Two communities will see direct improvements from a new round of state tourism grants, with Tijeras receiving $55,000 for wayfinding enhancements and Edgewood getting $4,000 for centennial celebration activities.
The funding comes from the New Mexico Tourism Department’s second round of Route 66 Centennial grants, totaling $1,306,097 statewide to prepare communities for the historic highway’s 100th anniversary in 2026.
The New Mexico Tourism Department awarded the grants through a special legislative appropriation during the 2025 session.
“Promoting the Route 66 centennial and preparing the state for this milestone was a strategic focus for the Tourism Department this past fiscal year and will continue to be so this year as well,” said Acting Secretary Lancing Adams in a press release. “Awareness and interest in the Route 66 centennial continue to grow among domestic and international travelers and we fully intend to capitalize on this momentum.”
The department said it committed more funding to infrastructure in 2025 so Route 66 communities would be better equipped to handle increased travel during the centennial. Now, with the anniversary approaching, funding shifted to “better align with the awareness-building and inspiration phase of the leisure travel planning process.”
All projects funded through the grant program must be completed by June 15, 2026. Infrastructure projects are designed to be completed within 12 months or less, meaning East Mountains and Edgewood residents could see improvements as early as late 2025.
The grants are part of New Mexico’s broader preparation for the Route 66 centennial, which officials expect to draw significant tourism.