More bridges on Route 66 apparently have failed in recent days east of Ludlow, California, closing the historic highway to the hamlet of Amboy, California.
That’s on top of the closed portion of Route 66 from Essex, California, to Amboy. That leaves no direct Route 66 access to Amboy the east and west of the village.
The only access to Amboy is via 17 miles of Keilbaker Road from Interstate 40 to the north, or on Amboy Road from Twentynine Palms, California, to the south.
According to a San Bernardino County road closure site, bridges between Amboy and Ludlow failed on May 12. It states it is “unknown” when the bridges can be repaired to resume traffic.
Several travelers on the Historic Route 66 page on Facebook have reported the new closure, as well.
Flash flooding wiped out 1930s-era bridges in 2014 and 2017 between Essex and Amboy. The county has been trying to collect various funds to repair them, but the sheer number of bridges affected has made getting all the repairs done difficult.
Until the Ludlow-to-Amboy and Essex-to-Amboy stretches are reopened, Roy’s in Amboy likely will continue to struggle more to have traffic on its stretch of Route 66.
(Image of a “Road Closed” sign by huskyboy via Flickr)
This is so distressing, this is one of my favorite parts of driving Rt 66, I am glad I was able to drive this when it was still US 66. My last trip was in 2012, we cam back I-40, that is one of the most nothing drives I-40 between Barstow and Needles, it is much more interesting on old 66.
Can you still access Cadiz Road in Chambless for 66? Or is that piece of access closed too?
As of 8/2/2022, 66 is blocked before Cadiz at Kielbacher. We just passed thru then. That said, I believe you can drive around the roadblock (at your own risk) and reach Cadiz, but eventually you will have to turn around.
It’s been like this for almost 10 years. Pathetic, the last 3 presidents have talked about rebuilding our infrastructure, but projects like this get ignored. Fix it already!
I’m dying to drive on that section of route 66 from Amboy to Cadiz, my wife and I,whom passed in 2021, put our name along side of the road like so many others have done and I would love to know if it thru the flood or the county’s distraction. Why don’t the car clubs, motorcycle clubs and everyone else who love this road have some kind of fund raiser to help get this fantastic road called the mother road fixed.