The Big I is the local name for the intersection of
I-25 and
I-40 in
Albuquerque,
NM. In its current form, it is a
confusing and
accident prone mess of
left exits and
short merges. It carries about 300,000
vehicles per day, despite being designed for around 60,000.
Starting in June 2000, The Big I underwent a massive 2-year rebulding project. In what will at its finish be the largest highway project ever in New Mexico, 45 new bridges will be built and 111 new lane miles of freeway will be paved in an attempt to build an interchange capable of handling this previously unforeseen capacity. The projected useful life of the new interchange is 20 years.
The Big I is also one of a select few freeway interchanges with its own web page: www.thebigi.com.