Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership taps Wisconsin firm for a financial plan

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership entered into an agreement with a Wisconsin firm to develop a strategic financial sustainment plan to help ensure long-term funding. According to a news release from the partnership, it hired The Sweeney Group of Madison, Wisconsin. To ensure the partnership's sustainability beyond 2023, its board voted during a March … Continue reading Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership taps Wisconsin firm for a financial plan

Route 66 Road Ahead to hold annual meeting March 27-28 in Springfield, Missouri

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership will hold its annual board meeting on March 27-28 at Hotel Vandivort at 305 E. Walnut St. in downtown Springfield, Missouri. According to a news release this week from the partnership: Friday sessions will focus on reports from the various Working Groups, Advisory Groups and Task Forces. On Saturday … Continue reading Route 66 Road Ahead to hold annual meeting March 27-28 in Springfield, Missouri

Route 66 Historical Trail bill won’t be reintroduced until after Supreme Court case

A lawsuit awaiting a decision in front of the U.S. Supreme Court is delaying the reintroduction of a bill that would designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail, according to a newsletter sent Thursday from the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership's chairman. Bill Thomas, partnership chairman, stated the Supreme Court probably won't rule on … Continue reading Route 66 Historical Trail bill won’t be reintroduced until after Supreme Court case

Route 66 Road Ahead announces seven new recruits from tourism field

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership this week announced the recruitment of seven new tourism directors to the Promotion Working Group, giving it representation from all eight states that Route 66 traverses. Jennifer Mullins, chairwoman of the Promotion Working Group and Oklahoma's director of travel promotion, landed the seven recruits three months after joining the … Continue reading Route 66 Road Ahead announces seven new recruits from tourism field

Oklahoma Tourism official, ROUTE Magazine editor named officers of Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership

The director of travel promotions for Oklahoma Tourism and the editor of ROUTE Magazine recently were named to the Promotion Working Group of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership. According to a news release from the group, the changes came in the wake of Promotion Working Group chairman Bill Kelly stepping down from that post. … Continue reading Oklahoma Tourism official, ROUTE Magazine editor named officers of Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership

Rutgers professor, Route 66 Road Ahead assembling a case studies project

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership announced last week it was putting together a Route 66 Case Studies Project with a Rutgers University professor to help Route 66 towns learn to use the road for economic development. The professor is David Listokin, who shepherded and co-wrote the influential Route 66 Economic Impact Study in 2012 … Continue reading Rutgers professor, Route 66 Road Ahead assembling a case studies project

Report: Route 66 Historic Trail legislation to be introduced this fall

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership on Saturday released its third-quarter report. Among the newsworthy items is the organization expects congressional legislation to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail to be introduced this fall. The measure would be House Bill 801, "tentatively" scheduled to be introduced in the coming weeks. The report stated: … Continue reading Report: Route 66 Historic Trail legislation to be introduced this fall

New Mexico Route 66 Association wades into, then retreats from sign-preservation issue

The New Mexico Route 66 Association on Sept. 5 posted a statement about the thorny issue of historic neon signs disappearing along the highway, particularly in New Mexico, then deleted the post days later. The post, which I'd monitored to read the responses, generated more than 150 comments at last count and plenty of dissatisfaction … Continue reading New Mexico Route 66 Association wades into, then retreats from sign-preservation issue

What’s being planned for the Pony Bridge near Bridgeport?

I recently received a news release from Route 66 The Road Ahead Partnership about how a historic preservation specialist on behalf of the organization weighed in on several proposals for the William H. Murray Bridge, aka Pony Bridge, near Bridgeport, Oklahoma. That led me to ask: What exactly are the proposals for the Pony Bridge? … Continue reading What’s being planned for the Pony Bridge near Bridgeport?

Report: Route 66 Historic Trail bill will be reintroduced ASAP

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership this week issued its update report on its activities in the second quarter, including that a U.S. senator from Oklahoma will reintroduce a Route 66 National Historic Trail bill "as soon as possible." The partnership summarized its findings in a letter with the report: In brief, the bill to … Continue reading Report: Route 66 Historic Trail bill will be reintroduced ASAP