of which was laid down too quickly "back in the day" without adequate compaction or density testing.   Then placing basecourse, and finally several layers of asphalt.   Per lane mile, the costs add up.   

[Plutonic Panda]

NMDOT needs to get their shit together.

[Plutonic Panda]

Oh, man, oh man.... did I mention that NMDOT needs to get their shit together? They had a lane of I 40 closed With no construction workers and nothing going on at five p m. That was heading westbound on I 40 near tucumcari. It caused about a five mile back up. Fortunately, I was heading eastbound. But that is ridiculous. New mexico really just doesn't give a fuck.

I don't think they're adding a lane. It's just either a repaying or a mill and grade.

[Rothman]

Oh, man, oh man.... did I mention that NMDOT needs to get their shit together? They had a lane of I 40 closed With no construction workers and nothing going on at five p m. That was heading westbound on I 40 near tucumcari. It caused about a five mile back up. Fortunately, I was heading eastbound. But that is ridiculous. New mexico really just doesn't give a fuck.

There are various legit reasons for a work zone to be empty...

[Plutonic Panda]

Oh, man, oh man.... did I mention that NMDOT needs to get their shit together? They had a lane of I 40 closed With no construction workers and nothing going on at five p m. That was heading westbound on I 40 near tucumcari. It caused about a five mile back up. Fortunately, I was heading eastbound. But that is ridiculous. New mexico really just doesn't give a fuck.

There are various legit reasons for a work zone to be empty...

Yeah, alright. I just don't buy that in the middle of a rural desert they couldn't find a way to prevent a 5+ mile backup for a simple repave.