The mayor of Pontiac, Illinois, reported a few days ago that construction of the Route 66-themed Centennial Plaza near the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum is moving into a more rapid stage.
Mayor Kelly Eckhoff in a Facebook post stated:
The end of the eight week curing time for the steel structure footings is on the horizon so quite a bit of action has begun. Crews have begun forming up areas on the north side of the plaza to prepare for concrete. Electrical installations are also underway. Steel structure installation is expected in a few weeks. Once the canopy structure is up, all of the remaining construction activities are expected to progress fairly quickly.
Visit Pontiac reports that the famed Route 66 Shield Mural and a bus once owned by deceased Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, both near the museum, will be temporarily inaccessible. They will reopen to the public when the project is completed later this year.
Once completed, Centennial Plaza will contain these attractions:
- A custom-designed neon sign made by Ace Sign Company of Springfield, Illinois
- A midcentury modern-inspired awning to shelter Bob Waldmire’s Road Yacht
- A drive-up area for photo ops in front of the Route 66 Shield Mural
The so-called Road Yacht is a former school bus converted by Waldmire into living quarters, though he eventually downsized to his more well-known Volkswagen minibus. Waldmire died in 2009 at age 64 of cancer.
(Artist’s rendering of the forthcoming Centennial Plaza in Pontiac, Illinois, via Visit Pontiac)