 Interstate 25 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 1,061.67 mi[1] (1,708.59 km) |
| Existed | 1957–present |
| NHS | Entire route |
| Major junctions | |
| South end |    I-10 /US 85 /US 180 inLas Cruces, NM |
| Major intersections | |
| North end |   I-90 /US 87 inBuffalo, WY |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| States | New Mexico,Colorado,Wyoming |
| Highway system | |
Interstate 25 (I-25), also known as thePan-American Freeway, is a majorInterstate Highway in the westernUnited States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route throughNew Mexico,Colorado, andWyoming. I-25 stretches fromI-10 atLas Cruces, New Mexico (approximately 25 miles [40 km] north ofEl Paso, Texas) toI-90 inBuffalo, Wyoming (approximately 60 miles [97 km] south of theMontana–Wyoming border).[2] It passes through or nearAlbuquerque, New Mexico;Pueblo,Colorado Springs, andDenver in Colorado; andCheyenne andCasper in Wyoming. The I-25 corridor is mainly rural, especially in Wyoming, excluding theAlbuquerque metropolitan area and theFront Range urban corridor from Pueblo to Cheyenne.
The part of I-25 in Colorado passes just east of theFront Range of theRocky Mountains. That stretch was involved in a large-scale renovation named theTransportation Expansion (T-REX) Project[3] in Denver and the Colorado Springs Metropolitan Interstate Expansion (COSMIX).[4] These projects, and others in New Mexico, were necessary because these stretches of I-25 were originally inadequately designed and constructed (the pavement was deteriorating rapidly) and also because urban areas, like Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, and Denver, had tripled and quadrupled in population much earlier than anyone had anticipated back in the 1950s and 1960s. Major highway work for the T-REX project ended on August 22, 2006. The COSMIX project was completed in December 2007. Several other smaller improvement projects for I-25 are still ongoing within New Mexico and Colorado.
| mi[1] | km | |
|---|---|---|
| NM | 462.12 | 743.71 |
| CO | 298.60 | 480.55 |
| WY | 300.95 | 484.33 |
| Total | 1,061.67 | 1,708.59 |
I-25 begins atI-10's exit 144 in Las Cruces, just south of theNew Mexico State University campus.[5] I-25runs concurrently withUS Route 85 (US 85) at this point and carries this concurrency for the entire length of its run in New Mexico. Immediately, three exits provide access to the city, including one forUS 70.[6] When I-25 reachesTruth or Consequences, it is parallel toElephant Butte Lake State Park.[7] From Las Cruces to Santa Fe, I-25 follows the route of theCamino Real de Tierra Adentro.[8]
As I-25 nearsAlbuquerque, it has interchanges with highways, such asUS 380, and a concurrency withUS 60.[9] Further north,State Road 6 (NM 6), formerUS 66, meets up with I-25 inLos Lunas.[10] Through Albuquerque, I-25 is named the Pan American Freeway, and there are frequent exits to city streets.[11][12]: 248 A major interchange withI-40 (which is styled as the Coronado Freeway in the city) is named theBig I.[12]: 248 [13] It was given an honorable mention by theUS Department of Transportation and theFederal Highway Administration for excellence in urban highway design in 2002.[14]
Leaving Albuquerque to the north, I-25 curves to the northeast as it approachesSanta Fe.[15] Continuing 'northbound' at Santa Fe, I-25 heads southeast for approximately 45 miles (72 km) traveling through theSanta Fe National Forest and crossingGlorieta Pass (elevation 7,452 ft or 2,271 m).[16] It turns north again at Blanchard towardLas Vegas.[17] The highway maintains a north and northeast orientation as it leaves New Mexico traversingRaton Pass (7,798 ft or 2,377 m[18]) and enters Colorado. Due to its elevation and frequent winter snowstorms, I-25 is sometimes impassible and closed in both directions at Raton Pass during winter months. From Santa Fe toTrinidad, Colorado, I-25 approximates part of the route of theSanta Fe Trail.[19] For its entire length in the state, I-25 shares its alignment with US 85, although the latter is unsigned.
I-25 has many nicknames through the state's larger cities. InDenver, it is called the Valley Highway, as the highway parallels the course of theSouth Platte River throughout the downtown area and is often sunken below ground level. The section inEl Paso County is named theRonald Reagan Highway, and, throughPueblo, it is named the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway.
