Route 66 albuquerque

Group of people standing outdoors in front of a brick tower and modern buildings during sunset.

In 2021, I worked with RK Venture on the City of Albuquerque’s “ABQ 66” campaign, created to help promote and reintroduce our stretch of Historic Route 66, known locally as Central Avenue. The campaign focused on a 14-mile run of Central between 118th Street and Tramway, using branding, banners, video, and media to draw people back to the corridor.

Route 66 has been tied to this street for generations. After the route was realigned in 1937, Route 66 ran through Albuquerque along the full length of Central Avenue. Today, the city’s Route 66 experience stretches for miles, moving through neighborhoods with totally different rhythms, from the International District to Downtown and all the way out to the Westside.

My assignment was to photograph that whole cross-section, the details and the atmosphere that make Central what it is. Neon and hand-painted signs. Old motels and new storefronts. The theaters and murals. Street corners, bus stops, small businesses, and the night glow that still feels like Route 66. These photographs are a small selection from the hundreds of images I made while moving along the corridor, paying attention to what people overlook when they drive by.

These images were also used to help promote the Route 66 Visitor Center on Albuquerque’s West Central at Nine Mile Hill, a community-driven project meant to pull travelers off the interstate and back onto the old road.

This project was personal for me. I grew up on Central Avenue at my mom’s futon shop. Central has never been just a road. It is a living street, the city’s front porch, changing block by block, still holding culture and commerce, still full of stories.

Exterior of a vintage theater building with a large vertical green and orange sign reading 'HILDAND' and a marquee displaying event information for NDI New Mexico and a virtual gala.
Nighttime scene of a vintage yellow car parked in front of a store with a neon sign that reads 'Indian Jewelry & Crafts'. The store has a blue fence, large windows, and mural art, with string lights overhead.
A storefront window display with colorful neon signs, including a silhouette of a woman sitting on a chair, a motorcycle helmet, the word 'ROUTE,' a chicken, the word 'open,' a potted plant, a beer bottle, a smiling face, and the words 'peace' and 's
Neon sign featuring a Route 66 shield with the number 66 in pink, on a darkening evening sky, with other illuminated signs for a Western View steakhouse, coffee shop, and other businesses below.
A vintage neon sign for a taco and hamburger restaurant, with a sunset in the background, showing the words 'Tewa' at the top and 'Taco' and 'Burger' vertically below, with a directional arrow to the right.
Tall modern building with white and beige exterior, blue sky with some clouds, and a San Mateo bus stop with a white canopy in the foreground.
A large carnival or parade float of a pirate figure with a smiling face holding a spear, standing on a utility pole.
Night view of Slice Pizzeria with a colorful mural of a woman with teal hair and yellow-tinted sunglasses on the wall, illuminated signs, trees, parked black car, and street lights creating light trails.
A mounted statue of a man holding an axe is positioned above a restaurant sign for 'May Cafe Vietnamese Cuisine' against a clear blue sky.
Night view of a neon-lit theater sign with the word 'HILAND' and a digital marquee with event information, reflected in a wet pavement surface.
A modern glass-fronted commercial building with three evenly spaced trees in front, along a city street with marked lanes, during daylight.
Night view of a lively downtown street with light trails from passing cars, illuminated storefronts, trees, and a building with red neon signs reading 'The Carlisle'.
Colorful mural with the words 'Greetings from Albuquerque' on a blue background, featuring desert scenes, hot air balloons, a person with feathers, a mountain, a javelina, a cable car, and a sunset.
A street corner with a yellow vintage car, trees, a motel sign, a traffic light, and various shops, under a partly cloudy sky. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Night view of a storefront called 'Off Broadway Vintage Clothing and Costumes' with illuminated signs and a display window showing costumes, wet sidewalk reflecting colorful lights. Albuquerque, New Mexico
A blue trolley bus decorated with colorful cactus, flower, and sugar skull images parked along a city street with brick and concrete buildings in the background. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Nighttime at a bus stop with bright pink lighting, a moving bus with pink lights, and a large red billboard with a black and white logo of a wolf's head. Albuquerque, New Mexico
A landscaped outdoor area with trees, small plants, colorful seating, and a large beige building in the background under a partly cloudy sky. Albuquerque, New Mexico
City street with a bus lane in the foreground, overhead traffic lights, and various road signs. There are cars, a bus, trees, and buildings in the background, with a clear blue sky. Albuquerque, New Mexico
A multi-story brick apartment building with balconies, on a city street with trees and a car, under a partly cloudy sky. Albuquerque, New Mexico
A modern multi-story building with a corner glass facade and a parking lot in front. Albuquerque, New Mexico
A cityscape featuring a modern building with the signage 'Bernalillo County,' multi-story buildings, and colorful low-rise structures in the foreground. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Nighttime street scene with a building featuring graffiti art, including a large female portrait and cartoon characters, with wet reflective pavement and neon signs. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Front view of a church with two bell towers, featuring arched windows and a tiered roofline, with the sun shining directly overhead and creating a lens flare and sunburst effect. Albuquerque, New Mexico
City street scene at dusk with a modern multi-story building called 'One Central,' traffic lights, a public bus with an advertisement for a personal injury lawyer, and several parked cars. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Night view of the Kimo theater at the intersection of Central Avenue and 5th Street, with illuminated marquee and neon signs, wet pavement reflecting lights, and a few trees along the street. Albuquerque, New Mexico
A modern train with a white, red, and yellow color scheme at a station platform in an urban area, with a large gray apartment building behind it and trees along the walkway. Albuquerque, New Mexico
A city street at dusk with light trails from moving vehicles, parked cars, illuminated storefronts, and signs for a bar and restaurant, with a dark blue sky and clouds overhead.
Night view of a brick storefront with a neon sign reading 'Dog House,' featuring a cartoon neon dog with a sausage in its mouth. A 'Now Hiring' banner hangs in the window, and a menu board is displayed above the window.
City street scene at dusk with cars, a moving train, and neon signs including a large vertical sign reading 'Century.' There are parked cars along the street, streetlights, trees, and a sign advertising 'Bourbon & Boots' with an entrance at the corne
A vintage gold and black classic car with wire wheels parked on a city street during daylight, with modern apartment buildings in the background.
A church with two tall steeples illuminated at dusk, with a dark blue sky and trees surrounding it.
A row of cowboy boots in different shades of brown and black, standing on a brick floor.
A building with a turquoise door under a wooden porch casting shadows, with a sign indicating it is the Zuni Fetish Museum & Grey Dog Trading.
View through a window showing a shelf decorated with colorful artwork, wooden figurines, small vases, and string lights, with vibrant textiles in the background.
Exterior of a modern marketplace building with industrial design elements and a sign that says "SAWMILL MARKET." There are people standing outside, and the area is landscaped with grass and plants. The building has large glass windows and metal struc
A lion and lioness resting on a large rock in a zoo enclosure with painted African savanna backdrop.
A child looking at marine life in an aquarium. The tank contains various fish, rays, and coral.
A Japanese-style garden with a small pavilion, gravel pathways, lush green trees, and neatly trimmed bushes under a clear blue sky.
A small waterfall flowing over rocks in a lush garden with green and red foliage and a pond below, surrounded by trees and plants.
Young orangutan hanging on a tree branch with outstretched arms, surrounded by greenery and a bright blue sky.
Underwater view of a penguin swimming, showing its head and part of its body, with clear blue water.
A polar bear resting on a rock by a body of water.
A close-up of a green iguana with textured skin and a row of spines on its back, sitting on the ground with a blurred natural background.
Nighttime exterior view of the Monterey Motel with a neon sign and outdoor seating area.
Empty outdoor patio of a motel at night, illuminated by neon signs, with tables, chairs, and closed umbrellas scattered around.
A river flowing through a natural landscape at sunset, with green trees along the banks and cloudy sky overhead.
A busy street in a downtown area with cars driving in both directions, lined with small businesses, trees, and streetlights, with mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Line of vintage cars at a car show, with people inspecting and talking in the background.
Landscape view of a river with green trees on both sides, dry vegetation in the foreground, and a mountain range under a clear blue sky in the background.
Nighttime view of a small, brightly lit restaurant with neon signs advertising a steak house and coffee shop. Several parked cars are in front of the building, and a tall signboard displays various signs for food options.
Close-up of a rusty vintage car with a worn license plate from New Mexico, reading '2-94775, Land of Enchantment, 65', and a shiny, decorative chrome ornament on the trunk.
Night view of a neon-lit Route 66 sign with a bottle shape, reflecting colorful lights on a passing vehicle, under a dark blue sky.