New visitors center to rise atop Nine Mile Hill
$3.4M joint project to celebrate Route 66
The location of a new Route 66 Visitor Center atop Nine Mile Hill will offer sweeping views of Albuquerque, the Rio Grande Valley and the Sandia Mountains.
It’s a sight that’s greeted travelers along Route 66 — or Interstate 40 — for decades, and it’ll be the centerpiece of a $3.4 million project to celebrate Albuquerque’s history along the Mother Road.
City Councilor Klarissa Peña and other local officials on Wednesday celebrated the purchase of the property. The first phase of construction could be done in a year — though whether $3.4 million is enough to finish the project will depend on how extensive the ultimate plans are, she said.
For 20 years, Peña said, community members have talked about the possibility of a car museum, an event center or amphitheater, and a restaurant on the West Side to celebrate Albuquerque’s presence along Route 66, which is now known as Central Avenue.
“It’s the most spectacular view,” she said Wednesday during a news conference at the site.
The project is funded jointly by the city, Bernalillo County and state Legislature.
The county recently acquired about five acres at Nine Mile Hill for the project, and community meetings to discuss the design of the visitor center will follow.
County Commissioner Art De La Cruz said the project is now a “blank canvass” that will be shaped by what the public wants.
“This project has been a long time in the making,” he said.
One goal, supporters said, is to encourage drivers along I-40 to leave the interstate, enjoy the view and take Central Avenue through the city.
Central is the longest urban stretch of Route 66 still intact. Before the interstate highway system, Route 66 connected Chicago and Santa Monica, Calif., starting in the 1920s.
It’s one of the most famous roads in America — celebrated as a reminder of America’s carfriendly culture.