Route 66 Road Ahead details progress so far, new projects ahead

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership recently released a second-quarter report on its accomplishments and future projects, including a just-announced partnership with the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association.

Much of the Route 66 Road Ahead’s energies have concentrated on the Route 66 Centennial Commission Act and the Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act, both which await U.S. Senate action after being unanimously passed in the House earlier this summer.

The organization also serves as a major sponsor of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s current Preserve Route 66 tour to help drum up support of that legislation and bring more publicity to Route 66.

But plenty of other tasks lie ahead.

According to a news release Thursday, the partnership with AIANT comes with a memorandum of understanding:

• Acknowledge Route 66 potentially affects about 44 tribal nations
• Support authentic, first-voice interpretation and representation of tribal people in information and programming produced for the public
• Enhance visitor experiences on Route 66 through developing travel itineraries
• Collectively advance the traveling public’s awareness of Route 66 as applicable to tribal interests and encourage the use of these travel and tourism opportunities in environmentally and culturally sensitive ways that produce long-term economic, educational, and recreational benefits, especially for tribal nations
• Support collaboration between AIANTA, the Road Ahead, affected tribes, local/state/federal agencies, and/or other entities with interests in Route 66

The first project of AIANTA and Route 66 Road Ahead is developing a Route 66 Tribal Itinerary designed to highlight tribal attractions and sites on and near the Mother Road.

Other future projects or accomplishments for Route 66 Road Ahead:

• Organizing an annual Route 66 Stakeholders meeting in which all Route 66 business owners, municipalities, property owners, public officials and enthusiasts are invited to meet with the organization’s board of directors and discuss future projects.
• Working with Illinois State University to develop a GPS-related Route 66 navigation app.
• Ensuring a stable revenue stream for the organization, which includes a three-year, $150,000 sponsorship with State Farm Insurance, revenue from the upcoming Route 66 navigation app, an upcoming Route 66 charity credit-card program, and a possible sponsorship with the Royal Enfield Motorcycle Co.
• Form a Vintage Motel Task Force to find the needs and challenges of owners and operators of Route 66 motels. Among those who joined the group were the owners of the Boots Motel in Carthage, Missouri; Motel Safari in Tucumcari, New Mexico; and Sunset Motel in Moriarty, New Mexico.
• Establish an International Advisory Group to help ensure collaboration with as many foreign Route 66 stakeholders as possible, including a survey that will be launched next month at the European Route 66 Festival in Zlin, Czech Republic.
• Form a Preservation Working Group to share best practices and ideas between state historic preservation offices and departments of transportation to preserve Route 66 bridges, buildings, structures, districts, sites, objects and landscapes.
• support professional and amateur educators, researchers and education institutions in their efforts to inspire and renew public understanding of Route 66.
• Hiring a Route 66 person to attend national and international events related to the Mother Road.
• Developing a list of businesses along Route 66 to be added to the organization’s website.
• Hired a communication specialist to distribute information about Route 66 Road Ahead’s activities and develop a marketing and communications strategy.
• Formed a Route 66 Road Ahead group on Facebook.

(Image of old Route 66 in Adrian, Texas, by Thomas Hawk via Flickr)