The Joplin (Mo.) Globe reports that the nearby Route 66 town of Carterville, Mo., is getting a new Highway 249 interchange that helps connect to Highway 171, U.S. 400, U.S. 71 and Interstate 44.
Locals predict it will give Carterville’s economy a big shot in the arm.
Larry Tamminem, a longtime resident and owner of an ice cream shop on Route 66, said: “It’s going to be positive, but it will be up to the people of Carterville to make something happen on Main Street.
“This could create a little economic boom for the town. It has the potential of creating jobs near the interchange, including jobs with fast-food chains and truck stops. That would be a big help to Carterville. And, it could mean we will have more people coming down our Main Street [my emphasis].”
I hope Tamminem is right. But Route 66 is littered with town centers that have been devastated by the arrival of high-speed traffic bypasses and interchanges.
Remember that scene in the movie “Cars” where Radiator Springs residents unfurled a big banner downtown that said “Welcome Interstate travelers” and waited for traffic that would never come?
Tamminem’s comment gives me an uncomfortable case of deja vu.