The Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office is asking for proposals to survey historic properties along Route 66 in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties. Tulsa County includes the city of Tulsa along with the communities of Oakhurst and Red Fork along Route 66. Oklahoma County includes Oklahoma City, Bethany, Edmond, Arcadia and Luther along Route 66. The … Continue reading Oklahoma seeks updates on its inventory of Route 66 structures in two counties
Category: Bridges
Gasconade River Bridge Guardian meets with the lieutenant governor
A member of the Route 66 Gasconade River Bridge Guardians met Thursday with Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe in an effort to buy more time for the endangered bridge near Hazelgreen. "Roamin'" Rich Dinkela, president of the Route 66 Association of Missouri, said in an online video later that day he didn't get a definitive … Continue reading Gasconade River Bridge Guardian meets with the lieutenant governor
Two bridges near downtown Chicago will be closed for two years for repairs
Adams Street Bridge (Update: This post contains significant corrections, including photos.) Two years of repairs on two bridges on the eastbound and westbound lanes of Route 66 in downtown Chicago are scheduled that will force detours for travelers. Chicagoland Route 66 expert David Clark flagged this news in an email, saying the Jackson Boulevard Bridge … Continue reading Two bridges near downtown Chicago will be closed for two years for repairs
Lake Overholser Bridge in Oklahoma City reopens to traffic after 3-month closing
The historic Lake Overholser Bridge on Oklahoma City's west side reopened to traffic Friday after repair work and a three-month closure. According to a news release from the city government Thursday: A contractor replaced damaged structural gusset plates on the historic steel truss bridge. Engineers performing a routine inspection in September discovered the damage, prompting … Continue reading Lake Overholser Bridge in Oklahoma City reopens to traffic after 3-month closing
State sets April 20 deadline to avoid razing of Gasconade River Bridge
The Missouri Department of Transportation set a "drop-dead" date of April 20 for the Route 66 Gasconade River Bridge Guardians to find a new owner for the historic span near Hazelgreen, Missouri, or else the state will dismantle it. Facing the looming deadline, preservationists eventually shifted the questions to MoDOT about how to acquire pieces … Continue reading State sets April 20 deadline to avoid razing of Gasconade River Bridge
Time is running out to save Gasconade River Bridge
Time to save the closed Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, from demolition is running out, as a contract to raze the historic Route 66 span may be awarded by mid-2020. Gary Sosniecki of the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society wrote that no progress was made this week during one of several "last-ditch" efforts to … Continue reading Time is running out to save Gasconade River Bridge
Road crews destroy Horse Creek Bridge in Afton despite local opposition
Work crews for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation apparently destroyed the historic Horse Creek Bridge in Afton in recent days despite substantial opposition from residents and preservationists. A reader of Route 66 News in Oklahoma passed along a friend's photos of the razed bridge. The image was taken from a recently constructed temporary bypass bridge. … Continue reading Road crews destroy Horse Creek Bridge in Afton despite local opposition
Springfield utility makes quick work of covering graffiti on Chatham Road Bridge
City Water, Light and Power crews of Springfield, Illinois, wasted little time in covering over graffiti on the Chatham Road Bridge that once carried Route 66. WICS-TV in Springfield posted a report this week about the vandalism: A viewer sent us the photos of the vandalism before CWLP was able to paint over it.Painted on the … Continue reading Springfield utility makes quick work of covering graffiti on Chatham Road Bridge
Replica of toll building proposed for Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis
One of several redevelopment proposals for the west side of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis contains a replica of the long-gone toll house that stood on that site. The Great Rivers Greenway, which controls the bridge as a vital link over the Mississippi River to a series of pedestrian and cycling … Continue reading Replica of toll building proposed for Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis
Lake Overholser Bridge in OKC closed to traffic after problem found
The Lake Overholser Bridge in Oklahoma City recently was closed to vehicular traffic after an inspector found a problem in the historic Route 66 span. Longtime Route 66 advocate Kathy Anderson posted this message on Facebook from Melvena Heisch, a recently retired Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Officer: All, just heard back from the City Planning … Continue reading Lake Overholser Bridge in OKC closed to traffic after problem found