Roadie wins free Phillips 66 fuel for a year February 17, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Gas stations, Highways, People, Road trips, Television.add a comment
In November, we reported that St. Louis-based roadie Rich Dinkela of HookedonRoute66.com had entered the Local Legends contest sponsored by Phillips 66. The top winner would win $1,000 cash and free gasoline for a year.
This was his video:
The winners have been announced, and Dinkela finished third. He earned no cash, but he did receive a year’s worth of free fuel. Here’s a story by KTVI-TV in St. Louis, including a video:
Dinkela undoubtedly will use that free fuel to help him with his current project — marking obscure alignments of Route 66 with an on-road stencil:
Where is the western end of Route 66? February 7, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Highways, History.7 comments
Dan Rice, owner of the 66-to-Cali souvenir shop on the Santa Monica Pier, does a very good job answering that question. The western terminus of the Mother Road has a complicated history:
Let’s make Route 66 a National Historic Trail February 2, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Highways, History, Preservation.6 comments
It’s time for the Route 66 community to talk to congressmen about eventually designating the Mother Road as a National Historic Trail, under the auspices of the National Park Service.
Of the eight states where the old highway traverses, six have attained Byways or All-American Road status for Route 66. A seventh — California — soon will gain that status as well. (Texas remains the only holdout.)
A rendering of what a Route 66 National Historic Trail might look like.
With that in mind, it’s time for Route 66ers to set sights on a new and bigger goal — getting National Historic Trail status in time for Route 66′s 100th anniversary in 2026.
The benefits of a National Historic Trail designation for Route 66 are:
— Better and more consistent directional signs. Signs directing travelers to Route 66 are scattershot or even nonexistent in several areas, much like America’s road system was before highway federalization in 1926. The lack of signage remains travelers’ No. 1 complaint about Route 66, according to the recently released Route 66 Economic Impact Report. Attaining Historic Trail status would require better signage throughout the route, largely solving that persistent problem.
— Boosting local economies. With a National Historic Trail designation, the greater number of Route 66 travelers would give an economic shot in the arm for many communities along the route. The Economic Impact Report says Route 66 generates $127 million annually to the U.S. economy. As a Historic Trail, that figure could rise to $200 million and above.
— More preservation of historic properties. Because of the subsequent increased economic activity of a Route 66 National Historic Trail, this would give more incentive to maintain or enhance historic properties. Route 66 travelers want to see landmarks from a bygone era. With more of those travelers, most of those owners will keep their historic places shored up.
Nearly 20 trails exist under the National Historic Trail Act. Nearly all were deemed historically relevant in the 19th century and even before. Route 66 would become one of the few trails in the National Park Service that hearkens to the 20th century. And it instantly would be the most famous of all the trails.
About 10 days ago, I participated in a conference call with National Park Service officials about the possibility of making Route 66 a Historic Trail. Also there were Kaisa Barthuli, program manager of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program; Jim Ross, a prominent Route 66 historian; and Michael Wallis, author of “Route 66: The Mother Road” and chairman of the Route 66 Alliance.
Aaron Mahr, superintendent of the National Historic Trails in the Intermountain Region, said during the call that Route 66 boasts “thousands” of high-potential historic sites, while the 2,000-mile El Camino Real, in comparison, totals maybe 100.
Mahr said property rights would continue to be respected even if Route 66 became a Historic Trail. “There is a clause in the Trail Act where the federal government can purchase land, but only from willing suitors,” he said. “There is absolutely no threat to land owners from the federal government.”
Mahr said the initial study of Route 66 in the early 1990s concluded that the Mother Road qualified for Historic Trail status. But the public rejected the idea at that time because of potential federal involvement.
However, the goodwill generated in subsequent years by the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program has lessened those concerns.
“The Corridor Preservation Program has done a marvelous job demonstrating that government involvement can be a good thing,” Ross said, who acknowledged he was one of those skeptics.
Generally, a feasibility study is required before a National Historic Trail is designated. However, John Conoboy, a retired National Park Service manager who help draft the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program legislation, said a feasibility study is not needed. Conoboy says the 1990s study already shows that Route 66 meets the criteria. Therefore, Route 66 can avoid a costly, time-consuming step to attain Historic Trail status.
