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

Red Carpet Corridor festival adds second day, Bloomington-Normal to its itinerary

This year's edition of the Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor festival is going to be a two-day affair, with Bloomington-Normal added to its list of towns to visit. The May 6-7 event, which starts in Joliet, lengthens to 100 miles and 14 communities, according to a news release from the Illinois Route 66 Scenic … Continue reading Red Carpet Corridor festival adds second day, Bloomington-Normal to its itinerary

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

Class of 2017 for Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame announced

The Route 66 Association of Illinois announced last month its three newest inductees to the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame. The association inducts "people and places along Route 66 whose blend of hardy individualism and grassroots community spirit gave the road such special character." The 2017 inductees were announced at a ceremony in Lincoln, … Continue reading Class of 2017 for Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame announced

Ambler-Becker Texaco station to host 90th birthday for Route 66

An early birthday party for Route 66 will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. April 21 at the historic Ambler-Becker Texaco station in Dwight, Illinois. Although Route 66 doesn't officially turn 90 until Nov. 11, this no doubt will be one of many events marking that anniversary throughout the year. According to a news … Continue reading Ambler-Becker Texaco station to host 90th birthday for Route 66