When we hear the words "Route 66," what immediately comes to mind? A famous song? A black-and-white TV series from the 1960s? Its 100th anniversary coming in 2026?

How about the pavement itself?

The New Mexico Department of Transportation is the recipient of the 2025 Perpetual Pavement Award from the Asphalt Pavement Alliance for a nine-mile stretch of the original Route 66, near Los Lunas.

The road has gone through several iterations in its long history, all of them the result of automobile improvements, development, and construction of new highways. But one thing hasn't changed on this part of the original Route 66 hasn't changed — it has never had a structural failure.

Whether this part of Route 66 gets its due during the centennial year, the Perpetual Pavement Award pays tribute to

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