Stuck In Traffic

Above, looking east near Coolidge. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After checking my mailbox at the Flying J, I decided to go do some grocery shopping in Thoreau.

Unfortunately, it took me over and hour and a half to go the 15 miles to Thoreau. Eastbound Interstate 40 ground to a halt at the construction area at the Coolidge off-ramp. It seems that a large pothole formed in the single lane that was open. So the New Mexico Department of Transportation stopped all traffic so that repairs could be made.

Above, looking west. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

They did do a temporary fix last night, but that came apart today. We sat stopped for an hour and a half for the repairs could be done. 

Luckily for me, I wasn't too far from the beginning of the stoppage as traffic was jammed all the way to Gallup. When we got the go-ahead to proceed at 1:45, I was able to get going and out of the area in no time.

After doing my shopping and was headed back home, I saw a line of traffic as long as the eye can see in the eastbound lanes.

Stopping By Honeyville

Above, Jess and some of her purchases at Honeyville. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before going to the Bar D Ranch for the night's dinner and show, we stopped first at Honeyville to pick up a few things.

Jess got a number of assorted jams and I got myself a bottle of Red Cliff rum. This rum, I've found, is a lot better than the run I picked up in Havana, Cuba, and their rums are supposed to be some of the best.

Above, yours truly and my Red Cliff rum. Photo by Jessica.

We wandered around the store and watched bees in their glassed-in beehive. 

For me, Honeyville is a "must-stop" while in Durango. 

New Mexico I-40 Traffic Jams Drawing Media Attention

Above, the Interstate 40 traffic jam near Laguna, New Mexico last week. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last week, while returning home from Albuquerque, Russell Azbill and I were stuck in a traffic jam for over two hours. The tie-up must've been 15-20 miles in length. What should have been a two-hour drive was turned into a four-hour drive.

This was due to a road construction project near Laguna, New Mexico.

The traffic jam reminded me of the jam in Idaho immediately following the Great American Eclipse in 2017.

The traffic jams from this road project are so bad that even the media is taking notice.

From CDLLife:

Over the weekend, massive traffic delays were reported due to a construction project and a hazmat crash on I-40 in New Mexico, but drivers passing through will get a little relief during the holiday weekend.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is conducting a 5.5-mile construction project on westbound I-40 from mile marker 111 to mile marker 114 near Laguna. The project began November 11 and is slated to continue through mid December.

The project has resulted in nightmarish traffic backups.

The NMDOT announced a short halt to the project to ease traffic conditions over the Thanksgiving holiday.

To read more, go here. 

And, from KOB 4:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A major traffic alert for holiday travelers – construction has led to major backups on I-40. 

Chopper 4 flew over I-40 early Sunday and it showed that the back-up really begins in the westbound lane just east of Laguna.

On Saturday, Nov. 20, traffic stretched 30 miles from Laguna to the Route 66 Casino – semis were not moving at all, some folks even got out of their cars waiting for some movement.

“We both just said they are going to be sitting there for hours and hours, I've just never seen anything like that on this road not that big,” said Malia Adache. 

KOB 4 reached out to the Department of Transportation to see if they will open up all lanes of traffic for Thanksgiving. On Sunday, they said barriers are going to stay up because this is an accelerated project. On Monday, NMDOT officials said they will be suspending a portion of the 5.5-mile construction project beginning Wednesday, Nov. 24 through Sunday, Nov. 28.

To read more, go here.