I-40 and I-25 closed due to severe winter weather

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico's two major highways – Interstate 25 and Interstate 40 – are closed Thursday due to a winter storm.

Due to severe winter weather, I-40 is closed at Clines Corners and the westbound lanes are closed at Tucumcari. Due to this closure, southbound US Highway 285 is also closed at mile marker 290, one mile south of I-25, near Santa Fe. Due to a closure of this road, traffic on northbound US 285 is being detoured to southbound I-25.

Northbound I-25 is closed from mile marker 339 north of Las Vegas to mile marker 460 over Raton Pass. I-25 southbound is also closed at mile marker 460.

According to the New Mexico Department of Transportation, law enforcement closed the road because the weather caused unsafe travel conditions.

“As I said, we borrowed equipment from other districts to help. Primarily District 3 in Albuquerque, but they will be there and all districts will be on 12-hour shifts,” said James Murray, NMDOT public information officer.

NMDOT advises that other roads may be snowy and icy and crews may be salting and gritting. They also advise you to drive carefully and stay at least 15 meters behind snow plows.

In northeastern New Mexico, U.S. Highway 56 is closed from Springer to the Texas state line – a 94-mile stretch. US 64 is also closed from mile marker 350, one mile east of Raton, to mile marker 430 in Clayton.

The problems in these areas include snow-covered and icy roads and lack of visibility due to blizzard conditions. Traveling is not recommended.

This is what I-25 near Springer and US 64 near Capulin looked like just after 10 a.m. Thursday: