The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) has initiated the Phase I-A/B Study for NM 136 between milepost 0.0 (Santa Teresa Port of Entry) to milepost 9.2 (New Mexico/Texas State Line) (CN E100430). The Phase I-A/B Study will be prepared in accordance with the latest edition of the NMDOT Location Study Procedures: A Guidebook for Alignment and Corridor Studies and the latest edition of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guidelines. For readability and to support public awareness, this study will be referred to as the NM 136 Interchange Feasibility Study.

NM 136 is a 4-lane arterial that facilitates both international and interstate commerce and drives economic development in Doña Ana County and the state overall. The study looks at previously approved access points for proposed interchanges along NM 136, develops configurations for free-flow traffic movement, and considers the need for associated frontage roads.

The NM 136 Interchange Feasibility Study is being completed by the NMDOT, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration.  NM 136 is a major arterial that serves as a connection between the Santa Teresa Port of Entry and access to Interstate 10 in El Paso via the Artcraft Road interchange.  It is the only roadway to serve Doña Ana County Airport, the Union Pacific Railroad Strauss Yard, the surrounding industrial parks, and local residential developments.  NM 136 provides direct access to an area of the state that has great potential for economic development and opportunities for growth.  This Interchange Feasibility Study aims to evaluate and prioritize potential new interchanges along NM 136 to accommodate the ever-increasing traffic and freight volume within the area.  This study will evaluate the approved interchange locations to establish prioritization for implementation as well as the appropriate interchange configuration for each location.

The purpose is to improve operational and safety issues, increase mobility, and enhance economic development.  The need is to create a free-flow freight corridor along NM 136 from the Santa Teresa Port of Entry to Interstate 10.