Search Results for: National Trails Highway

Rhys Martin becomes manager of National Trust’s Preserve Route 66 Initiative

The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced that Oklahoma Route 66 Association President Rhys Martin joined the National Trust as manager of the Preserve Route 66 Initiative last month.  Martin, who hails from Tulsa, joins Amy Webb, who leads the Preserve Route 66 Initiative’s cross-Trust team. The initiative provides preservation grants, assistance and advocacy to help … Continue reading Rhys Martin becomes manager of National Trust’s Preserve Route 66 Initiative

Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma undergoing historic review before rehabilitation work begins

A section of 9-foot-wide Sidewalk Highway, aka Ribbon Road, of Route 66 near Miami, Oklahoma, is undergoing a required Section 106 review before Ottawa County begins work to restore the century-old roadway. Section 106 is a review period required by the National Historic Preservation Act anytime work is imminent on or near historic properties. The … Continue reading Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma undergoing historic review before rehabilitation work begins

Restoration of West Winds Motel sign in Erick among Oklahoma Route 66 Commission grants

The restoration of the neon sign for the closed West Winds Motel in Erick, Oklahoma, is among the $6 million in grants recently awarded by the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission. A list of the funds given from the state’s Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program was posted in a document on the commission’s website. Several grant … Continue reading Restoration of West Winds Motel sign in Erick among Oklahoma Route 66 Commission grants

Oklahoma Route 66 Association prods senator to reintroduce National Historic Trail bill

The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is prodding a U.S. senator to reintroduce a bill that would designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail. Rhys Martin, president of the association, sent out an email to members this week to contact U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and urge him to reintroduce a bill similar to Senate Bill … Continue reading Oklahoma Route 66 Association prods senator to reintroduce National Historic Trail bill

A few thoughts on the AP’s story on the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program

A few days ago, Russell Contreras, a reporter with the Associated Press’ Albuquerque bureau, filed a story last week about the imminent demise of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. Because AP stories fly all over the globe and are picked up by dozens of news outlets, I thought I’d better address some of the … Continue reading A few thoughts on the AP’s story on the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program

UPDATED: Original section of Route 66 to be paved over after convenience-store chain buys it

The fate of an original section of Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri, remains up in the air after the Kum & Go convenience-store chain recently bought the property on which it sits. The Springfield News-Leader reports the piece of road on 2.9 acres on the southeast corner of Glenstone Avenue and Kearney Street (map here) … Continue reading UPDATED: Original section of Route 66 to be paved over after convenience-store chain buys it

A look ahead on Route 66 on its 91st birthday

Historic U.S. Highway 66, better known to the rest of the world as Route 66, marked its 91st birthday today. Some debate rages on whether Nov. 11 can be called the Mother Road’s birthday. A few sources give it as April 30, which was when road officials in Springfield, Missouri, in 1926 assigned the number … Continue reading A look ahead on Route 66 on its 91st birthday

Long to-do list for Route 66: The Road Ahead group

The Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership exited its second annual board of directors meeting Feb. 15-17 in Tulsa with a lengthy to-do list — including a Route 66 navigational app and funding for preservation project — for the months ahead. In addition to approving a 2018 budget and a five-year budget, the group approved … Continue reading Long to-do list for Route 66: The Road Ahead group

U.S. senator who shepherded Route 66 legislation dies

Former longtime U.S. senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico, who introduced and shepherded several key pieces of Route 66 legislation, died Wednesday in Albuquerque after setbacks from abdominal surgery. He was 85. Several obituaries about the six-term Republican lauded him for his bipartisanship and his mastery of budget, tax and energy issues until he retired … Continue reading U.S. senator who shepherded Route 66 legislation dies

Congressman introduces bill to make Route 66 a National Historic Trail

A congressman from Illinois has introduced a bill that would designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail under the auspices of the National Park Service. U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) recently introduced bill H.R. 801 to amend the National Trails System Act to create a Route 66 National Historic Trail. U.S. Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-Calif.), a senior … Continue reading Congressman introduces bill to make Route 66 a National Historic Trail