Original US 66 and former US 85

The ugliest US 66 shield I've ever seen in New Mexico - and that's really saying a lot - as NM 47 NB ends. NM 556 is to the right, but is not part of the original US 66 routing. 66 split from the more traditional but newer Albuquerque routing to the south, following 47 to here and 313 to Santa Fe (along with then-US 85), then coming back on US 84. The newer routing was built as a shortcut, but took Santa Fe off of the route.


NB to Bernalillo, where many street names are in Spanish. The green one-piece sign is not alone, also a style used on NM 556.


This SB shield is across from the NB one at the top of the page. Both lack the characteristic zia (the red Pueblo symbol) and are oval, whereas standalone NM shields are supposed to be circular. (Only shields on green signs are allowed to be wide.)


Looking east along NM 473, then NB at US 550. In both cases, a 3-digit shield was compressed to 2-digit width, rather than the correct method of using the shield meant for the job. That makes the shield look squished and reduces the space inside, forcing smaller digits. I have to wonder whether this is NMDOT at work, Bernalillo, or even Sandoval County.

Continue east on newer old US 66 to Central Ave. in Albuquerque
Continue west on old US 66 to Rio Puerco Bridge
Back to US 66 main page
Continue south on old US 85 to NM 1
To I-25 (successor to this part of US 66) and modern US 85

Onto NM 556
Back to New Mexico Roads
Back to Roads