The city council of Williams, Arizona, recently passed a resolution that opposed congressional legislation that would designate Route 66 as a national historic trail.
It’s not surprising a municipality eventually would oppose House Bill 801 months after it was introduced — almost no congressional measure will earn unanimous support.
But it’s a bit surprising the first town to formally oppose it was Williams — a Route 66-supporting town that was the last city to be bypassed by Interstate 40 during the 1980s.
The Williams News filed a report about the meeting. I sent a link of the report to Bill Thomas, chairman of the Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership that’s lobbying for the Route 66 Historic Trail legislation. Thomas also testified before a U.S. House subcommittee last month in support of the bill.
From the newspaper:
A primary concern for the Williams City Council was a portion of the bill that states:
“The United States may not acquire for the Route 66 National Historic Trail any land or interest in land outside the exterior boundary of any federally managed area without the consent of the owner of the land or interest in land; or that extends more than an average of one-quarter of a mile on either side of the trail.”
“That’s in the legislation, that they want the authorization to buy land within a quarter mile of Route 66,” said Councilman Frank McNelly.
McNelly said he wasn’t sure if the NPS would use eminent domain to acquire property within that quarter-mile.
In a letter to Williams’ mayor and each city-council member, Thomas wrote in response:
HR801 gives no authority to the National Park Service over the actions of any entity along the Route. The Act gives no jurisdiction to the National Park Service along the route. The Act gives no authority for the National Park Service to issue permits for activities along the route. Congress created National Historic Trails via the National Trails System Act. Under this Act, the Federal agency that administers a trail works in partnership with other agencies, tribes, organizations, businesses, attractions, and individuals to help preserve and promote a trail. Passage of HR801 does not give ownership of Route 66 to the National Park Service.
Thomas also weighed in on land-purchase concerns:
The authority to purchase land has been in every bill designating National Historic Trails over the years. There has, however, never been any use of this authority along any National Historic Trail. The Act allows for such land acquisition with the idea that it might be necessary to provide protection for a key historic site. However, trail budgets are small and do not include funds for land acquisition. The key to this portion of the bill is that its language expressively forbids the Federal government from purchasing land, except from a willing seller.
From the newspaper, another issue the council brought up:
The council was also concerned with the operation of Route 66 in downtown Williams.
“Route 66 comes right through town, will we have to ask the National Park Service for permission to do something in our town?” McNelly said. “I don’t think we want to go there.”
Williams Police Department Lieutenant Daryl Hixson said the city would have to get permission from the NPS for any road closures on Route 66.
“Think about the parades,” he said.
Thomas wrote in response:
As noted above, the National Historic Trail Act generally, and HR801 specifically, give no authority to the National Park Service over the actions of any entity along the Route. Should Route 66 be designated a National Historic Trail, no rules will come into existence requiring permits from the National Park Service for parades or other such activities along Route 66. Route 66 consists of roads that are already public right of ways, owned and administered under the jurisdiction of state and municipal governments. Jurisdiction over Route 66 will remain with those governmental bodies – not the Federal government.
You can read Thomas’ full written response to mayor and city council here. He also sent to the mayor a list of often-asked questions about Route 66 and National Historic Trails, which you can download here.
You can read my pitch for the Route 66 National Historic Trail idea here from way back in 2012.
UPDATE: Thomas has added an update to his letter. He explained:
After conferring with John Conoboy, who used to work with the National Park Service in its Santa Fe office where he managed nine different historic trails, there was actually one instance when private property was purchased along a National Historic Trail. The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail acquired an archaeological site called Werowocomoco, which is a key site where John Smith met the Indian chief Powhatan. In the 40 years that National Historic Trails have been around, this is the only instance of the “willing seller” provision included in the Act ever being used.
(Image of Route 66 Main Street at sunset in Williams, Arizona, by The Greater Southwestern Exploration Co. via Flickr)