Route 66 Recommissioning Initiative

A Comprehensive Plan for a New U.S. 66

Historic 66

The Route 66 Recommissioning Initiative offers a suggested Route 66 plan for a new U.S. Route 66 using historic U.S. Route 66 alignments.

As many knowledgeable observers are quick to point out, it would be clearly impossible to re-commission U.S. Highway (Route 66) using the old roadway as a continuous through route. Yet there are still numerous, long stretches of the old road found in diverse locations that are in excellent condition and still maintained by the state highway departments. It's just that such roads are no longer designated as U.S. 66. Usually a completely different state highway number is assigned to the old road.

This in turn leads to confusion and disappointment for some people, particularly casual tourists who are trying to find Old Route 66 and instead see roadside markers for some completely different state highway number. It is noted that the Route 66 Associations in the eight states that Old Route 66 runs through have done an outstanding job in helping to get commemorative Route 66 markers installed along the Route. Unfortunately, in spite of their best efforts, signage remains difficult to find and follow in some areas, especially where sign theft is a chronic problem.

A good way to greatly improve this situation is to re-designate such state highway sections of Old Route 66 as a new scenic U.S. 66. The new U.S. Route designation would greatly improve and expand signage, especially directional signs. But more important, it would lead to a continuously and consistently signed route that would help guide state-to-state travel on the historic Route.

Some sections of Old Route 66 have been turned over to county maintenance. The issue of marking a new U.S. 66 over such portions of the road would need to be resolved.

In order to achieve the kind of continuity normally associated with U.S. Routes, the new U.S. 66 will need to be co-designated and signed with the Interstate highways in some areas in order to bridge the gaps that will occur where an historic alignment is no longer available.

The end result will be a continuous, through route that will provide a consistent, cross-country marking plan for state-to-state travel. Travelers following U.S. Route 66 will then have standard signage that will carry a high degree of familiarity from one state to the next.

Re-establishing the U.S. Highway designation for Route 66 will also accomplish the following additional objectives:

First, it will pay national tribute to what is arguably the most famous highway in history by restoring U.S. Highway 66 to its prominent role in its traditional corridor as a living, functioning and relevant route.

Second, new signage placed at all interchanges and junctions will direct tourists, history buffs, pleasure seekers and RV'ers to the old road ("Historic" U.S. 66) while retaining heavy industrial and time critical traffic on the Interstates. The resulting increase in tourist and recreation traffic on the old historic Route will in turn bring new life to communities and businesses along the old road.

Third, returning the route to all standard maps and atlases along with the development of new directional signage will make it easier for tourists in otherwise unfamiliar territory to jump off the Interstate and enjoy a short stretch of U.S. 66 before returning to the Interstate down the road. Many of these kinds of drivers are folks that would not travel any portion of Route 66 at all under current conditions. People with a little more time, an interest in history or just looking to see the country will easily be able to navigate the entire Route from Chicago to Santa Monica and expect a certain level of signage and road conditions on their trip.

Additionally, the old roadway also needs to be established as a National Scenic/Historic Byway. This has already come to pass in the State of New Mexico and as of early 2004, is pending in Missouri. Byway status will encourage the protection of many historic roadside businesses and landmarks as well as the roadway itself. The combination of official U.S. Highway designation and Historic Byway designation will complement each other. New U.S. Highway designation will put the Route back on standard road atlases and provide signage, while the Byway designation would offer historic protection. Does this great National treasure deserve anything less?

While this is intended to be a comprehensive plan that would both re-sign the Old Historic Route and do something for modern travelers as well, it is not the only plan available nor can it claim to be the best plan. To view alternative methods of re-commissioning U.S. Route 66, please see alternative plans.

