New Mexico I40 Closed

Posted by Apprehensive_Fault_5@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 7 comments

I was driving westbound through New Mexico last night when the freeway got shut down. They were originally turning everyone onto southbound State Route 6 to I25, but by the time I got there, they said that highway was also closed and to return to Albuquerque. I called state police and they said "there are no other roads, all traffic return to Albuquerque until further notice." Has anyone here been dealing with this, and perhaps found a way through? I tried looking on the state DOT site at alternative routes, but I'm getting conflicting notes on I25. Places where it says they are doing construction, but sometimes it says they have a shoulder or lane closed, but then it would say the entire highway is shut down. The truck stop I'm at is packed, likely other truckers trying to figure out what to do, and I don't want to leave only to get turned around, but now have nowhere to park.

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7 Comments

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KingOfSpeedSR71@reddit

40 is closed both directions at the NM/AZ state line for a hazmat train derailment. If you absolutely need to keep moving you’re only to options out of ABQ is either north up 25 to US 550W to US 64W to US 160W to US 89S. US 89S will take you back down to Flag and you can continue across 40 from there. If 25S is open though, run that down to Hatch and go across NM 26 to I10. Jump on I10 at Deming. That northern route across NM and AZ is REMOTE. Get fuel before leaving ABQ. There is very little cell service across that way. You’ll be mostly on your own. And behave yourself as that route crosses reservation land.

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ALargeMastodon@reddit

We are going the northern route. Heading to the Grand Canyon anyway so I guess it’s the best option. Hopefully get around most of you truckers, no offense 😂. Wanted to knock meteor crater off my bucket list but maybe another trip.

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Downtown-Scar-5635@reddit

If the i40 is closed like that then the really only "safe" way to get west is I25 south to i10. It's not practical by any means and you'd waste just as much time going that way then you would just waiting for them to open up the interstate again. You could potentially go north to bernalillo and take that road to the four corners, but again it's so far out of the way most of the time it's not even worth it.

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Apprehensive_Fault_5@reddit (OP)

Keeping watch on the DOT site, and talking to other truckers at the Flying J (it's been packed all day with trucks unable to get out), there's a few options I've found, and they line up with some of what's been said here. Many said they were going up towards Shiprock on 64, others going down to I10. The closures showing up on 25 seem to only be construction closing down a shoulder or a lane, no full road closures. I don't know if they listed them fully closed last night just to contain unnecessary travel and allow the state police to organize themselves. One route I'm also looking at, but haven't hear much about, is going down 25 to Socorro and taking US 60 west into Arizona, then up 180 to Holbrook. My carrier's (Verizon) website shows they have at least 4G coverage along that entire route (maybe with some gaps when between hills or something) and it appears to be a truckable route, but it also looks like it might be full of other trucks and just as backed up, if not more, than I 40 was last night. I told my company about these closures and issues, and I've got a noon delivery on Monday in Turlock, CA, and was planning on delivering today before this happened. I would be fine with waiting it out (plus it gives me some free time), but I have no clue how long this closure will last, and neither does the DOT or state police.

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Downtown-Scar-5635@reddit

Stay alert with the US 60 west of Socorro. It's not the best road to be on. It'll potentially be backes up quite a bit due to this as well. Train derailment hazmat spill could potentially take days to clear up honestly. Just depends how diligent they are at clearing the scene and how bad it actually is.

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12GT500@reddit

It’s closed due to train detainment. You’ll have to go north or south to get out.

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jmzstl@reddit

The state 511/road conditions app will have the most accurate info on construction and closures. A truck atlas will tell you what is or isn’t a truck route. Use the two of them to find an alternate route. Lots of US Highways around there that you can probably take, depending on where you’re trying to go. Just be prepared for a lack of services (fuel, food, cell reception, etc.) in rural NM and AZ.