Conoboy and Mahr agreed that Route 66 stakeholders need to ensure the noteworthy alignments of Route 66 (such as the 1926-34 loop that went to Santa Fe) be represented in the National Historic Trail.
Conoboy said NPS trail administrators also should avoid putting too many interpretive centers or kiosks along the Mother Road.
“You want the mom-and-pops to tell the story,” he said, “to keep the essential character of Route 66 alive.”
But those are future concerns. What’s needed now from the Route 66 community is to discuss the National Historic Trail idea at association meetings and at roadie gatherings. Route 66 fans should bring up the idea to local congressmen, especially in the states where Route 66 exists.
(The U.S. House of Representatives website has a handy page where you can look up and write to your congressman here.)
Write lawmakers a letter, or talk to them at constituent meetings. You might be surprised how much they might like the idea. For instance, Mahr says U.S. Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma is an enthusiastic backer of National Historic Trails, especially the Trail of Tears Historic Trail due to his Chickasaw Indian heritage.
It would be ideal if a majority of Route 66′s states landed sponsors in Congress for Route 66 Historic Trail legislation. However, it’s not crucial. The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program bill was shepherded into law by one lawmaker from New Mexico. Even with just a few legislators on board, it can still be done.
I will write Route 66 state associations, asking them to support this idea and contact their U.S. representatives and senators about it. The National Historic Trail idea already has drawn support from the Route 66 Alliance, the National Historic Route 66 Federation, and the Oklahoma Route 66 Association.
This can get done. We just need to be persistent. And if you have other ideas to speed this proposal along, let me know in the comments section.
Bill would eliminate National Scenic Byways program February 1, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Highways, Preservation.10 comments
A transportation bill proposed by U.S. House committee chairman would eliminate the National Scenic Byways program, according to an email from an official with the Route 66 Association of New Mexico.
Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced legislation Tuesday that would repeal the byways program, according to an email from Vickie Ashcraft of the association.
Sure enough, the American Energy and Infrastructure Act of 2012 contains this text on Page 201:
(k) NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAYS PROGRAM.—Section
8 162, and the item relating to that section in the analysis
9 for chapter 1, are repealed.
Six of the eight Route 66 states have attained Byway or All-American Road status for Route 66. The program has given out thousands of dollars in grants to help Route 66 tourism over the years.
Supporters of the Byways programs are urged to contact the committee and ask the panel to eliminate the program’s repeal language. One letter to the committee was forwarded to me; you can use part of this excerpt if you wish:
With a national effort to implement new efforts to attract international visitors and create jobs, we cannot put at risk a proven tool like the system of 150 All-American Roads and National Scenic Byways. [...]
The Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway, as well as the other federally designated roadways across the U.S., have been an integral part in developing and strengthening the economies of our country’s rural and metropolitan communities.
Byways are extremely important today as an international tourism marketing tool and will become even more important with the advent of the Corporation for Travel Promotion/Brand USA efforts to regain our lost share of international travel and create jobs. Claims of international significance for our byways are indeed substantiated. The new organization set up to market the US to international visitors, Brand USA, has a chart showing its marketing plan. One of the four experience pillars Brand USA is targeting is the Great Outdoors – and Byways are prominently listed along with National Parks. In fact to a considerable extent, Byways fit into all four pillars. We have $200 million available to attract visitors and create jobs through this initiative – Abolishment of the proven and successful National Scenic Byways Program would take away one of the prime marketing assets for countless communities and regions.
Abolishing the National Scenic Byway Program would be devastating to our Byway, our state and th entire country. Our Byways have done incredible work and made great strides to impact tourism, economic development and transportation under the National Scenic Byway Program. Byways across the country have leveraged the National Scenic Byway Program designation to obtain funds from other federal, state and local funding resources to make a significant impact on American transportation, our visitor-based economy, on community livability and protection of our natural resources – just to name a few.
It might also be a good idea to refer to the recently released Route 66 Economic Impact Report when writing the committee. It makes a very good case on why historic preservation is a very efficient cog in the U.S. economy.
