Avoiding Taos

Junction NM 68 and NM 585, the Taos relief route, in Taos

New Mexico 585 is a bypass route (or, in New Mexican, "relief route") around the south side of Taos. It allows traffic going between Santa Fe and the ski resorts east of Taos to avoid the congested routes of NM 68 and US 64 within the town. It is labeled as a truck bypass on other signs.

This single-panel sign is unusual for two reasons. First, the black background in addition to the plain circle symbol used on single-panel junction signs is not normally seen. The Zía symbol is absent, as usual on single-panel junction signs. Second, this sign is on NM 68 already. A simple junction assembly with one marker might have been sufficient.

This sign, on northbound NM 68, was photographed in May 2008.