The fledgling national Route 66 Alliance is proposing making a national monument out of an area of Mojave Desert in Southern California to protect 70 miles of Route 66, reports the Press-Enterprise. According to the newspaper, the proposal would: -- Designate "Mother Road National Monument," which could be twice as big as Joshua Tree National … Continue reading Route 66 national monument proposed in Mojave
Category: Highways
Stimulus money to help a few Route 66 projects
Money from President Obama's economic stimulus package is slated to help at least two portions of Route 66 and probably more. According to the Bloomington Pantagraph, $3.4 million has been designated to resurface Old Route 66 from just south of Towanda, Ill., to north of Lexington, Ill. And, according to the Mohave Valley Daily News, … Continue reading Stimulus money to help a few Route 66 projects
Roads to Lincoln
A lot of people are going to explore Illinois this year because this is the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. During a recent presentation, Chicago Route 66 expert David G. Clark explained how to get the most mileage out checking historical sites within the Land of Lincoln, according to Shopper Source Online: By following Route … Continue reading Roads to Lincoln
Construction work coming on Oatman Road
The Mohave Valley News reports that a bid of $188,864 was accepted to repair six culverts along Oatman Road, aka Route 66, between Oatman, Ariz., and Kingman, Ariz. If approved by the county supervisors, the construction project is expected to begin in later this month and take about two months to complete. [...] The culverts … Continue reading Construction work coming on Oatman Road
Nothing minor about it
Llewellyn Toulmin has a story in The Sentinal Newspapers about a trip on Route 66, with most of the material taking place in Illinois and Missouri. Then there's this passage: The history of Route 66 is fascinating but complicated. It was not envisioned as a major road at first, as witnessed by its number. In … Continue reading Nothing minor about it
Book review: “Drive the Broadway of America”
It's not about Route 66. It's not a book in the traditional sense. But Jeff Jensen's "Drive the Broadway of America" (self-published, 223 pages, $30, including shipping) should greatly please Route 66ers and entice roadies to new two-lane adventures. Jensen's book, subtitled "The U.S. 80 and the Bankhead Highways Across the American Southwest," is the … Continue reading Book review: “Drive the Broadway of America”
Hometown of Castle Car Wash eyed for preservation
The unique Castle Car Wash building on Ogden Avenue, aka Route 66, in the Chicago suburb of North Lawndale has recently become the target of preservationists. Now, according to the Chicago Tribune, other parts of Lawndale are being considered as important historic sites, and the car-wash building is now considered a catalyst in the effort: … Continue reading Hometown of Castle Car Wash eyed for preservation
New song takes place on Route 66 in Texas
The Gourds, a folk-rock band out of Texas, has a song, "All the Way to Jericho," on its new album, "Haymaker!" that takes place on Route 66 in the Lone Star State. The Jericho in the song, according to a review in Pitchfork Media, refers to the notorious Jericho Gap of old Route 66 in … Continue reading New song takes place on Route 66 in Texas
Oatman Road placed on infrastructure stimulus list
About 48 miles of Oatman Road, aka Route 66, from just west of Kingman, Ariz., to Golden Shores, Ariz., is being slated for "pavement reconstruction" by Mohave County with President-elect Barack Obama's upcoming economic stimulus package, reports the Mohave Daily News. The Oatman Road repairs would cost $12 million. Of course, the Obama administration could … Continue reading Oatman Road placed on infrastructure stimulus list
Marine base expansion may threaten access to Route 66
The U.S. Marine Corps is considering a possible expansion of its Air Ground Combat Center in Southern California that may restrict or cut off access to Route 66 and other spots in that area from about Cadiz Summit to just west of Amboy. According to Kell Brigan, who is fighting the Marines' possible land acquisition: … Continue reading Marine base expansion may threaten access to Route 66