Interstate 25 in New Mexico

Interstate 25/U.S. Route 85
Route information
Maintained by NMDOT
Length:	462.12 mi[1] (743.72 km)
Existed:	1957[2] – present
Major junctions
South end:	I-10 / US 85 / US 180 in Las Cruces
	US 70 in Las Cruces US 380 near San Antonio US 60 from Socorro to Bosque I-40 in Albuquerque US 550 in Bernalillo US 84 / US 285 in Santa Fe US 84 in Las Vegas US 64 / US 87 in Raton
North end:	I-25 / US 85 / US 87 near Raton
Location
Counties:	Doña Ana, Sierra, Socorro, Valencia, Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, San Miguel, Mora, Colfax
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business State Roads in New Mexico Interstate US State Minor Scenic ← NM 24 NM 26 → ← NM 83 US 85 NM 88 →

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

Interstate 25 begins at Interstate 10's exit 144 in Las Cruces (elevation 4,000 feet (1,200 m)),^[3] just south of the New Mexico State University campus. I-25 is concurrent with U.S. Route 85 at this point, and carries the US 85 concurrency for the remainder of its run in New Mexico. Immediately, the Interstate passes east of the New Mexico State 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 U.S. Route 70.^[4] Upon exiting the city the speed limit increases by ten miles per hour to 75 mph. 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 U.S. Route 380 and a concurrency with U.S. Route 60.^[8] State Road 6, the original U.S. Route 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]

The speed limit on I-25 in Albuquerque is 65 mph (105 km/h), except for one 1.5 mile 55 mph (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 Interstate 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. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are in the background.

Leaving Albuquerque, the 75 mph (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] 11 mi (18 km) southwest of Santa Fe it climbs out of the Rio Grande Valley at a steep hill called La Bajada.^[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 long in New Mexico.^[1]

