Route 66 - Upgrade or not??

[RWebb]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) ” New Mexico’s largest city is the latest to embark on upgrades to its portion of the historic Route 66 Highway.

Officials in Albuquerque want to see improvements to a barren stretch of Route 66 in an area that some complain is a forgotten part of the city, KRQE-TV reports .

City officials are eying a $2.3 million plan that would add medians, landscaping and lighting along the Mother Road west of downtown. Currently, there are no sidewalks, landscaping or bike lanes and very few street lights.

Albuquerque has the largest part of Route 66 in an urban area.

The move comes as an endangered federal program that has helped preserve the historic Route 66 Highway for two decades is set to end and federal legislation to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail remains stalled in Congress.

Earlier this year, Gallup, New Mexico, announced a plan to upgrade its Route 66 streetlights to LED lights. And various cities in Oklahoma also have embarked on Route 66 facelifts.

Route 66, also called the “Mother Road,” was created in 1926 after the Bureau of Public Roads launched the nation’s first federal highway system, bringing together existing local and state roads from Chicago through St. Louis to Los Angeles. Small towns opened shops, motels and gas stations to pump revenue into local economies just as the nation’s car culture took off.

One of the first roads in the U.S. highway system, it spanned more than 2,400 miles (3,862 kilometers). The highway ran through eight states, connecting tourists with friendly diners in small towns.

The route changed a number of times through the years. It eventually became less of a destination thanks to new interstate highways.

The World Monuments Fund in 2008 listed Route 66 on the “Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites.”

[Jim Richards]

What about Tucomcari?

[biosurfer1]

Why not? It's not like there has never been improvements along stretches of Route 66 before

[GH85Carrera]

We have a lot of RT 66 through Oklahoma City. Some parts or RT 66 is now just local roads with little to show it as anything but just another metro street.
On part of the route is a road I go down to a local business we use. Part of the original cobblestones shows through the worn asphalt. RT 66 takes a really weird winding path through the city. Parts of the old road are just covered up with interstate and interchanges.

[flatbutt]

I can readily support fixing the road. i'm thinking that would attract businesses to open a location alongside the route. Traveling that route on my bike is on my bucket list.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by biosurfer1

Why not? It's not like there has never been improvements along stretches of Route 66 before

I want them to preserve the character of this famed & historic road. I also want Alba-Turkey to prosper and mae $$ from it. I think it should be a National Trail - good to have National Motorized Trails IMO.

I'm not saying they won't do all of that howevah...

[dlockhart]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I can readily support fixing the road. i'm thinking that would attract businesses to open a location alongside the route. Traveling that route on my bike is on my bucket list.

Did it end to end many years ago with my brother, both of us on old K100s.

[Cajundaddy]

Yes please! I live 1 block off Rt 66 in Rancho Cucamonga where it is being lovingly restored. Parts of Fontana and SBDO are still pretty blighted and it would be great to keep this route alive.

[RWebb]

updates?

pics of 911s on Route 66? (esp. if passing Buzz in his 'vette)

[KNS]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

We have a lot of RT 66 through Oklahoma City. Some parts or RT 66 is now just local roads with little to show it as anything but just another metro street.
On part of the route is a road I go down to a local business we use. Part of the original cobblestones shows through the worn asphalt. RT 66 takes a really weird winding path through the city. Parts of the old road are just covered up with interstate and interchanges.

A couple of years ago I drove Rt 66 from OKC to Weatherford, OK and back and stayed completely off I-40. Long stretches of the old two lane remain. In many areas the road is crumbling, narrow and crosses a lot of cool, old bridges. You have to get off the Interstate and search for the road in some places but it's there and accessible. Pretty cool.

I've also driven many parts of the actual road in AZ and CA. Some parts of the road are closed to traffic and weeded over but you can spot the old sections from the air.

[john70t]

(Only if you want your kicks)

[Skytrooper]

IMO, Rt66 west of downtown ABQ is sorely in need of a facelift. They have been working on the downtown portion for the past couple of years and it is looking quite nice.

[pwd72s]

From car guy internet pics, I'd kinda thought the whole road had been tourist trapped...kind if like coastal route 101 through Oregon. At least there, the ocean has been left untouched.

[Fly Mach .86]

More than one way to get there.

[sugarwood]

Do you know the story about that plane photo ?
How did it land there?

I've driven that stretch a few times, it's near Amboy Crater.
That thing is insane.

[Hockey fan]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Do you know the story about that plane photo ?
How did it land there?

I've driven that stretch a few times, it's near Amboy Crater.
That thing is insane.

There was a Fly-in last weekend as part of the re-lighting of the neon sign. The sign had been dark since the 1980s.

[Por_sha911]

Time to watch the movie Cars again.

[look 171]

I drove it from ABQ to San Bernando a couple years ago. Parts of it in NM is pretty bad, but the rest through AZ and CA has been pretty good. Many of the section in CA was under construction. Bummed about that.

[dlockhart]

A few months back I headed west and re visited a few 66 spots . Some places are better and some are showing a little more age.

[Cajundaddy]

About 5 years ago we brought a 36' mobile medical rig from Ohio to CA and covered big chunks of Rt 66. As we were entering NM a major storm was moving in and 3' of snow was predicted from Albuquerque to Flagstaff. We didn't want to put this rig in a ditch so we headed south and avoided the teeth of the storm.

There is still a lot of character along the route and I hope that all of the communities who plan to restore it retain the character if not the 100 yr old buildings. Just like restoring a 70s Carrera, you could be true to the original design or pimp your ride with slant nose, huge turbo-style hips and 255/305 tires on it. Some fairly simple guidelines could be established to retain the original charm using modern building codes.

I have no problem with LED lighting as long as they maintain 2700k and similar output with reasonably vintage looking fixtures. Stupid 5000k cobra heads would completely kill the vibe.
https://antiquestreetlamps.acuitybrands.com/