THE U.S. NUMBERED HIGHWAY SYSTEM - FACTS AND MYTHS

Myth:	The U.S. Numbered Highway System is a system of federal highways managed by a branch of the United States Federal government. (False).
Fact:	The U.S. Numbered Highway System is managed entirely by the transportation departments in the individual states and coordinated through the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). AASHTO is an organization somewhat akin to a trade association composed of the various state transportation departments. AASHTO has many functions intended to further the transportation interests of its member state DOT's. Among those functions is the approval or disapproval of U.S. Route number changes and their recording in the U.S. Numbered Highway System route log. State participation in the U.S. Numbered Highway System is entirely voluntary and AASHTO's approval (or disapproval) decisions are not enforceable. However, the individual states have an established history of cooperating with one another other on the management of the System.
Myth:	The U.S. Numbered Highway System is a system of federal highways with its own set of federal highway standards. (False).
Fact:	The very name "U.S. Highway System" is somewhat of a misnomer. It is not really so much a "highway" system but rather a system of grid-like numbered routings. It was first conceived by AASHTO and the Bureau of Public Roads in the 1920's as an integral part of the "Better Roads Movement" of that time. Much of the intent was to provide for a comprehensive, unified marking guide to facilitate continuous state-to-state travel over longer distances. Since the System was put in place in 1926, the standards recommended by AASHTO have had more to do with numbering and route designation than with physical, geometric standards. The Eisenhower Interstate Highway System has a set of stringent geometric standards set forth by Congress and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) but the U.S. Numbered Highway System does not. However, highways in the U.S. Numbered Highway System are required to meet certain state standards. These state standards can vary drastically from state to state.
Myth:	A new U.S. Route like U.S. 66 cannot be recommissioned without the approval of the Federal Highway Administration. (False).
Fact:	The Interstate Highway System is managed jointly by the FHWA and AASHTO; the U.S. Numbered Highway System is entirely under the auspices of AASHTO alone. AASHTO acts based on formal submissions from the individual states. Renumbering of U.S. 66 would, however, require the concurrence of the transportation departments from all eight Route 66 states.
Myth:	Many old, antique bridges and other quaint pieces of historic infrastructure along the Route 66 corridor would be doomed if the U.S. Route 66 designation were restored. (Inaccurate)
Fact:	Not every single piece of historic roadway would be eligible or even appropriate for a new U.S. Highway designation. There are some alignments where it would be difficult to make them safe again for state highway traffic without extensive rebuilding. The solution here is to run the new U.S. Route designation over another alignment of Old Route 66 that was built at a later date. If no such alternative exists, then the designation can be put on the parallel Interstate to bypass the problem. But, it should be pointed out that such antique sections of roadway could still be graced with brown and white historic markers. There would be no conflict here since such historic markers are strictly commemorative in nature and do not constitute official state highway route markers.
Myth:	Old U.S. 66 was decommissioned because its old roadway no longer met modern highway standards. (False)
Fact:	As the Interstate Highway System was opened for traffic one relatively short section at a time, many of the states involved chose to re-locate the Route 66 U.S. Highway designation onto the Interstate to avoid the necessity of continuing to sign two essentially parallel routes. When the final section of Interstate Highway was open to traffic in 1984, what essentially remained (with a few exceptions) was a dual-signed superhighway. For a number of reasons, partly social-economic and partly for the streamlining effect, the states involved wanted to move away from this dual-signed arrangement. Therefore, in 1985, the states involved requested the complete removal of the Route 66 U.S. Highway designation and AASHTO approved the change. However, in the nearly 20 years since, the popularity of Route 66 has simply exploded and by some projections this may only be the beginning. By the most conservative estimates, there are now 10,000 people a year traveling on Route 66, or at least trying to in the absence of official route designation. More liberal estimates put the figure closer to 20,000 and with Route 66 growing in popularity every year this may only be the beginning. The states involved have a responsibility to all travelers to provide a continuous, uniform marking plan to facilitate state-to-state travel. This is what the U.S. Numbered Highway System was conceived to do. That should be reason enough to re-commission U.S. 66. Above and beyond this need is the fact that Route 66 has been a major force in America; and is a truly unique American institution in its own right. Re-commissioning would provide Route 66 with an element of permanence, a little bit like grounding a monument base in concrete.