U.S. Route 70 in New Mexico

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 70 in New Mexico. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 70.
U.S. Highway 70 marker
U.S. Highway 70
US 70 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NMDOT
Length448.264 mi[1] (721.411 km)
Existed1926–present
Major junctions
West end US 70 at the Arizona state line
Major intersections
East end US 70 / US 84 at the Texas state line
Location
CountiesHidalgo, Grant, Luna, Doña Ana, Otero, Lincoln, Chaves, Roosevelt, Curry
Highway system
  • New Mexico State Highway System
← NM 68→ NM 72

U.S. Route 70 (US 70) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that travels from Globe, Arizona, east to Atlantic, North Carolina. In the U.S. state of New Mexico, US 70 extends from the Arizona state line south of Virden and ends at the Texas state line in Texico.

Route description[]

After entering the state of New Mexico, US 70 heads southeast. Five miles (8.0 km)[2] after crossing the state line, it serves as the southern terminus for New Mexico State Road 92 (NM 92). US 70 does not have another highway junction for 21 miles (34 km),[2] where it meets New Mexico State Road 464 (NM 464) and New Mexico State Road 90 (NM 90) three miles (4.8 km)[2] north of Lordsburg. At Lordsburg, US 70 joins with Interstate 10 (I-10) eastbound, splitting off in Las Cruces, and becoming Picacho Avenue in Las Cruces. When Picacho Avenue meets Main Street, US 70 follows Main Street northbound. US 70 then crosses I-25, and has been upgraded at this point to a controlled-access highway until entering the foothills of the Organ Mountains.

US 70 at the intersection of US 285 and US 380 in Roswell.

As a divided highway, US 70 then crosses the Organ Mountains via San Augustin Pass descends to the valley floor of the Tularosa Basin, and next crosses the White Sands Missile Range. Overhead missile tests can close the highway for a few hours; this generally happens once or twice a week, and typically only for an hour at a time.[3][4] The road then passes the entrance to White Sands National Park, and shortly after that passes the southern end of Holloman Air Force Base. It then turns northbound, and picks up a concurrency with US 54 upon entering Alamogordo. On the north end of Alamogordo, US 54/US 70 intersects the beginning of US 82 near La Luz. The concurrency with US 54 lasts until Tularosa, and the highway remains divided until US 70 and US 54 diverge. After splitting off to the northeast, US 70 begins an ascent into the Sacramento Mountains and enters the Lincoln National Forest. The road then runs across the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation and near the resort town of Ruidoso. In Hondo, it begins another concurrency, this time with US 380. US 70 then bypasses Roswell to the northwest, together with US 285. US 70 then heads off to the northeast, running through Portales and Clovis before entering Texas at Texico.

History[]

When commissioned in 1926, ran from present day US 70 in Clovis, New Mexico through Vaughn, Willard all the way to Holbrook, Arizona. In 1932, US 70 was rerouted to El Paso, Texas, and the old routing was transferred to US 60 and US 260.[5] In 1934, the routing of US 70 was changed again, to Las Cruces; the old route was transferred to US 54.[6]

On July 12, 2021, US 70 between NASA Road and the entrance of White Sands Missile Range was closed to traffic. The night before, heavy rain from thunderstorms caused about 4 feet (1.2 m) of mud to close the 7-mile (11 km) section. The highway was reopened the next day.[7]

Junction list[]

CountyLocationmi
[8][9][10]		kmExitDestinations[10]Notes
Arizona state line0.0000.000 US 70 west – Duncan, SaffordContinuation into Arizona
Hidalgo​4.2006.759 NM 92 – Virden
​25.60041.199 NM 464 – Redrock
​27.19443.765 NM 90 – White Signal, Silver City
Lordsburg29.184
2.067		46.967
3.327
 I-10 BL west (Historic US 80 west) to I-10 – Road Forks		Interchange; western end of I-10 Bus. concurrency; former US 80 west; mileposts change to reflect I-10 Bus.
2.1353.436East Bound Trucks (NM 494 south)Northern terminus of NM 494
4.3707.033
 I-10 BL ends / I-10 – Lordsburg		Eastern end of I-10 Bus. concurrency; western end of I-10 concurrency; I-10 exit 24
See I-10
Doña Ana​141.435227.618 I-10 east (US 180 east) – Las Cruces, El PasoEastern end of I-10 and US 180 concurrencies; I-10 exit 135
Bridge over the Rio Grande
Las Cruces147.246236.969 NM 185 / NM 188 – Radium Springs, Mesilla
147.246236.969 NM 478 south (Main Street) – AnthonyNorthern terminus of NM 478; former US 80 east/US 85 south
150.699–
150.706		242.527–
242.538		— I-25 (US 85) – El Paso, AlbuquerquePartial interchange; west end of freeway; I-25 exit 6
151.083243.145—Del Rey Boulevard / Telshor BoulevardDirect eastbound exit and westbound entrance
151.700244.137—Roadrunner ParkwayNo direct eastbound entrance
152.322245.138—Rinconada BoulevardNo direct westbound entrance
153.103246.395—Sonoma Ranch Boulevard
154.716248.991—Mesa Grande Drive
155.792250.723—Porter Drive
156.870252.458—Holman Road / Dunn Drive
​158.493255.070—Weisner Road / Balsam Road
​160.122257.691—Brahman Road
Organ161.260259.523—NASA Road / Baylor Canyon RoadEast end of freeway
​169.946273.502Missile Range Headquarters / HTAInterchange
OteroHolloman AFB206.428332.214Holloman AFB Main GatePartial interchange
Alamogordo210.939339.473  Airport Road - Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport
212.789–
213.108		342.451–
342.964		 US 54 south / White Sands Boulevard – El Paso, AlamogordoInterchange; western end of US 54 concurrency; White Sands Boulevard not signed westbound
218.211351.177 US 82 – Artesia, LubbockWestern terminus of US 82
​220.528354.905 NM 545 – La Luz
Tularosa228.271–
229.131		367.367–
368.751		 US 54 north – CarrizozoEastern end of US 54 concurrency
Mescalero247.022397.543  Eagle Drive – Hospital, Bureau of Indian AffairsInterchange; serves Mescalero Indian Hospital
​251.486404.727 NM 244 – Cloudcroft
LincolnRuidoso Downs261.260420.457 NM 48 – Capitan
Hondo285.031458.713 US 380 – CapitanWestern end of US 380 concurrency
See US 380
ChavesRoswell328.409528.523 US 285 south (Main Street south) / US 380 east (2nd Street east) – Artesia, BrownfieldEastern end of US 380 concurrency; western end of US 285 concurrency
333.432536.607 NM 246 – Capitan
335.533–
335.794		539.988–
540.408		B

