An upcoming bond question in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, includes money earmarked for a Route 66 visitors center on Albuquerque’s west side.
The county has a total of $38.5 million in bonds that must be approved by voters amid six questions in the Nov. 6 general election.
Among those bonds that would be issued, if approved, include $750,000 to help build a Route 66 visitors center, reported KOB-TV in Albuquerque.
According to this county document on Page 20, building the Route 66 visitors center is estimated to cost $8.2 million. The document states about $4.54 million in state, city and county funds have been committed to the project.
They’re hoping to have it built by 2020.
Here are artist’s renderings of the Route 66 visitors center project in Albuquerque.
One can’t take the ground-level drawing too seriously because it shows neon signs — including the Buckaroo Motel in Tucumcari and El Vado Motel in Albuquerque — that still are used by its owners.
The city bought the land for the Route 66 visitors center in 2016. It would sit along Central Avenue (aka Route 66) near the apex of Nine Mile Hill, which gives fantastic views of Albuquerque below.
According to the city, the Route 66 Visitors Center is a community-driven project led by the Southwest Alliance of Neighbors and the West Central Community Development Group.
(Artist’s renderings of the proposed Route 66 visitors center in Albuquerque via Bernalillo County)