Saw this article the other day about Route 66:
http://news.yahoo.com/route-66-still-holds-allure-travelers-industry-215358803.html?ugccmtnav=v1%2Fcomments%2Fcontext%2F31f3b361-b917-3675-9b55-39be763d07e3%2Fcomments%3Fcount%3D20%26sortBy%3DhighestRated%26isNext%3Dtrue%26offset%3D20%26pageNumber%3D1
It's interesting to me how passionate some people, (especially non roadgeeks) are so enamored by the highway. The old route is signed decently in Arizona, especially in Flagstaff and Kingman.
The route is signed really well in Illinois, with multiple routes in places.
Quote from: NE2 on June 21, 2012, 04:17:55 AM
The route is signed really well in Illinois, with multiple routes in places.
Missouri and Oklahoma, as well. In Missouri, it's an official Byway, so it has Blue/white signs.
Not a lot of people realize U.S. 66 cut across the southeastern corner of Kansas, but Kansas has embraced that short segment. It's well-signed and there are lots of museums and attractions along the way.
Quote from: Road Hog on July 22, 2012, 09:31:55 PM
Not a lot of people realize U.S. 66 cut across the southeastern corner of Kansas, but Kansas has embraced that short segment. It's well-signed and there are lots of museums and attractions along the way.
It also has the "Rainbow Bridge" near Riverton: last of its kind along old 66.
Most of US Route 66 between central Arizona and eastern New Mexico seems to have been cut up badly and most of the old road is gone. Sections that still exist are usually I-40 business loops. However, Route 66 is very well preserved in California, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois and is generally a continuous highway once one gets past central Oklahoma.
Quote from: 707 on July 23, 2012, 07:46:32 PM
Most of US Route 66 between central Arizona and eastern New Mexico seems to have been cut up badly and most of the old road is gone. Sections that still exist are usually I-40 business loops. However, Route 66 is very well preserved in California, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois and is generally a continuous highway once one gets past central Oklahoma.
Over lunch today I had an idea to revive US 66 based on the idea that large parts of it remain intact. I threw it in Fictional Highways (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=7309).
Quote from: 707 on July 23, 2012, 07:46:32 PM
Most of US Route 66 between central Arizona and eastern New Mexico seems to have been cut up badly and most of the old road is gone. Sections that still exist are usually I-40 business loops. However, Route 66 is very well preserved in California, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois and is generally a continuous highway once one gets past central Oklahoma.
Thank goodness for Oklahoma Turnpikes ;)
East of Springfield, MO 66 is in multi-mile "chunks" but is posted well enough for you to find your way around.
Illinois is interesting, though: near Lexington (and several other areas), there are abandoned parts of a 66 expressway. While 2 Lanes are still in use, the other 2 lanes are buried under I-55.
Between Litchfield and Mt. Olive in Illinois all 4 lanes are still there. However, the southbound lanes carry two-way traffic and the northbound lanes are unused and blocked off.
Meanwhile, in California:
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_21158745/freeway-signs-placed-indicate-route-66
Quote from: US71 on July 26, 2012, 08:41:14 AM
Meanwhile, in California:
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_21158745/freeway-signs-placed-indicate-route-66
File not found. :(
Quote from: adt1982 on July 26, 2012, 11:44:37 AM
Quote from: US71 on July 26, 2012, 08:41:14 AM
Meanwhile, in California:
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_21158745/freeway-signs-placed-indicate-route-66
File not found. :(
*grumble* they changed the link.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_21158745/freeway-signs-placed-indicate-route-66
That is awesome! :clap: I really hope more places along the Mother Road will step up & do the same. I went to Glorieta, NM a month ago on a teen church camp. It was really interesting how New Mexico gave businesses their own exit ramp when they built I-40. Now most of these businesses are shut down & derelict. :-(
Quote from: cjk374 on July 26, 2012, 08:36:09 PM
That is awesome! :clap: I really hope more places along the Mother Road will step up & do the same.
Missouri does, though not on as grand a scale.
someday they might even use the correct specs
(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/CA/CA19510665i1.jpg)
(pay no attention to the Helvetica behind the curtain)
Google maps recommissionned US-66 in Chicagoland http://goo.gl/maps/iW3SY
Yes, we know.
66 had a large amount of traffic on it this afternoon through Litchfield after a bus struck the center pier of a bridge at mile 57.
