The steering committee of the Route 66: The Road Ahead Initiative last week issued a final report of what it did in 2015 and what it hopes to carry out in 2016.
You can read the entire 13-page report here. The committee’s goals sprang from a series of workshops held in several Route 66 states and attended by more than 300 people.
The report contains more detail, but here are the goals going forward (these are mostly verbatim but lightly edited):
— Establish one professionally led representative body with a board initially appointed by the Route 66: The Road Ahead Initiative steering committee to deliver on strategic outcomes/goals, convene meetings, act as a central resource and represent the whole road.
— Leverage the resources of organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, World Monuments Fund, National Main Street Center and other organizations to assist with the achievement of the organization’s strategic outcomes.
— Build a budget and a three-year financial plan designed to initially underwrite the new Route 66: The Road Ahead Initiative organization.
— Establish a Promotion Working Group to collaboratively market, domestically and internationally, all of Route 66 and to obtain matching funds through sources such as Brand USA.
— Develop a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy to promote the road that leverages social media and provides a cohesive website and a clearinghouse for information.
— Educate the public, tour operators, communities, entrepreneurs, governments and the next generation about the history, cultural importance, economic value, attractions and business opportunities along Route 66.
— Establish a Preservation Working Group to collaboratively share best practices and ideas between groups such as as state historic preservation offices and departments of transportation, focused on the preservation of Route 66-related bridges, buildings, structures, districts, sites, objects and landscapes.
— Pursue federal legislation for designation of Route 66 as a National Historic Trail.
— Share information with Route 66 stakeholders about the meaning and benefits of preservation and the tools, techniques and incentives for appropriate preservation outcomes.
— Establish an Economic Development Working Group to collaboratively share best practices or examples of successful community revitalization and to build effective strategies for leveraging tourism for economic development.
— Identify and promote case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of leveraging Route 66 tourism for economic development purposes to draw support and increase involvement of Route 66 stakeholders.
— Share information with Route 66 stakeholders about the meaning and benefits of preservation and the tools, techniques and incentives for appropriate preservation outcomes.
— Establish a national Research/Education Working Group to collaboratively support professional and amateur educators and researchers in their efforts to inspire and renew public understanding of Route 66.
— Assist educational institutions at all levels in presenting Route 66 research to students, travelers, tourists and the public.
— Support the research and preparation of comprehensive and accurate Route 66 information and its distribution in multiple forms, including netcasting, broadcasting, print, social media and curriculum.
— Establish an International Advisory Group to help ensure active collaboration with as many Route 66 stakeholders as possible.
— Establish an American Indian Tribal Advisory Group to help ensure active collaboration with as many Route 66 stakeholders as possible.
More about the Route 66: The Road Ahead initiative’s activities may be read here.
Ron, Who are the members of the steering committee? Worthy undertaking and quite a scope. The designation of a National Historic Trail and the care of all the bridges, etc. is great. When we love something, we take care of it.
The members of the Steering Committee include:
David Bricker, Deputy District Director, California Department of Transportation, San Bernardino, CA
John Conoboy, National Park Service (retired), Albuquerque, NM
David Dunaway, Professor, University of New Mexico Facilitator, Route 66 Archives and Research Collaboration Albuquerque, NM
Sharlene Fouser, Executive Director, Arizona Route 66 All American Road/Rte 66 Assoc.
Melvena Heisch, Deputy SHPO, Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City, OK
Jim Hinckley Author, Jim Hinckley’s America, Kingman, AZ
Bill Kelly, Executive Director, Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, Springfield, IL
David Knudson, Executive Director, National Historic Route 66 Federation, Lake Arrowhead, CA
Kevin Mueller, Owner, Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, NM
Tommy Pike, President, The Route 66 Association of Missouri, Springfield, MO
Dan Rice, Owner, 66 to Cali, Inc. Executive Director Designate, Route 66 Alliance, Santa Monica, CA
Bob Russell, Mayor, City of Pontiac Pontiac, IL
Katie Steele Danner, Director, Missouri State Tourism Office Board member, Mississippi Parkway Commission Jefferson City, MO
Bill Thomas, Community organizer, Atlanta, IL
Amy Webb, Field Director, National Trust for Historic Preservation Denver, CO
Rich Williams, Director, New Mexico Main Street Program Santa Fe, NM
David Zimmerman, Historic Preservation Specialist, Arizona Department of Transportation Phoenix, AZ
All of these are wonderful, but for two things: 1) We hope they get enough money to do all that, and 2) they sure won’t get any from near-bankrupt Chicago, but they’d better get hizzoner da mayor (Rahm Emanuel) on board anyway — and SOON. Rahmbo’s government may be nearly broke, but he wants those international travelers coming to Chicago just as much as the downstaters want them on the route — Rahm just doesn’t realize yet that Route 66 will bring them here and that the city will benefit financially if/when he finally wises up, promotes Route 66, and joins in the Road Ahead collaborative. (Would somebody give him a push, please? Or maybe a good swat upside the head?? Chicago roadies thank you in advance.)
“…if/when he finally wises up…”
You may be waiting a while for this…