Exit list

County	Location	mi[21]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Doña Ana	Las Cruces	0.00	0.00		I-10 / US 180 east / US 85 south – El Paso	Southern terminus of I-25; southern end of US 85 concurrency; I-10 exit 144
				—	I-10 / US 180 west – Deming, Phoenix	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-10 exit 144
				1	University Avenue	Access to New Mexico State University
				3	Lohman Avenue
		7.4	11.9	6	US 70 / Del Rey Boulevard – Las Cruces, Alamogordo, White Sands National Monument, White Sands Missile Range
		11.12	17.90	9	NM 320 – Doña Ana
	Radium Springs	20.32	32.70	19	NM 157 – Radium Springs	Leasburg Dam State Park, Ft. Selden State Monument
	​	34.22	55.07	32	Upham
	Rincon	36.82	59.26	35	NM 140 west – Rincon
	Hatch	42.659	68.653	41	NM 26 west – Hatch, Deming, Lordsburg
Sierra	Garfield	52.03	83.73	51	NM 546 – Garfield, Salem
	Caballo Lake	60.89	97.99	59	NM 187 – Caballo, Percha State Parks
	Caballo	65.175	104.889	63	NM 152 – Hillsboro, Silver City
	​	72.89	117.31	71	Las Palomas
	Williamsburg	76.389	122.936	75	I-25 Bus. north – Truth or Consequences, Williamsburg
	Truth or Consequences	80.577	129.676	79	I-25 Bus. south – Truth or Consequences
		85.2	137.1	83	NM 195 (NM 181) – City of Elephant Butte, Elephant Butte Lake State Park
	​	90.141	145.068	89	NM 181 to NM 52 – Cuchillo, Monticello
	​	92.831	149.397	92	NM 1 – Mitchell Point	Elephant Butte Lake State Park
	​	100.82	162.25	100	NM 1 – Red Rock
Socorro	​	116.572	187.604	115	NM 107 – Magdalena, Camino Real International Heritage Center
	​	125.881	202.586	124	San Marcial, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
	San Antonio	140.61	226.29	139	US 380 east – San Antonio, Carrizozo, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
	Socorro	149.225	240.154	147	I-25 Bus. north to US 60 west – Socorro, Magdalena
		151.728	244.183	150	I-25 Bus. south / US 60 west – Socorro, Magdalena	South end of US 60 overlap
	Escondido	153.62	247.23	152	Escondida
	Lemitar	157.52	253.50	156	NM 408 – Lemitar
	​	164.32	264.45	163	San Acacia
	La Joya	171.32	275.71	169	Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
	​	176.566	284.155	175	US 60 east (NM 116) – Bernardo, Mountainair	North end of US 60 overlap
Valencia	Belen	191.35	307.95	190	I-25 Bus. north – Belen, South Belen
		193.435	311.303	191	Camino del Llano
	​	197.56	317.94	195	I-25 Bus. south – Belen
	Los Lunas	205.376	330.521	203	NM 6 – Los Lunas
Bernalillo	​			209	CR 317 to NM 45 (Coors Blvd) – Isleta Pueblo	To NM 314 (Isleta Blvd)
	​	213.394	343.424	213	NM 314 (Isleta Boulevard)
	Albuquerque	217.18	349.52	215	NM 47 (Broadway) – Bosque Farms, Peralta
		221.768	356.901	220	NM 500 (Rio Bravo Boulevard)
				221	Sunport Boulevard – Albuquerque International Sunport
				222	Gibson Boulevard – Albuquerque International Sunport, Kirtland AFB	Signed as exits 222A (east) and 222B (west) southbound
				223	Avenida Cesar Chavez
				224A	Central Avenue, Lead Avenue, Coal Avenue	Northbound access via Oak Street, southbound via Locust Street
				224B	Central Avenue, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue (MLK Avenue)	Northbound access via Oak Street, southbound via Locust Street
				225	Candelaria Road, Lomas Boulevard, Menaul Boulevard
		227.225	365.683	226A-B	I-40 (Coronado Freeway) – Santa Rosa, Gallup	Signed as exits 226A (east) and 226B (west); I-40 exits 159B-C
				227	Comanche Road, Griegos Road, Candelaria Road, Menaul Boulevard
				228	Montgomery Boulevard, Montaño Road	Montaño Road is west of I-25, Montgomery Blvd. is east of I-25.
				229	Jefferson Street
				230	San Mateo Boulevard, Osuna Road
				231	San Antonio Avenue, Ellison Road, Osuna Road
				232	NM 423 (Paseo del Norte)
				233	NM 528 (Alameda Boulevard)
	Sandia Pueblo Nation			234	NM 556 (Roy Avenue, Tramway Road)
Sandoval	Bernalillo			240	NM 473 (Avenida Bernalillo)
		243.533	391.928	242	US 550 north / NM 165 east – Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Placitas, Farmington	Formerly New Mexico State Highway 44
	​	249.258	401.142	248	NM 315 / Historic US 66 – Algodones
	​	253.736	408.349	252	San Felipe Pueblo
	​	258.916	416.685	257	Budaghers
	​			259	NM 22 – Santo Domingo Pueblo
Santa Fe	​	266.21	428.42	264	NM 16 – Cochiti Pueblo
	​	268.73	432.48	267	Waldo Canyon Road
	La Cienega	273.13	439.56	271	CR 50F – La Cienega
	​	277.07	445.90	276	NM 14 south / NM 599 north (Santa Fe Relief Route) – Madrid
	Santa Fe	278.91	448.86	278	NM 14 (Cerrillos Road)	Signed as exits 278A (south) and 278B (north) southbound
				282	US 84 north / US 285 north (St. Francis Drive) / Frontage Road – Santa Fe Plaza, Española, Los Alamos, Taos	South end of US 84/US 285 overlap; signed as exits 282A (Frontage Road) and 282B (US 84/US 285) southbound
				284	NM 466 (Old Pecos Trail)
	​	291.773	469.563	290	US 285 south (NM 300) – Clines Corners	North end of US 285 overlap
	​	295.596	475.716	294	Canoncito at Apache Canyon
	​	298.47	480.34	297	Valencia
	​	300.4	483.4	299	NM 50 – Glorieta, Pecos
San Miguel	​	309.1	497.4	307	NM 63 – Pecos, Rowe, Pecos National Historic Park
	Sands	321.72	517.76	319	San Jose, San Juan
	​	324.59	522.38	323	NM 3 south – Villanueva
	​	331.52	533.53	330	Bernal
	​	336.62	541.74	335	Tecolote
	​	341.321	549.303	339	US 84 south – Romeroville, Santa Rosa	North end of US 84 overlap
	Las Vegas	345.339	555.769	343	I-25 Bus. north to NM 283 / NM 329 – Las Vegas
				345	NM 104 (University Avenue) to I-25 Bus. / NM 65, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
		349.595	562.619	347	To I-25 Bus. south / NM 250 / NM 65 / NM 518 – Taos, Las Vegas
	​	353.53	568.95	352	Las Vegas Municipal Airport
	​	357.73	575.71	356	Onava
	​	362.93	584.08	361	Warren Ranch Road
Mora	Watrous	365.64	588.44	364	NM 446 north / NM 161 to NM 97 – Watrous, Valmora
		368.43	592.93	366	NM 161 to NM 97 – Watrous, Valmora, Fort Union National Monument
	Wagon Mound	389.496	626.833	387	NM 120 – Wagon Mound
	​	394.89	635.51	393	Levy
Colfax	​	406.19	653.70	404	NM 569 – Colmor
	Springer	413.69	665.77	412	To US 56 / US 412 / NM 21 / NM 468 (I-25 Bus. north) – Springer, Clayton
		416.26	669.91	414	To US 56 / US 412 / NM 21 / NM 468 (I-25 Bus. south) – Springer
	​	420.43	676.62	419	NM 58 west – Cimarron
	Maxwell	427.611	688.173	426	NM 505 to NM 445 – Maxwell, Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge
	​	436.76	702.90	435	Tinaja
	​	448.423	721.667	446	US 64 west – Taos	South end of US 64 overlap
	Raton	451.675	726.900	450	I-25 Bus. north (US 64 east) – Raton	North end of US 64 overlap
		453.19	729.34	451	US 87 east / US 64 – Raton, Clayton, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Amarillo	South end of US 87 overlap
		454.29	731.11	452	NM 72 east – Folsom
		456.213	734.204	454	I-25 Bus. south – Raton
New Mexico–Colorado line		462.124	743.716	460	Truck weigh station	First southbound exit in New Mexico; exit not signed northbound
					I-25 / US 85 / US 87 north – Denver	Continuation into Colorado
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

