The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is manufacturing slightly redesigned road signs to mark historic Route 66 throughout the state, including adding dozens of more signs to stretches that lacked them.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association made the announcement earlier this week on its Facebook page:
The association stated the redesign removes the white bands from the top and bottom to make it stand out more, yet appearing consistent with the design of Route 66 signs in the other seven states.
The association showed what the current Oklahoma Route 66 sign and other states’ signs look like:
I asked association president Rhys Martin about the stretches of Route 66 in Oklahoma that will receive more signs:
The Lt. Governor tasked several of us on the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission to determine places that lacked adequate signage. I personally selected locations that I knew from my traveling experience needed some additional help and followed up with a mile-by-mile tour on Google Maps to identify other locations. It covers spots from Quapaw to Texola.
Martin said he did not know what the fate would be of the replaced signs.
More signs to guide travelers on Route 66 always is good news. The lack of signs on the route is the No. 1 complaint of travelers, according to a survey by Rutgers University.
(Images of the new Oklahoma Route 66 sign and current Route 66 signs in eight states via Oklahoma Route 66 Association Facebook page)
It was always a relief to see a sign and know I was on the right path.
It’s awesome that there adding more signs to the road and, redoing the other ones.
After ODOT gets rid of the squared-off 66 numbers, that sign will look a lot better. Rhys and I have worked together on this. I’m expecting much better looking signs in the future.
The old signs should be donated to the Oklahoma Route 66 Association so they can either sell them, or auction them off to raise money to further their great efforts.