Interstate 44 construction affecting Route 66 in Wellston, Oklahoma, was finally completed this month, reopening the highway to traffic for the first time and eliminating detours that had complicated travel through the area. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association recently passed along information about the reopening: The Oklahoma Department of Transportation stated that work would be … Continue reading Route 66 at Wellston is fully reopened to traffic
Category: Highways
Sapulpa giving away pieces of Route 66 during the highway’s centennial in 2026
Route 66 travelers who visit Sapulpa, Oklahoma, in 2026 will have a chance to take home an actual piece of the Mother Road. Sapulpa’s "Great Route 66 Giveaway" marks one of three Sapulpa Main Street projects honoring the 100th anniversary of U.S. 66, which Congress approved on Nov. 11, 1926. The other two: Sapulpa Main … Continue reading Sapulpa giving away pieces of Route 66 during the highway’s centennial in 2026
City of Tulsa wins grant to install “musical road” along Route 66
The City of Tulsa is receiving a $90,000 grant from the Oklahoma Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program to build a "musical road" along Route 66. According to the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, it would be the first such road in the Sooner State. The musical road in Tulsa will be installed on the Southwest Boulevard … Continue reading City of Tulsa wins grant to install “musical road” along Route 66
“Birthplace of Route 66 Plaza” planned for downtown Springfield
A “Birthplace of Route 66 Plaza” is planned for downtown Springfield, Missouri, at the spot where local highway officials chose No. 66 for the Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway. The spot at Jefferson Avenue at Park Central East is the former site of the long-gone Colonial Hotel. That's where transportation officials chose No. 66 for the highway and … Continue reading “Birthplace of Route 66 Plaza” planned for downtown Springfield
Illinois State Museum unveils 100 oral histories about Route 66
The Illinois State Museum in Springfield announced the launch of the online Route 66 Oral History Project, which gathered 100 stories about the history of the Mother Road before its centennial in 2026. The database includes video-recorded interviews, as well as world-searchable written transcriptions. Contributors include people who lived, worked and traveled along Route 66 … Continue reading Illinois State Museum unveils 100 oral histories about Route 66
Route 66 designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
The American Society of Civil Engineers recently designated Route 66 as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. ASCE's board approved the designation on July 10 in recognition of the highway's centennial and its lasting contributions to American infrastructure and civil engineering. Initially established in 1926, Route 66 was the first paved, all-weather highway to connect the Midwest with … Continue reading Route 66 designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
Museum of Northern Arizona soon will open an exhibit on the history of Route 66 in state
The Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff will open a Route 66 exhibit that runs from Nov. 16 to Oct. 26, 2026. The Arizona Daily Sun reported: Called “Wagon Road to Mother Road,” the exhibit looks at the way travel has affected landscapes and communities in northern Arizona, from the Beale Wagon Road to Route … Continue reading Museum of Northern Arizona soon will open an exhibit on the history of Route 66 in state
National Cowboy Museum to open Route 66 exhibition in February
The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City will open the "Route 66: From Trails to Truck Stops" exhibition starting in early February. The exhibition will run from Feb. 6 to May 4, during Route 66's centennial year. Cowgirl Magazine had more details: Visitors will see artifacts, maps, photographs and multimedia displays tracing … Continue reading National Cowboy Museum to open Route 66 exhibition in February
State grant will complete Route 66 bike trail near Bloomington after feds yanked funds
Nine miles of a Route 66 bicycle trail in McLean County, Illinois, will be completed with a state transportation grant, at the request of Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The $1.875 million grant will help pay for engineering and environmental reviews, along with design plans and specifications for the trail, reported WMBD. The grant replaces $675,000 in … Continue reading State grant will complete Route 66 bike trail near Bloomington after feds yanked funds
Old promotional video for Will Rogers Highway Memorials is uploaded
A couple of weeks ago, the Oklahoma Route 66 Association uploaded a 25-year-old promotional video about the Will Rogers Highway Memorials that are sprinkled along Route 66 and the memorials' namesake. The association wrote: In the 1990s, Darrell Ray of Joplin had an idea to help promote the revitalization of Historic Route 66 by reviving … Continue reading Old promotional video for Will Rogers Highway Memorials is uploaded