How's the road on I-40?

[stephen85]

Hey all, in a few weeks I'm heading to the west coast from Amarillo, Texas via I-40. How are the roads on I-40? I hear the potholes get pretty bad east of Flagstaff. Any recommendations for alternate routes around there? And are there any other areas along I-40 W that should be mentioned?

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

My opinion, the stretch between Gallup and Grants NM is marginal and improves east of Grants. Between ABQ and the TX state line isn't bad. From the NM TX state line to Amarillo is decent. It's not like you have a lot of options unless you go way out of your way, and I would bet would have similar stretches of good and bad anyway.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[jackiemac]

We went on Route 66 but in opposite direction between Kingman and Flagstaff. We saw an RVer with a blow out.

Travel when road quieter, if you can, so you have more opportunities to change lane if necessary.

 

[zulu]

Hey all, in a few weeks I'm heading to the west coast from Amarillo, Texas via I-40. 40? I hear the potholes get pretty bad east of Flagstaff. Any recommendations for alternate routes around there?

We're traveling east through 14 states so far and about 4,200 miles, and I would rate the stretch of I-40 between Kingman and Flagstaff as the roughest road we've been on . . . and we've been on some trash roads.

On our return trip, we're using Route 66.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I can confirm I-40 east and west of Flagstaff are pothole central. The left lanes is not as bad but still lots of potholes.

 

[lavarock1210]

I just went over I40 and between California and Kingman where I turned North is some the worst road I have traveled through the West.

 

[LarsMac]

Unless you're in a hurry, it might be worth trying to run US-60.
It probably wouldn't cost much more than a day's running.
That used to be a good road, but that was probably 20 years or so back.

 

[garyb1st]

We took I-40 East in April. As I recall it was a pretty rough ride from the California Arizona border just East of Needles to New Mexico. The roads in New Mexico and Texas at least as far as Tucumcari were excellent. Returning, we didn't pick up I-40 until Flagstaff. Again, the road was pretty rough at least to Arizona 95 where we exited.

 

[DonTom]

just went over I40 and between California and Kingman where I turned North is some the worst road I have traveled through the West.

2.5 years ago, when I took a trip to FL, I went that way on I-40 and it was the worse paved road of the entire trip. And every "truck parking area" and rest stop on I-40 was closed.

I am surprised AZ I-40 is still not repaved. It must really be bad by now. It was very difficult to drive on 2.5 years ago.

I found the worse roads in AZ and Texas. The best were in the SE, Florida and GA.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Wasillaguy]

Not sure why there's not an app for rough roads. Every phone has accelerometers, would be fairly easy to collect the data.

 

[lavarock1210]

My wife has an app that records her steps. The app recoded a couple thousand steps from our trip across I40.

 

[jackiemac]

My wife has an app that records her steps. The app recoded a couple thousand steps from our trip across I40.

My watch does the same. Drives me mad.

 

[Wasillaguy]

Just don't wear your watch to bed!

 

[jackiemac]

Just don't wear your watch to bed!

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