A bridge that helped shape the history of Albuquerque, if not the entire nation, is up for consideration as a historic city landmark.
The City of Albuquerque’s Landmarks Commission is considering the bridge on Central between Tingley and Sunset Road for a landmark designation. The bridge reduced what was a 506-mile journey through New Mexico on Route 66 to 399 miles.
City planner Silvia Bolivar said the landmark designation “will give the Landmarks Commission the future responsibility and opportunity to honor this critical site because the bridge crossing serves as a physical record of events that helped shape the City of Albuquerque.”
Route 66 was first commissioned in 1926. The first route, which was in operation from 1926 to 1937, traveled north to south through Albuquerque in the pattern of the letter S, connecting Santa Rosa, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Los Lunas and several Native-American reservations. That comprised the original 506 miles of mostly unpaved road.
Federal money was designated in 1931 to realign the road to a more east-west direction. The realignment used the Central Bridge to create the Santa Rosa-Laguna shortcut, reducing the journey across the state by 107 miles.
Route 66 became the only paved road crossing New Mexico, causing development to spread east and west, carrying thousands of people wanting a better look at America. Route 66 became legend when it was featured in John Steinbeck's novel, “The Grapes of Wrath,” and Bobby Troup's lyric "Get Your Kicks on Route 66," as well as CBS TV's "Route 66." Today, I-40 runs over much of the original roadbed, but many parts of the old highway can be seen today just beside I-40.
The Central Bridge has been repaired repeatedly throughout the years. The current bridge, according to KRQE, was built in 1983. The Landmarks Commission said it will await input from the state, which maintains the bridge, before making an official decision on the landmark designation.