In a tribute to Route 66, the City of Albuquerque last week dedicated a new neon sign near the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Broadway Boulevard.
It’s about three blocks north of Route 66, but city officials had the Mother Road in mind with its look, said Mayor Tim Keller.
According to the Albuquerque Journal:
“It looks great at night and is also a homage to our past that says, ‘We love who we are, and we’re also excited about where we’re going,'” Keller said. “When you come Downtown, there’s a lot of great new things.”
The new sign cost $60,000 and replaced its older, faded predecessor. Keller said the city’s goal with the new sign is to “up their game,” and the sign’s color scheme incorporates blues and reds meant to reflect elements found in retro Route 66 neon signs and a classic New Mexican turquoise background.
It took five years to replace the old sign, the newspaper reported.
KRQE-TV in Albuquerque has a video of the lighting ceremony.
(Screen-capture image from KRQE video of the new neon sign in downtown Albuquerque)