Standard route signage in New Mexico
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System information | |
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Length: | 2,980.838 mi (4,797.194 km) |
Highway names | |
Interstates: | Interstate XX (I-XX) |
US Highways: | U.S. Route XX (US XX) |
State: | State Road XX (NM XX) |
System links | |
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U.S. Routes in the U.S. state of New Mexico account for 2,980.838 miles (4,797.194 km) of the state highway system. The first United States Numbered Highways U.S. Routes were formed in 1926, and served as the primary thoroughfares across the entire state. Twenty six of the 33 counties in New Mexico are served by current U.S. Routes. The only counties lacking U.S. Route coverage are: Bernalillo, Cibola, Harding, Los Alamos, Mora, Sierra, and Valencia.
One U.S. Route, U.S. Route 66, colloquially known as the nations Mother Road, and briefly known as U.S. Route 60, crossed through Northern New Mexico, connecting the cities of Albuquerque and Gallup. The state recognized its historical value, and has posted commemorative signs, and has pained the old shield on some of the roadways that make up the path of the former highway, such as New Mexico State Road 33. Other highways have been renamed or renumbered, such as U.S. Route 491, which was formerly U.S. Route 666. With the 666 designation, the road was nicknamed Devil's Highway because of the common Christian belief that 666 is the Number of the Beast. The effort to get the route renumbered was led by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.