I-40 Corridor Study

Arizona to Albuquerque, Milepost 0 to 150
NMDOT Control Number 6101580

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View materials from the most recent April 25, 2023 public meeting.

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View the Alternatives

View the alternatives that are being analyzed in detail.

Overview

The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is conducting a highway corridor study on I-40 from the Arizona State Line to the Atrisco Vista Interchange in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The study covers 150-miles of I-40 and alternate routes located from milepost 0.0 to 150.0. The purpose of the I-40 Corridor Study is to identify corridor needs, develop and evaluate alternatives, and create a long-term improvement plan to address operations and safety for this section of I-40. The study includes:

  • Data collection and analysis to understand where and why improvements are needed and what factors and existing conditions are contributing to safety and operational challenges.
  • Developing and evaluating alternatives to meet corridor needs and future traffic demands.
  • Developing a highway improvement plan to prioritize improvements and streamline project planning, design, and construction.

 

Map shows the I-40 Corridor Study area from the Arizona state line (mile post 0) to the Atrisco Vista Boulevard interchange (mile post 150).

Public Involvement

View Public Meeting #2 Resources from April 2023

View Public Meeting #1 Resources from November 2022

How can I participate and stay connected with the study?

Three virtual public meetings will occur throughout the study to present project information and obtain feedback from the public in the timeframes listed below:

  • Public Meeting #1: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 6:30 pm
  • Public Meeting #2: Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 6:30 pm
  • Public Meeting #3: Expected in January of 2024

Check back for updates or fill out the form to receive public meeting invitations.

How can I receive project updates and meeting invitations?

Please sign up here if you are interested in receiving meeting invitations and project updates. If you would like assistance with the following form, please contact Stephanie Miller at 505-445-5464.

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Alternatives

As part of the I-40 Corridor Study, the study team considered several initial alternatives that included I-40 improvements and supporting operational enhancements. The I-40 alternatives included various 2-lane and 3-lane concepts and supporting operational enhancements such as improving incident management, alternate routes, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and transit. These alternatives were evaluated based on identified I-40 corridor needs, which include:

  • Safety – Improving safety on I-40.
  • Traffic Operations, Future Traffic Growth, and Reliability – Accommodating future traffic growth and improving traffic operations and reliability on I-40.
  • Geometric Deficiencies – Addressing geometric deficiencies on I-40.
  • Infrastructure Deficiencies – Addressing drainage, bridge, and pavement deficiencies on I-40.

Based on the screening, the study team identified two build alternatives and several operational enhancements that are proposed for more detailed evaluation as described below.

 

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Build Alternative 1: Enhanced 2-Lane with Added Lanes

The Enhanced 2-Lane with Added Lanes Alternative would include the following improvements:

  • 2 lanes would continue to be provided in each direction of I-40 and the inside and outside shoulders would be widened to 12 feet on both sides and crossovers would be provided.
    1. ­ Wider shoulders could be used to provide space for incident management to get 1 or 2 lanes moving as soon as possible.
    2.  A wider roadway section allows for 2 lanes to be provided on I-40 during construction.
    3.  Crossovers would be constructed periodically to provide a pathway to allow temporary detours to be established in the event of a crash, maintenance, or construction.
  • A third lane would be provided in areas where additional roadway capacity may be needed in the future or where it would offer safety benefits.
  • I-40 geometric deficiencies and drainage, bridge, and pavement deficiencies would be addressed.

Enhanced 2-Lane with Added Lanes

Typical section shows, from left to right, 12' shoulder, two 12' westbound lanes with a 2% slope, 12' shoulder, varying median with wall barrier, 12' shoulder, two 12' eastbound lanes with a 2% slope, and 12' shoulder. The slopes outside of the shoulders are 6:1.

This example section shows widening to the median of I-40, in some areas of the I-40 study area, widening may occur to the outside.

Build Alternative 2: Widen to 3 Lanes

This alternative would include all of the elements of the Enhanced 2-Lane with Added Lanes Alternative plus a third travel lane would be provided in each direction for the full 150-mile corridor.

3-Lane Alternative

Typical section shows, from left to right, 12' shoulder, three 12' westbound lanes with a 2% slope, 12' shoulder, wall barrier, 12' shoulder, three 12' eastbound lanes with a 2% slope, and 12' shoulder. The slopes outside of the shoulders are 6:1.

