New Mexico State Road 502 Explained

State:NM
Type:NM
Route:502
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:NM 502 highlighted in red
Maint:NMDOT
Length Mi:18.301
Length Round:3
Length Ref:[1]
Direction A:West
Terminus A: in Los Alamos
Junction:
in San Ildefonso Pueblo
Direction B:East
Terminus B: in Pojoaque
Counties:Los Alamos, Santa Fe
Previous Type:NM
Previous Route:501
Next Type:NM
Next Route:503

New Mexico State Road 502 (NM 502) is a 18.301-longNaN-long state highway in New Mexico, United States of America. It is notable as the main access route to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Bandelier National Monument, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Jemez Mountains, and town of Los Alamos.

Route description

The route is paved for its entire length, in contrast to some other state highways in northern New Mexico. NM 502 begins at its western terminus at NM 501 and heads due east through Los Alamos as Trinity Drive. It also begins as a four-lane road heading through town. As it exits town, it narrows down to two lanes and it then passes by the Los Alamos Airport, running parallel with its runway. It then reaches a junction with NM 4 at an interchange before continuing east with five lanes through the spectacular canyon/mesa country of the Pajarito Plateau. The highway then reaches another junction with NM 30 that goes north to Santa Clara Pueblo and Española. The route becomes a four-lane road and then crosses over the Rio Grande beside the historic Otowi Bridge. The route then passes south of San Ildefonso Pueblo and through El Rancho before reaching its eastern terminus at a single-point urban interchange (SPUI) at U.S. Route 84 (US 84) and US 285 in Pojoaque. The total length is about 18miles. NM 502 was formally continuous with NM 501, which continues east from another junction with NM 4 to Los Alamos in the foothills of the Jemez Mountains. NM 502 has been a designated "safety corridor" for most of its length since November 2005, with speed limits restricted to 55mi/h maximum, and lower through the towns and on the steep curves near the intersection with NM 4. Prior to 2007, the speed limit along the stretch from San Ildefonso Pueblo and Pojoaque Valley High School was 65 mph.

Despite Pojoaque being the eastern terminus, Santa Fe is the eastbound control city on NM 502 since traffic typically continues onto US 84 / 285, which does reach Santa Fe.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Posted Route - Legal Description. 92. New Mexico Department of Transportation. March 16, 2010. December 14, 2013.