In theFederal-Aid Highway Act of 1973, a transcontinental highway was named after PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower, in commemoration of the route of theUS Army's 1919 convoy. This route, rather than following a single highway, spans several, including I-25 in Denver. This combination of routes was intended to approximate the original 1919 convoy route.[20]
The designation of this highway, while clear in intent, has not seen widespread adoption in terms of signage or recognition, likely due to the irregular nature of the route. Despite this, a commemorative sign was installed in 1986 in the tourist information center offI-70 inKansas City, Kansas.[21] Congress attempted to honor Eisenhower's contributions to the Interstate System once more in 1990, leading to the renaming of the Interstate System as the "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways".[22]
I-25 entersColorado 14 miles (23 km) south of the city ofTrinidad. It is the main north–south route through Colorado with a length of 300 miles (480 km). The Interstate exits Colorado in the north about eight miles (13 km) south ofCheyenne, Wyoming. I-25 serves all the major cities in Colorado that are east of theRocky Mountains, such as Denver,Colorado Springs, Pueblo,Fort Collins, andGreeley. For the entire distance in Colorado, from the north to the south, the Rocky Mountains are clearly visible.
There are also several important military and air bases and institutions along this route, such asBuckley Space Force Base, theCheyenne Mountain Complex headquarters ofNORAD,Fort Carson,Peterson Space Force Base, and theUnited States Air Force Academy.
I-25 crosses thePalmer Divide between Denver and Colorado Springs, providing some of the highway's most scenic views of the Rocky Mountains and its foothills. Blizzards and high winds on this stretch (particularly over Monument Hill) are notorious for causing traffic problems during the winter months.
The section of I-25 that is between the northern border ofPueblo County and theNew Mexico state line is named the "John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway" in honor of President Kennedy's support of water resources development in theArkansas River Valley.
I-25 enters Wyoming eight miles (13 km) south of the state capital,Cheyenne. After traveling through Cheyenne, I-25 continues north toDouglas, passing many plateaus and also railroad tracks. Commonly, very long trains can be seen slowly moving alongside this highway. Around Douglas, this Interstate Highway curves somewhat to the west towardCasper. Once through Casper, I-25 turns due north, and it goes as far asBuffalo, where it ends at an interchange withI-90. I-90 then provides the connection toMontana.
The section in New Mexico between Romeroville andLos Lunas closely follows the original alignment ofUS 66, which was later shortened and realigned to run due west fromSanta Rosa. Now, that has been replaced withI-40.
I-10 /US 85 /US 180 on theLas Cruces–University Park line. I-25/US 85 share anunsigned concurrency toFountain, Colorado.
US 70 in Las Cruces
US 380 west ofSan Antonio
US 60 inSocorro. The highways travel concurrently to south-southwest ofAbeytas.
I-40 inAlbuquerque
US 550 inBernalillo
US 84 /US 285 south ofSanta Fe. I-25/US 84 travels concurrently toRomeroville. I-25/US 285 travels concurrently toEldorado at Santa Fe. These arewrong-way concurrencies; driving east, one is on I-25 North and US 84 and 285 South.
US 64 south ofRaton. The highways travel concurrently to Raton.US 64 /US 87 in Raton. I-25/US 87 travels concurrently to southeast ofGlenrock, Wyoming.
US 160 inTrinidad. The highways travel concurrently toWalsenburg.
US 50 inPueblo. The highways travel concurrently through Pueblo.
US 24 inColorado Springs. The highways travel concurrently through Colorado Springs.US 85 in Colorado SpringsUS 85 in Colorado Springs. The highways travel concurrently toCastle Rock.
I-225 inDenverUS 285 in DenverUS 85 in Denver. The highways travel concurrently through Denver.
US 6 in Denver. The highways travel concurrently through Denver.
US 40 /US 287 in Denver
I-70 /US 6 /US 85 in Denver
I-76 southeast ofTwin Lakes
I-270 /US 36 on the Twin Lakes–Sherrelwood–Welby line
US 34 inLoveland
I-80 south-southwest ofCheyenne
US 30 southwest of CheyenneUS 85 in Cheyenne. The highways travel concurrently toRanchettes.
US 26 west-southwest ofDwyer Junction. The highways travel concurrently to southeast of Glenrock.
US 18 /US 20 inOrin. I-25/US 20 travels concurrently to southeast of Glenrock.US 20 /US 26 /US 87 inCasper. I-25/US 20/US 26 travels concurrently to the Casper–Bar Nunn city line. I-25/US 87 travels concurrently to north-northeast ofBuffalo.
US 16 in BuffaloI-90 /US 87 north-northeast of Buffalo
Geographic data related toInterstate 25 atOpenStreetMap 
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Routes initalics are no longer a part of the system. Major Interstates are highlighted. | |
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