Historic US Highway ends in Farmington NM
Photo credits: Dennis
McClendon
| Highway | Approx. time period |
|---|---|
| US 64 | 1974-1989 |
| US 550 | 1989-1999 |
The downtown Farmington maps that follow show the road pattern as of 2001, which has undoubtedly changed over the years (for example, in the map below, US 550 probably used San Juan Boulevard during the early years). Nevertheless, they should serve to illustrate the essential function of US routes through Farmington. In 1934, US 550 was extended such that it passed through Farmington (below), ending 25 miles to the west at US 666 (now US 491) in Shiprock.
Farmington, c. 1934 - 1974
In 1974, the US 64 designation was extended to Farmington, where it ended at its junction with US 550 (below).
Farmington, c. 1974 - 1989
In 1989, the US 64 designation was extended westward, beyond Farmington. It used the route of what had been US 550, so the US 550 designation was truncated at Farmington (below).
Farmington, c. 1989 - 1999
That was a good change for a couple reasons: for one thing US 550 was probably signed north/south from Montrose to Farmington, but then likely changed to east/west between Farmington and Shiprock. But US 64 was already an east/west route, so it made sense to have it absorb the east/west segment of US 550. Also, it was kind of strange to have US 64 (a 2000-plus-mile route coming from the Atlantic Coast) terminating at US 550 (a little 150-mile branch route). In the photo below, we're looking west on Main where it merges with Broadway (US 64):
McClendon, 1997
At the time of this photo, this was the south end of US 550. But between 1974 and 1989, US 550 continued ahead, and it was US 64 that ended here. In both cases, eastbound travelers who wanted to head east on Main would have to follow the car you can see in the background, and then make a lefthand turn onto the road you can see at the far left edge.
In 1998 or 1999, New Mexico removed the US 550 designation from the highway between Farmington and Aztec - that road is now NM 516.
Farmington, c. 1999 - present
US 550 was rerouted southward from Aztec, such that its terminus is now in Bernalillo NM (just north of Albuquerque). Since then, no US routes have endpoints in Farmington.