Road signs are an extremely important part of road safety and an easy way to provide directions to drivers. When traveling along Route 66, drivers will eventually reach Albuquerque, New Mexico. A newly upgraded road sign has caused many to do double takes while passing by.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation erected a new sign that pointed drivers toward the city of Albuquerque. Instead of having the sign spelled correctly, the city’s name was missing the “R.”
Several drivers called and even emailed the department to point out the easily visible mistake on the sign. The department’s spokesperson, Kimberly Gallegos, ensured that the sign was fixed in a prompt manner once the influx of calls started coming in.
“I do not recall this happening before. But I honestly think this was just a simple mistake,” Gallegos said.
According to the city’s website, Albuquerque actually used to have another “R” in its name. Colonists were granted permission in 1706 by King Philip of Spain to establish a new community on the banks of the Rio Grande.
The colony’s governor at the time, Francisco Cuervo y Valdés, wrote a letter to Spain’s Duke of Alburquerque to report that the area had been named La Villa de Alburquerque in his honor. The first “R” was later dropped, leaving Albuquerque with the spelling it has today.