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As the average Route 66 motorist reached the "Panhandle" in the Lone Star State, it became obvious that a profound change was occurring. The traveler could clearly see that he had left the Midwest behind and had begun to enter the more wide open spaces of the far west.
Many a westward voyager would stop in one of the small towns such as Shamrock, McLean, Adrian or Vega for gas, food or service. Perhaps the traveler might have noticed that the air had different, drier scent to it accentuated by the fragrance of scattered cedar trees.
Several fascinating tourist establishments were or still are located in the Panhandle. The Cadillac Ranch, the Barbed Wire Museum, The U Drop Inn or the Rattlesnake Ranch come to mind.
Amarillo was always a good place to stop for a night's lodging with the "main drag" lined with numerous motels and dining establishments. If a traveler is hungry for good food, the world famous Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo should not be passed up.
All but a couple of relatively short sections of Old Route 66 in the Panhandle are still open to traffic and are in good, drivable condition. In a few places the role of Old Route 66 has become that of a frontage road for Interstate 40. The issue of posting official U.S. Route markers along a frontage road will need to be resolved. In circumstances where a frontage road has no surviving businesses, it might be more expedient to simply run the new U.S. 66 route designation over the Interstate co-signed with I-40. However, brown and white commemorative historic markers could be maintained on the frontage road.
New U.S. Highway designation would improve signage, return the Route to all standard road atlases and provide the historic Route 66 traveler with a consistent, continuous state-to-state marking plan.
This will all add up to making Route 66 more "visible" to the traveling public. The added exposure will, in turn, increase traffic and business along the old road. Many historic and newer businesses and properties are already capitalizing on the Route 66 name and, although a few are struggling, all, both old and new alike, would be in a position to profit from a revitalized U.S. Route 66. In addition, the old roadway should be established as National Scenic/Historic byway such as was done with The Old National Road (aka U.S. 40) from East St. Louis to Baltimore. This would help protect many of the historic landmarks along the way and some of the infrastructure as well.
A somewhat more ambitious, alternative plan would be to simply re-designate Interstate 40 as a new U.S. Highway 66. This would in turn make it possible to designate the old roadway as an AASHTO-approved historic-bannered route (U.S. "Historic" 66).
Whatever approach is used, the return of U.S. Route 66 would be of clear benefit to both travelers and the region's economy. Smaller communities along the old road would especially be in a position to benefit.
If you are a resident of the Great Lone Star State, contact your state representatives at: www.capitol.state.tx.us/fyi/zip.htm
Ask them to consider sponsoring legislation that would 1) restore the U.S. Highway designation to Old Texas Route 66 and 2) establish the old Route as a National Scenic/Historic Byway.
The United States Congress also has the authority to designate or re-designate U.S. Highways. E-mail or write your U.S. Representative at:
www.house.gov/writerep/
Let your U.S. representative know that a new official U.S. Route designation is needed for Old Route 66 and that federal assistance is needed to help pay for additional new signs and, where needed, repairing the old roadway and bridges.
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