New Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller proclaimed Thursday that major construction along Central Avenue for the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project was finished, and businesses along that Route 66 corridor could breathe a sigh of relief. However, major issues remain along the troubled nine-mile bus system, with no quick resolution in sight. The Albuquerque Journal reported: During … Continue reading ART construction ends, but issues remain
Category: Towns
A lot going on with Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor festival
Towns along a 90-mile stretch of Route 66 in northern Illinois offer a lot during Saturday's Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival, but Wilmington's seems especially enticing. Not only does that city's Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie offer the chance of seeing the famous Smokey Bear hot-air balloon and newborn bison, but the new owners of … Continue reading A lot going on with Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor festival
El Reno installs new Route 66 monument
The city of El Reno, Oklahoma, on Wednesday installed a 10-foot-tall Route 66 monument, days before the annual El Reno Fried Onion Burger Day festival this weekend. The monument, made by PremierCraft in nearby Oklahoma City, sits at West Wade Street and South Choctaw Avenue, near Sid's Diner. It's designed so tourists can sit inside the … Continue reading El Reno installs new Route 66 monument
Miami makes a festival out of adding murals
The Route 66 town of Miami, Oklahoma, added five murals to its downtown district over the weekend and produced a festival around it, to boot. Mural Fest 66 featured the work of five artists who used the walls of downtown buildings as their canvas. Most of the artists came from Oklahoma, but one hailed from … Continue reading Miami makes a festival out of adding murals
Several Route 66 cities receive brownfield grants
Several large Route 66 cities will receive brownfield grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "to assess, clean up and redevelop underutilized properties while protecting public health and the environment." According to a news release from the agency, 144 cities will receive a total of $54.3 million. Here are the Route 66 communities that will receive … Continue reading Several Route 66 cities receive brownfield grants
Joplin baseball team’s new logo contains subtle Route 66 tribute
One of the proposed new names for Joplin's new professional baseball team was the 66ers. That name didn't win, but Route 66 figures prominently in the team's logo anyway. In an homage to Joplin's baseball past, the independent Southwest League team's nickname will be the Miners. Ballpark Digest explained the significance of the choice, which … Continue reading Joplin baseball team’s new logo contains subtle Route 66 tribute
Rebranding of Joplin’s East Town includes more Route 66 signs
The city of Joplin, Missouri, has embarked on a multi-pronged project to rebrand its historic East Town neighborhood, including adding new Route 66 signs along an original alignment there. The Joplin Globe reports new "Dreams - East Town" banners have gone up on light poles along the Langston Hughes-Broadway corridor (aka Route 66), which is … Continue reading Rebranding of Joplin’s East Town includes more Route 66 signs
Tumbleweeds invade Route 66 town of Victorville
The Route 66 town of Victorville, California, has been beset by so many tumbleweeds rolling in, some residents found themselves trapped inside their homes by the sticky weeds. The Victorville Daily Press first reported on the unusual phenomenon last week: A mass invasion by the High Desert’s infamous rolling hazards besieged a series of home … Continue reading Tumbleweeds invade Route 66 town of Victorville
Anniversary celebration of The Mill’s reopening set for April 29
The first anniversary of the reopening of The Mill in Lincoln, Illinois, into a local museum will be celebrated Sunday, April 29, with an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. that day. The weekend also will feature the fifth annual Bike Blessing at 1 p.m. April 28 at the VFW/Foxhole Pub & Grub at … Continue reading Anniversary celebration of The Mill’s reopening set for April 29
Wildfire jumps I-40 near Shamrock, closes road for hours
A fast-moving wildfire raced across Interstate 40 near Shamrock, Texas, on Friday, forcing the closing of that highway and Route 66 for hours. According to tweets from the Texas Department of Transportation, state officials closed I-40 at the Oklahoma state line to Shamrock because of the grass fires. They eventually detoured motorists to state highways … Continue reading Wildfire jumps I-40 near Shamrock, closes road for hours