New Mexico Roads - Old US 66 - Central Ave., Albuquerque

Former US 66: Central Avenue, Albuquerque



WB leaving Albuquerque at Paseo del Volcan, courtesy Adam Prince. Guess what - those RIDOT shields are covering the original shields on the sign. Also guess what - that space is there because this sign is so old, it predates the decommissioning of US 66! Yep, Central Ave. was the central avenue of Albuquerque, which is naturally the role for US 66, and here it used to join one of many I-40 multiplexes (it was the number of multiplexes that doomed the route). Click for a flash-lit closeup, which shows the doppelgangers of the old I-40 and US 66 shields.


EB from the beginning of Central Ave. high up on the hill, down into the city and across the Rio Grande.

Same bridge pillar lit up at night, seen WB. Neon is alive and well on old 66!


I don't know if it was intentional, but the murals on the bridge, at least on the EB side, not only represent scenes around Albuquerque, they are scarily positioned exactly where you can see those scenes. Fake mountains are right in front of real mountains. Fake trees on the bridge, real trees behind. And perhaps eeriest of all, stylized weird buildings on the bridge, an actual weird building just to the south.


Continuing EB, the Historic US 66 sign is at 8th St. SW, and all of the other old signs are at I-25. The nighttime photos are to the left and above left, while I used a daytime retake to best capture the overhead I-25 shield that I'm sure dates to when this was still US 66.


Also old, and a true treat for the historian, this may well be the last genuine US 66 shield on the entire route from California to Illinois. I'm not talking about museum pieces, replicas, restorations, or even actual signs reposted along the route after it was decommissioned. This sign was on US 66 when it was still US 66, and remains there to this day. Go see it while it lasts.


Ending EB, with the second photo at Tramway Blvd. (NM 556). I'm glad I came into the city EB, because the WB gateway at Washington Street has nothing on it to welcome visitors.

Branch northeast on original US 66 to NM 313
Central Avenue sights (Non-Roads)
Continue east on newer old US 66 to NM 333
Continue west on old US 66 to Rio Puerco Bridge
Back to US 66 main page

Onto I-40 (US 66's successor)

Onto I-25
Back to New Mexico Roads
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