This example section shows widening to the median of I-40, in some areas of the I-40 study area, widening may occur to the outside.

Operational Enhancements Common to Both Alternatives

Both build alternatives would incorporate the following supporting elements to improve safety and operations on I-40:

Improving Alternate Routes
This would include improving and/or providing adjacent frontage roads to provide alternate routes when needed for incident management and could include:

  • Considering improvements on either I-40 or within the right-of-way for the 30 miles where alternate routes are not provided.
  • Reconstructing or rehabilitating pavement on existing alternate routes where needed.
  • Removing vertical clearance constraints for trucks on existing alternate routes.
  • Improving bridges with limitations (such narrow widths) as they approach the end of their service life.

Minimizing Lane Closures During Construction and Maintenance
This includes developing and implementing construction approaches to minimize disruptions to traffic during construction and maintenance activities. This could include:

  • Maintaining 2 travel lanes in each direction on I-40 during construction and maintenance activities.
  • Nighttime or off-peak construction in cases where 2 travel lanes cannot be maintained.

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Improvements
ITS technologies augment traditional infrastructure by integrating advanced communications technologies into existing infrastructure to improve transportation operations, efficiency, and reliability. Proposed ITS improvements for I-40 include a range of solutions as summarized in the table below.

ITS Improvements Overview

ITS improvements overview table includes six columns as follows. Column 1, Traffic Management: • Freeway and traffic monitoring • Video camera and traffic sensor monitoring • Freeway operations • Roadside messaging signs • Incident management support • Traffic data collection. Column 2, Traveler Information: • Broadcast traveler information • Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station information. Column 3, Maintenance & Construction: • Work zone management • Maintenance and construction information dissemination • Work zone safety monitoring*. Column 4, Road & Weather Conditions: • Weather data collection • Weather information processing and distribution. Column 5, Active Traffic Management*: • Dynamic lane management • Variable speed limits • Dynamic roadway warning • Service patrol support. Column 6, Commercial Vehicles*: • Commercial vehicle parking • Commercial vehicle EV charging station information • Dynamic travel planning. Note below table reads

Basic ITS improvements would improve traffic operations and safety by implementing services for traffic management, surveillance, and data collection; and provide traveler information, work zone management, and weather data collection and processing. Enhanced ITS Improvements would include additional services to provide additional active traffic management services (variable message signs, dynamic lane management, service patrol support, etc.); specific support for commercial vehicle operations; and expanded data management services in work zones.

Improving Incident Management
This would formalize incident management policies and procedures and could include the following components:

  • Developing and implementing a corridor-wide incident management plan for responding to incidents and getting traffic moving as quickly as possible.
  • Providing a courtesy patrol to assist drivers of disabled vehicles or those involved with crashes.
  • Providing additional traffic control support to State Patrol and local police during incidents.

Next Steps

As part of next steps, the two build alternatives and operational enhancements will be developed and evaluated in more detail and the impacts will be compared to a No Build Alternative. Additional information on the concepts that were considered but are not being advanced for detailed evaluation can be found in the Public Meeting #2 presentation on this website. Next steps for the I-40 Corridor Study and detailed alternatives analysis include:

  • Refining the alternatives and operational enhancements to provide detail on specific improvements proposed.
  • Developing preliminary costs.
  • Assessing environmental and community impacts.
  • Comparing the benefits and impacts of the alternatives.
  • Identifying a preferred alternative and I-40 corridor recommendations.
  • Developing a highway improvement plan to prioritize improvements in the I-40 study area.
  • Ongoing outreach with the public, elected officials, tribes, and Transportation Planning Organizations. A third public meeting is expected in January of 2024.

Timeline

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Spring/Fall 2022

  • Collect and analyze data
  • Virtual public meeting #1
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Winter/Spring 2023

  • Establish needs for improvements
  • Identify and screen alternatives
  • Virtual public meeting #2
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Spring/Summer 2023

  • Refine and evaluate selected alternatives
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Fall 2023

  • Identify recommended alternative(s)
  • Develop the Draft Phase I A/B I-40 Corridor Study and Improvement Plan
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Winter 2023/2024

  • Virtual Public Meeting #3 expected in January of 2024
  • Study completed

Counties

McKinley
Cibola
Bernalillo

Districts

3 and 6

STIP Number

Status

Study and Design

Contact

[email protected]
Stephanie Miller
505-445-5464