Introduction
Route 66 was started in New Mexico in August of 1926 on existing roadways. The 506 mile distance across the state included passing over 4 major rivers, the continental divide at an elevation of 7250 ft.,
and 7 Native American Reservations.
Politicians and Civil Engineers sought improvements and constructed a shortcut between Santa Rosa and Albuquerque in 1926 under difficult conditions and saved 90 miles.
An additional shortcut
from Albuquerque to Laguna was authorized late in 1926 to save another 17 miles.
These two shortcuts were officially incorporated into Route 66 in 1937, in the same year that the route was completely paved across the state.
Engineering features of the shortcut were that two bridges had to be constructed in flood plains that needed special features in the designs, and an underpass had to be constructed so that Route 66 travel
would safely pass under the Atchinson, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad.