The famous Route 66 gateways in the Nob Hill neighborhood in Albuquerque, after being at least partly inoperable for two years, are set to undergo repairs in May.
KOB-TV in Albuquerque reported that residents complained for months about the archways being dark, especially during Route 66’s centennial year.
The City of Albuquerque said the repairs are complex and required time:
The city’s Department of Arts and Culture explained that necessary electrical upgrades and transformer repairs had to be completed before neon repairs could begin. Shelle Sanchez from the department said, “There were some really important underlying electricity upgrades and transformers and all of these pieces that had to be repaired first and then there were neon repairs.”
The city stated that these repairs needed to be addressed by PNM before contractors specializing in neon could be brought in. Sanchez added, “Everything about the arches are complex and only certain people for certain companies, in this case PNM, can do the work.”
The application process with PNM began in Aug. 2025, following internal conversations in 2024. PNM spokesperson Eric Chavez confirmed, “We have worked with the city on these projects and on those arches specifically, and from the PNM side are energized.”
According to Nob Hill Main Street, the Route 66-inspired archways were construced in 1993. Local artists Terry Conrad and Joan Weissman designed them.
(Image of the Route 66 archways in Albuquerque at sunset in 2010 by Thomas Hawk via Flickr)