ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — This July, construction is expected to start on a stretch of I-25 in Albuquerque that thousands of people drive through every day.

New Mexico Department of Transportation officials said Thursday that they expect to enter the design phase in March for areas around the Comanche and Montgomery exits.

Crews plan to work on Comanche first, then Montgomery, with work set to last through spring of 2027.

“It’s really exciting. This project has been coming into fruition for a few years now. It’s really exciting to see it get to this stage,” NMDOT spokesperson Kimberly Gallegos said.

Improvements will mean a total overhaul.

“It’s going to be a smoother ride for that whole entire area,” Gallegos said. “It’s going to be more of a mini interchange. We’ll have access to businesses on both sides of that freeway. It’s just going to accommodate more traffic at higher speeds and some safety measures implemented in there as well.”

NMDOT officials said 200,000 people drive through that stretch of I-25 on an average weekday.

After completing work on that section, NMDOT will look at the area around Gibson and I-25.

“NMDOT is just making their way right down this corridor. We have a lot more people who are traveling on our roadways now,” Gallegos said.

There will be more details as soon as next month, including on the cost, the contractor, the final design, and how many phases there will be.

NMDOT has a website dedicated to this project.