N.M. Highway 264 (NM 264) is a 16-mile highway that extends west to east from the New Mexico/Arizona state line (milepost 0.0) to the US 491 interchange near Yah-Ta-Hey (milepost 16.0) in McKinley County. It serves as a key corridor to the Navajo Nation, connecting communities to Window Rock, AZ, located five miles across the Arizona border. NM 264 also connects to US 491 eight miles north of Gallup.  The NMDOT, in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration, conducted an alignment study for NM 264 in 2023 to identify improvements needed and prioritize how work should be completed as funding becomes available.

The purpose of the project(s) would be to improve the roadway’s condition and life expectancy, improve drainage conditions, address substandard roadway geometry, add multimodal facilities, implement access management, and improve overall safety. The needs are based on deteriorated pavement conditions, which create a rough driving surface for vehicles.  Additionally, existing drainage structures are in poor condition due to scour and/or significant sediment deposits, the roadway geometry is substandard, bicycle and pedestrian facilities don’t meet current standards, access management is lacking in urban areas, and the existing roadside guardrail is substandard.