UPDATE: The National Scenic Byways Foundation has instructions on who to write and how on its home page.
Man seeks historical information about Cuervo December 5, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Highways, History, Towns.add a comment
A Santa Fe resident is searching for historical information about the tiny Route 66 town of Cuervo, N.M., according to the current print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator, based in nearby Santa Rosa.
Ken Earle’s interest in Cuervo has always simmered every time he drove Route 66 through the area. But it turned into an obsession when he met a county resident in a Tucumcari restaurant.
Earle is among those who believes countless untold stories are still waiting to be shared.
“One thing that would be interesting would be to interview people who may have some memories or family stories of Cuervo,” he said.
Those with Cuervo memories are urged to call Earle at 505-466-1433, or email kearle(at)cybermesa(dot)com. Earle already has scoured documents at the Guadalupe County Courthouse in Santa Rosa.
Cuervo never was a particularly large village. But it withered badly when it was cut in half by Interstate 40.
Hard-core Route 66 fans know the town as the beginning of Cuervo Cut-off, a primitive alignment of Route 66 that dates to the 1950s:
Kansas Route 66 attains Historic Byway status November 29, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Gas stations, Highways, Movies, Preservation.add a comment
The Kansas portion of historic Route 66 has been designated as a Kansas Historic Byway, according to a news release today from the Kansas Department of Transportation.
The designation applies to all 13 miles of Route 66 in southeastern Kansas, including older alignments. As a result, the route will feature Kansas Scenic Byway signs (example here), be placed on the National Scenic Byways listing, and be included on the Kansas Scenic Byways website.
Also, the designation will enable the route to be eligible for federal grants to enhance and/or promote the byway.
The news release said:
“The designation of Kansas Historic Route 66 will emphasize the important significance of the route in this area for visitors and local residents, encouraging them to drive the route and explore the communities along it,” said Scott Shields, Kansas State Byways Coordinator.
An historic byway must have resources that are historically significant, be numerous, visible and have a setting or character that is complementary to the resources. “We are excited to add Historic Route 66 to the Kansas Byway collection. The route designation provides travelers a chance to view the relationship between the history of the original highway and the landscape and structures that define the area, in a combined effort to promote tourism and economic development, while exploring the natural and cultural importance of the byway communities,” Shields said.
Renee Charles of Galena and Marla Larison of Baxter Springs serve as co-chairs of the Kansas Historic Route 66 Byway Planning Committee.
Charles is one of the proprietors of 4 Women on the Route in Galena, which has become a significant Route 66 attraction. The business serves as a combination restaurant and tourism center in a refurbished Kan-O-Tex gas station. Also, a 1951 International boom truck that served as a major inspiration to Mater in the Disney-Pixar films “Cars” and “Cars 2″ is displayed at 4 Women on the Route.
Kansas joins Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Arizona, and New Mexico as states which have earned National Scenic Byway or All-American Road designations along their stretches of Route 66.
The only holdouts left are Texas and California, and the Golden State probably will join the byways program soon upon the completion of a comprehensive study of Route 66 in California.
Bicycle trail proposed from Springfield to Strafford November 16, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in bicycling, Highways.add a comment
A bicycle and pedestrian trail is being proposed next to Route 66 from the eastern edge of Springfield, Mo., to the nearby community of Strafford, according to a document by the Ozark Transportation Organization’s Journey 2035 long-range transportation plan.
This video shows an image of Route 66 next to modern-day Strafford, which then melts into an artist’s rendering of the bike trail:
The description of the video says:
The main transportation improvement shown here is the addition of a trail paralleling Route 66 along the south. This trail is intended to connect Springfield, through Strafford, to the ball fields at Farm Road 249 on the east end of Strafford. The additional land use changes are inspired by the Route 66 Corridor Management Plan, as well as Strafford’s DREAM Plan for their downtown.
According to Google Maps, Farm Road 249 would be 8.5 miles to U.S. 65 in Springfield, which is where the proposed bike trail would stop.
As I’ve said before, public sentiment to create bicycle-friendly trails or lanes along Route 66 continues to grow. And if local governments are willing to contribute to that effort, it will make it easier for a cross-country bike trail to be established on the Mother Road.