Barely three months after it was first installed, the New Mexico Department of Transportation will put new markings on the pavement of the “Singing Road” section of Route 66 east of Albuquerque because the old markings apparently have worn off.
KRQE-TV in Albuquerque explains the problems involved with a set of rumble strips that allow drivers to hear the chorus of “America the Beautiful”:
The state says it’s because drivers are having a hard time finding the street’s sweet spot. When the road’s rumble strips were put down in 2014, there were white arrows painted on the pavement to make it more visible, but those have since rubbed off. There also used to be a black stripe on the side of Route 66 so people knew where the song started and ended. That’s gone, too.
As soon as the weather warms, the agency will paint new markings on the pavement to show motorists where the rumble strips are. NMDOT also is considering installing signs on nearby Interstate 40 to direct drivers to that stretch of road. The costs for these things haven’t yet been determined.
Here’s the TV station’s video report:
https://youtu.be/-YXu1JEiOfA
The “Singing Road” originally was installed by National Geographic for a television special. Some may question the wisdom of using taxpayer money on such a nonessential project. However, one should consider that the story about the “Singing Road” a few months ago went viral, so there definitely is an as-yet-unmeasured tourism benefit from it. And the fact the initial road markings already are gone shows how popular it is.
(Sign for the “Singing Road” on Route 66 east of Albuquerque)