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, is conducting the NM 264 Alignment Study (Study) and identifying why improvements to this highway are needed. The purpose of the Study is to document existing conditions and develop highway improvement alternatives for the corridor. Once the Study has been completed, improvements will be prioritized and as funding becomes available, work would be completed in phases.

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.

Funding for the Study includes state funds through House Bill 2-2021 Legislative Session (HB2-21).  Construction funding has been identified for a segment of NM 264 between MP 10 and MP 14 (Segment 1) under Control Number 6101221 and consists of state and federal dollars (e.g. HB2-21, Road Fund, STP Flex and STP Rural<5K).  Segment 1 highway improvements under consideration include reconstruction of the existing four lanes, drainage improvements, and updating roadside barriers, signing, and pavement markings.

SEGMENT 1 – begins at the Arizona/New Mexico state line (milepost 0.0) and continues east to Hilltop Road (milepost 0.6). This segment passes through the town of Tse Bonito and is primarily urban in nature.
SEGMENT 2 – extends from Hilltop Road (milepost 0.6) east to the Cle Ki Drive intersection (milepost 15.5).  This segment is approximately 14.9 miles long and is primarily rural in nature.
SEGMENT 3 – extends from the Cle Ki Drive intersection (milepost 15.5) east through the community of Yah-Ta-Hey to the US 491 interchange (milepost 16).  This segment is 0.42 miles and is both rural and urban.