A 21-mile stretch of Route 66 in California's Mojave Desert reopened Friday from Cadiz Road to Essex Road, reported the Needles Desert Star. A large chunk of Route 66 in the Mojave closed in September 2014 after flash flooding damaged roadways and destroyed dozens of bridges. The stretch from Ludlow to Amboy reopened in January after … Continue reading Part of Route 66 reopens in the Mojave Desert
Category: Bridges
Gasconade River Bridge placed on state’s improvement list
The closed Gasconade River Bridge that carries old Route 66 near Hazelgreen, Missouri, was placed on the Missouri Department of Transportation's Statewide Transportation Improvement Program from 2015 to 2019, according to the Lebanon Daily Record. The state closed the bridge in December 2014 after an inspection revealed its deterioration made it unsafe. Route 66 enthusiasts … Continue reading Gasconade River Bridge placed on state’s improvement list
An intriguing look at the Pony Bridge
There are plenty of videos on the Internet of the historic Pony Bridge on Route 66 near Bridgeport, Oklahoma. However, it's likely you haven't seen one from this angle. Pointing the camera behind a moving vehicle creates an interesting visual effect. The good stuff happens near the 1:15 mark. https://youtu.be/WjJRmomJrjI The Pony Bridge was built … Continue reading An intriguing look at the Pony Bridge
Gasconade River Bridge makes Missouri’s Most Endangered list
Route 66's closed Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, made Missouri Preservation's Most Endangered Historic Places list for 2015. The Old Phillipsburg General Store in the Route 66 town of Phillipsburg, Missouri, also made the list. The annual list, announced Friday, is designed to call attention to properties endangered because of deterioration, neglect, encroachment, potential demoltion … Continue reading Gasconade River Bridge makes Missouri’s Most Endangered list
King bridge in St. Louis closes Monday for months
The Martin Luther King Bridge that connects East St. Louis, Illinois, to St. Louis is expected to close starting Monday for months because of repairs, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The bridge, built as a toll bridge in 1951, needs to have its decks rebuilt. The King Bridge, also known as the Veterans Bridge, served … Continue reading King bridge in St. Louis closes Monday for months
County applying for grants to rebuild dozens of Mojave Desert bridges
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors is embarking on an ambitious plan to rebuild dozens of bridges on a 118-mile stretch of Route 66 and resurface the road from Daggett, California, to Essex, California, according to the Desert Dispatch newspaper of Barstow, California. According to a county document, the total cost to replace 31 … Continue reading County applying for grants to rebuild dozens of Mojave Desert bridges
300 attend Gasconade Bridge rally
Multiple reports Saturday indicated about 300 people attended a rally urging the preservation and reopening of the historic Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri. The Lebanon Daily Record newspaper, KLOR-TV and KTTS radio covered the event. However, the best report probably was the one by KY3 in Springfield, Missouri. It covered a lot of issues … Continue reading 300 attend Gasconade Bridge rally
After the Gasconade River Bridge rally may be the important part
A week from today, a group of Route 66 aficionados and historic preservationists will hold a rally to save the now-closed Gasconade River Bridge that carried old Route 66 near Hazelgreen, Missouri. The rally Saturday at the west end of the bridge is designed to draw media attention. But the most noteworthy part of the … Continue reading After the Gasconade River Bridge rally may be the important part
Part of old Route 66 in Kansas nominated to National Register
An old section of Route 66 north of Baxter Springs, Kansas, has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places by the Kansas Historical Society. It's rare for a nominated property to not win the designation. So the inclusion is almost assured. It was designated part of the Kansas Historic Byway in 2011. A description … Continue reading Part of old Route 66 in Kansas nominated to National Register
A glimpse at a water intake tower at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
The director of Public Utilities in St. Louis offered a Fox2 reporter in St. Louis a rare inside look at one of the century-old water intake towers near the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge carried Route 66 from Illinois into St. Louis until it was turned into a pedestrian … Continue reading A glimpse at a water intake tower at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge