Plan seeks to make Route 66 a National Historic Trail
ALBUQUERQUE — A new proposal moving through Congress seeks to designate Route 66, the highway that connected Chicago to Los Angeles and was once an economic driver for small towns across a postWorld War II United States, as a National Historic Trail.
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Jim Inhofe announced last week the introduction of a bipartisan bill that would amend the National Trails System Act and include Route 66 in an effort to help revitalize cities and small towns that sit along the historic corridor.
The plan comes as cities and towns where the once busy Route 66 passed through have been developing revitalization projects to rehabilitate aging buildings and landmarks to attract tourists.
Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, said in a statement that Route 66 symbolizes freedom that allowed motorists to visit mom-and-pop diners, small businesses and scenic byways through eight states.
“Just as importantly, this bill would safeguard Route 66 as [a] cultural landmark, preserving its significance as the ‘Main Street of America’ for future generations of adventurers, migrants, hitchhikers, and tourists venturing westward,” Udall said.
Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, said it was important for Congress to try to preserve the historic road with such a deep history.
“Museums from Clinton to Elk City to Chandler highlight the impact of this road as a representation of American pioneer values,” Inhofe said.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar bill in June.
Under the proposal, the National Park Service would administer Route 66 as a National Historic Trail and would help spur critical preservation efforts along the highway.