Stranded travelers force I-40 closure

MORIARTY, N. M. (KRQE) - Hundreds and possibly thousands of travelers made unexpected overnight stays in New Mexico Friday night when ugly weather mostly in Texas closed part of Interstate 40.

By about 9 p.m. New Mexico State Police had closed 250 miles of eastbound I-40 from Moriarty to Amarillo, Texas, and were ready to begin the closure at Tramway Boulevard in Albuquerque if necessary.

The road across eastern New Mexico wasn't the problem. Instead it was weather in Texas causing chaos here as travelers scrambled for available motel rooms.

State Police watched as Tucumcari and then Santa Rosa filled up extending the closure westward to prevent travelers, especially families with children, from becoming stranded with nowhere to spend the night.

Should Moriarty hang out the no-vacancy sign, traffic could be stopped in Albuquerque.

Late Friday the America Red Cross reported 60 people were laying over in a shelter set up in the former National Guard armory in Tucumcari. Santa Rosa Police Chief Mike Gauna said approximately 30 people were being sheltered in the City Hall Gym with more arriving.

State Police said they were warning drivers of the closures in Arizona in hopes they find accommodations before they reach here.

Eastbound drivers also were being told they could continue to Clines Corners and turn south and take US Highway 60 to Texas or continue farther south to Roswell and US 380.  The Texas Department of Public Safety was reporting those two highways were open and clear.

The westbound lanes of I-40 remained open across the state.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation on its road conditions Web site reported road condition in north-central and northeastern counties varied from slush turning to ice to complete closures due to blowing and drifting snow.

I-25 was reported to be snowpacked but open from Las Vegas to Colorado. Major highways connecting Clayton with Springer and Raton were closed.

The DOT also reports road conditions on a telephone hotline. That number is 511.

(For weather updates and road closures click here .)