References

1. "Interstate Highways" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
2. Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (Map). American Association of State Highway Officials. August 14, 1957. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
3. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 at I-10" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
4. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 in Las Cruces" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
5. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 parallels Elephant Butte Reservoir State Park" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
6. Wilkerson, Lyn (2003). American Trails Revisited: Following in the Footsteps of the Western Pioneers. Lincoln, NE: ¡Universe, Inc. p. 154. ISBN 0595282628. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
7. Google (2013-04-13). "I-25 near Socorro" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
8. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 near Albuquerque" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
9. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 at SR 6" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
10. Google (2013-04-13). "I-25 near Isleta" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
11. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 exits in Albuquerque" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
12. Bryan, Howard (1989). Albuquerque Remembered. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 0826337821. OCLC 62109913. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
13. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 at I-40" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
14. "I-25/I-40 System-to-System Interchange". Excellence in highway design. Federal Highway Administration. 2002. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
15. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 nearing Santa Fe" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
16. Julyan, Robert (1998). The Place Names of New Mexico (2nd ed.). University of New Mexico Press. Retrieved 13 February 2013. La Bajada hill is located 11 miles 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 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 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. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
18. Google (2007-07-07). "I-25 near Las Vegas" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
19. "Raton Pass". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
20. Glassman, Steve (2008). It Happened on the Santa Fe Trail. Morris Publishing. p. ix. ISBN 0762745738. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
21. http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Travel_conditions/maps/SW_V9_2_ELEV_RB_2007.pdf

Route map: Bing / Google