 US 70 Truck west / south (Relief Route) / US 285 north – Vaughn, Ruidoso		Interchange; eastern end of US 285 concurrency; exit number is for US 285; no exit number eastbound; US 70 Truck exit A
RooseveltElida397.526639.756 NM 114 / NM 330 – Dora, Floyd
​415.151668.121 NM 480
Portales417.161671.356  Airport Road – Portales Municipal Airport
421.447678.253 NM 206 east (Avenue C) – Dora, TatumWestern terminus of NM 206
421.512678.358 NM 267 west (Avenue B) – Floyd, MelroseEastern terminus of NM 267
421.731678.710 NM 88 east (Abilene Avenue) – Western terminus of NM 88
423.173681.031
 To NM 236 / Spruce Street
423.762681.979 NM 467 – Clovis
​426.431686.274 NM 202
CurryClovis439.823707.827 US 60 / US 84 east (1st Street west) / NM 209 north (Prince Street) – Fort Sumner, Vaughn, Santa RosaWestern end of US 60 and US 84 concurrencies
See US 60
Texico448.188721.289 US 60 east (State Street) – HerefordEastern end of US 60 concurrency
Texas state line448.264721.411 US 70 east / US 84 east – FarwellContinuation into Farwell, Texas
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Concurrency terminus
  •       Incomplete access

Roswell truck route[]

Truck plate.svg

U.S. Highway 70 Truck marker

U.S. Highway 70 Truck

LocationRoswell, New Mexico
Length7.5 mi[11] (12.1 km)

U.S. Route 70 Truck (US 70 Truck) runs for seven and a half miles (12.1 km) around the northwest side of Roswell. For its entire length, it is multiplexed with Roswell's Relief Route ( ).

The entire route is in Chaves County.

Locationmi[11]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Roswell0.000.00
 south (Relief Route south) / US 70 / US 380 (2nd Street) – Artesia, Ruidoso, Roswell		Western terminus; western end of US 285 Truck concurrency; road continues south as US 285 Truck (Relief Rte.)
​5.08.0 NM 246 (Pine Lodge Road) – Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge
​7.111.4A
 US 70 west / US 285 south to US 380 junction – Clovis		Interchange; no exit number eastbound
​7.4–
7.5		11.9–
12.1
 end / US 70 east (Clovis Highway) / US 285 north		Interchange; eastern terminus; eastern end of US 285 Truck concurrency; northern terminus of US 285 Truck
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References[]

  1. ^ "Posted Route–Legal Description" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. March 16, 2010. p. 20. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Rand McNally (2007). "New Mexico" (Map). The Road Atlas '07. Chicago: Rand McNally. p. 68.[full citation needed]
  3. ^ Crossley, John. "White Sands National Monument, Alamogordo, New Mexico". The American Southwest. Retrieved September 29, 2007.
  4. ^ Signage indicating closings
  5. ^ Sanderson, Dale. "Map of US highway 60 and family, and US 412". Dale Sanderson. Retrieved March 27, 2017.[self-published source]
  6. ^ Sanderson, Dale. "End of US highway 70". Dale Sanderson. Map of US highway 70 and family, and US 412; US Highway endpoints in El Paso, TX; US Highway endpoints in Los Angeles, CA;US Highway endpoints in Holbrook, AZ. Retrieved March 27, 2017.[self-published source]
  7. ^ Romero, Leah; Peerman, Lucas (July 13, 2021). "'Four feet of mud … for seven miles': Videos, photos show US 70 damage". Las Cruces, NM: Las Cruces Sun News. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  8. ^ "TIMS Road Segments by Posted Route/Point with AADT Info; US-Routes" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation. April 3, 2013. p. 22. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  9. ^ Staff (March 16, 2010). "Posted Route–Legal Description; Business Loops" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Transportation, Data Management Bureau. p. 3. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Google (October 19, 2018). "Map of Southern New Mexico" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Overview of US 70 Truck (Roswell, NM)". Google Maps. Google, Inc. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
U.S. Route 70
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Arizona 		New Mexico Next state:
Texas

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