Quote from: Stephane Dumas on August 02, 2012, 06:46:43 PM
Google maps recommissionned US-66 in Chicagoland http://goo.gl/maps/iW3SY
I think the recommissioned the whole thing: a quick check of Springfield, MO & Tulsa, OK shows US 66 , so it's likely related to the Historic designation, though it doesn't strictly follow the Historic Highway/Historic Byway alignments.
A month ago I was on a 10-day road trip from Michigan to California and back with a friend of mine. Our route coming home including I-10 east out of the Palm Springs area to Phoenix, I-17 north to Flagstaff, I-40 east to Oklahoma City, I-44 east to St. Louis, I-70 east to Indianpolis, and then finally U.S. 31 north back into Michigan eventually.
All along the stretches of I-40 and I-44 that we were on, we kept seeing LOTS and LOTS of references to Historic U.S. 66. Route 66 Motel, Route 66 Casino, Route 66 this, Route 66 that, etc. It was overkill. However, there was one particular brown Historic U.S. 66 sign that I saw at several exits in New Mexico, and I wanted to get a good picture of one, but I missed my chance.
Some of my non-roadgeek friends asked me before the trip, "Do you plan to take Route 66?" I got so tired of them asking me that because it seems like so many people don't realize that the road was decommissioned as a U.S. highway almost three decades ago. In general, I'm pretty indifferent on Route 66 memorabilia - probably because I never got to experience it firsthand. (I wasn't born until 1979.) I care more about modern highways, clinching routes, and so on, although the historical stuff can be interesting too.
One thing I will say, however, is that we did stay at a Route-66-themed motel in Springfield, MO. One of my roadgeek friends told me about it, and I took his recommendation. It's the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven motel in Springfield. My friend and I LOVED that place. There was a lot of really neat memorabilia in the guest rooms and lobby, and the motel was in great condition. If anyone is ever looking for good lodging in Springfield MO, I would HIGHLY recommend this motel.
There is another Route 66 thread on this site and I have already posted my information there. More than 80% of the road still exists. Almost around the corner from where the previous poster spent the night in Springfield MO is old 66, with a huge and lavish 1953 neon sign for the Rest Haven Court (also a pretty good place to stay).
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on August 03, 2012, 01:44:08 PM
A month ago I was on a 10-day road trip from Michigan to California and back with a friend of mine. Our route coming home including I-10 east out of the Palm Springs area to Phoenix, I-17 north to Flagstaff, I-40 east to Oklahoma City, I-44 east to St. Louis, I-70 east to Indianpolis, and then finally U.S. 31 north back into Michigan eventually.
All along the stretches of I-40 and I-44 that we were on, we kept seeing LOTS and LOTS of references to Historic U.S. 66. Route 66 Motel, Route 66 Casino, Route 66 this, Route 66 that, etc. It was overkill. However, there was one particular brown Historic U.S. 66 sign that I saw at several exits in New Mexico, and I wanted to get a good picture of one, but I missed my chance.
Some of my non-roadgeek friends asked me before the trip, "Do you plan to take Route 66?" I got so tired of them asking me that because it seems like so many people don't realize that the road was decommissioned as a U.S. highway almost three decades ago. In general, I'm pretty indifferent on Route 66 memorabilia - probably because I never got to experience it firsthand. (I wasn't born until 1979.) I care more about modern highways, clinching routes, and so on, although the historical stuff can be interesting too.
One thing I will say, however, is that we did stay at a Route-66-themed motel in Springfield, MO. One of my roadgeek friends told me about it, and I took his recommendation. It's the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven motel in Springfield. My friend and I LOVED that place. There was a lot of really neat memorabilia in the guest rooms and lobby, and the motel was in great condition. If anyone is ever looking for good lodging in Springfield MO, I would HIGHLY recommend this motel.
I would highly recommend driving old 66. You see a lot of things you don't get on the Interstate, and you have a lot more opportunities for scenery photos in Arizona and New Mexico. Very few of the towns are kitschy; in fact, most of the Route 66 memorabilia are from old places that are either kept up in original condition, somewhat restored, or left to rust into oblivion. I wasn't that big on Route 66 until I started driving it, but I'm a huge fan now.
There are lots of US and state routes that are just as cool as 66.
Quote from: bugo on August 04, 2012, 02:30:32 AM
There are lots of US and state routes that are just as cool as 66.
The reason 66 works so well is that so much of the road is no longer a state or US highway. Other highways definitely have old things on them, but in many cases they are still part of the main route and so see a lot more traffic, and so the old buildings are more likely to have been replaced or updated over time.
Quote from: Steve on August 04, 2012, 11:40:08 AM
Quote from: bugo on August 04, 2012, 02:30:32 AM
There are lots of US and state routes that are just as cool as 66.
The reason 66 works so well is that so much of the road is no longer a state or US highway.
This may be even more true of US 10 west of Fargo, or US 99 outside northern Oregon and far southern California (though I'm not sure how much original two-lane remains in the Central Valley). 66 is still a state highway in large portions of New Mexico and Arizona, and most in Texas is on Interstate frontage roads.
Another thing to keep in mind regarding all the 66 signs and such is that 66 is HUGE among people from other countries, particularly European. I read an article that the 66 museum in Pontiac, IL, had visitors from either 30 or 40 countries in 2011.
Quote from: Steve on August 03, 2012, 07:03:38 PM
I would highly recommend driving old 66. You see a lot of things you don't get on the Interstate, and you have a lot more opportunities for scenery photos in Arizona and New Mexico. Very few of the towns are kitschy; in fact, most of the Route 66 memorabilia are from old places that are either kept up in original condition, somewhat restored, or left to rust into oblivion. I wasn't that big on Route 66 until I started driving it, but I'm a huge fan now.
Good to know. Thanks, Steve!
Quote from: NE2 on August 04, 2012, 12:28:59 PM
This may be even more true of US 10 west of Fargo
quite correct. doing US-10 instead of I-94/I-90 is a very fun trip in and of itself. lots of small towns, dirt roads, etc.
Quoteor US 99 outside northern Oregon and far southern California
another one with lots and lots to see. due to the mountainous terrain north of Mount Shasta, a lot of the road exists only in bits and pieces. in the central valley, there are several two-lane alignments to be found but they indeed are rare since a lot of 99 was upgraded in place as early as the 1930s to four-lane. I believe the first 3-lane rural segment of 99 in California was done by 1929, and the first four-lane by 1935.
Most US highways have old alignments that contain some goodies. It's hardly limited to 66. Many of them are fairly obvious on a map with a suitable scale like a DeLorme Atlas.
Quote from: Scott5114 on August 08, 2012, 12:36:44 AM
Most US highways have old alignments that contain some goodies. It's hardly limited to 66. Many of them are fairly obvious on a map with a suitable scale like a DeLorme Atlas.
Oh, definitely. Especially through the southern midwest and south where a lot of new four-lanes have been built.
Quote from: Road Hog on July 22, 2012, 09:31:55 PM
Not a lot of people realize U.S. 66 cut across the southeastern corner of Kansas, but Kansas has embraced that short segment. It's well-signed and there are lots of museums and attractions along the way.
This is one of my favorite portions of Route 66 (perhaps because it's one of the few stretches whose corridor hasn't been fully supplanted by an Interstate), I love Baxter Springs and the little general store in Riverton.
Quote from: adt1982 on August 04, 2012, 06:34:57 PM
Another thing to keep in mind regarding all the 66 signs and such is that 66 is HUGE among people from other countries, particularly European. I read an article that the 66 museum in Pontiac, IL, had visitors from either 30 or 40 countries in 2011.
It makes sense when you think about it; America (thanks to its unique geography) pioneered the trans-continental road trip, which is a pretty romantic concept that Route 66 effectively epitomizes the roots of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2nLieCOCxI
"Route 66 is iconic. Why?
Route 66 has gained a reputation as the United States of America's most famous road. How did that happen, and why does it still matter?
In this episode of Vox Almanac, Vox's Phil Edwards explores the history of the road and the textures of its present, from the road itself to the roadside attractions along the way, to the people who enjoy its diversions and those who help maintain them. It reveals a road that's changed a lot over the decades but remains vital in unexpected ways.
When Cyrus Avery helped found Route 66 in the 1920s, he strived to create a road that would connect the Midwest to the West, and he resorted to promotional tricks and wheeling and dealing to get it done. The road quickly became a key route for migrants escaping the dust bowl and depression, forming its early reputation as "the Mother Road."
That's because it's a road that's more than a strip of concrete (or gravel, or dirt). It's a historical document of everyone who's traveled on it – as the many contributions from Vox's YouTube subscribers show, that keeps it going even as the interstates run alongside it."
Quote from: cjk374 on July 26, 2012, 08:36:09 PM
That is awesome! :clap: I really hope more places along the Mother Road will step up & do the same. I went to Glorieta, NM a month ago on a teen church camp. It was really interesting how New Mexico gave businesses their own exit ramp when they built I-40. Now most of these businesses are shut down & derelict. :-(
Can you post Google Map links to these? Thanks
Quote from: Brian556 on August 16, 2019, 08:46:10 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on July 26, 2012, 08:36:09 PM
That is awesome! :clap: I really hope more places along the Mother Road will step up & do the same. I went to Glorieta, NM a month ago on a teen church camp. It was really interesting how New Mexico gave businesses their own exit ramp when they built I-40. Now most of these businesses are shut down & derelict. :-(
Can you post Google Map links to these? Thanks
Exit 284, on I-40/US 54/historic US 66. If you pan up and down the interstate, you will see that this exit has no BGS identifying...anything...about this exit. :
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9993241,-104.5316346,3a,75y,88.54h,75.61t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQSroIrvkjV3zSjbxzGnUXQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en
Exit 239...no BGSs, no signs of any businesses. Perhaps ranch access on the north side of 40/66? But I did find a unique NMDOT district line sign.
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9914446,-105.2909293,3a,75y,292.22h,95.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sn2qzfvQzwDKy1-ARNcpRmg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en
The next exit...234...only has a "big" blue sign and a business to support it. It also has 2 exit ramps on the westbound side for just that one business:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9937475,-105.3656642,1091a,35y,288.21h,44.82t/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Then I exited at Cline's Corner and took US 285 north. I saw no more of old 66 after that.
Quote from: cjk374 on August 16, 2019, 11:44:05 PM
Quote from: Brian556 on August 16, 2019, 08:46:10 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on July 26, 2012, 08:36:09 PM
That is awesome! :clap: I really hope more places along the Mother Road will step up & do the same. I went to Glorieta, NM a month ago on a teen church camp. It was really interesting how New Mexico gave businesses their own exit ramp when they built I-40. Now most of these businesses are shut down & derelict. :-(
Can you post Google Map links to these? Thanks
Exit 284, on I-40/US 54/historic US 66. If you pan up and down the interstate, you will see that this exit has no BGS identifying...anything...about this exit. :
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9993241,-104.5316346,3a,75y,88.54h,75.61t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQSroIrvkjV3zSjbxzGnUXQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en
Exit 239...no BGSs, no signs of any businesses. Perhaps ranch access on the north side of 40/66? But I did find a unique NMDOT district line sign.
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9914446,-105.2909293,3a,75y,292.22h,95.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sn2qzfvQzwDKy1-ARNcpRmg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en
The next exit...234...only has a "big" blue sign and a business to support it. It also has 2 exit ramps on the westbound side for just that one business:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9937475,-105.3656642,1091a,35y,288.21h,44.82t/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Then I exited at Cline's Corner and took US 285 north. I saw no more of old 66 after that.
Route 66 signage can be half-way decent in some areas, poor in other areas, abysmal in other areas and down-right non-existent in still other areas.
I think I've probably shared this on this group before, but just to reiterate, this is the kind of signage that is needed for 66:
http://www.bringbackroute66.com/signs.html
As a great nation of travel lovers, I just cannot fathom why this can't be done. I continue to believe that a full scale recommissioning of the "66" U.S. Route designation along a combination of historic and modern alignments is the only way this will happen.
I have contacted the state DOTs involved in the past and they have let me know that they think that the historic and "byway" markers are sufficient. Reading between the lines, the state DOTs
LOVE those kinds of markers because they come out of someone else's budget.
In the last two years, the idea has been advanced to establish Route 66 as a "National Historic Trail" (NHT). I believe this would improve signage but the sad reality is that it is most certainly not a sure thing. Last year the House passed this legislation only to have it die in the Senate. Now so far this year, no one has reintroduced it yet as far as I know and, let's be frank, 2019 is winding down. It's already September.
I don't know if the issue of inadequate signage on Route 66 will ever be addressed. I guess our government has more important issues out there.
But we area still further ahead than we were 30 years ago, I guess.
Best Regards,
Fred M. Cain
Me and one of my parents have been wanting to drive the Route 66 highway in New Mexico & Arizona but unfortunately if we fly, we have to rent a car. If we rent a car then I, an 15 (will be 16) year old will not be able to drive, which was the main point. If I did decide to drive but crashed, insurance won't cover it.
Last year, I encountered a group of British tourists traveling the old highway in Claremore, OK at the Will Rogers Museum.
Quote from: fredmcain on September 06, 2019, 11:29:09 AMRoute 66 signage can be half-way decent in some areas, poor in other areas, abysmal in other areas and down-right non-existent in still other areas.
While incredibly true (I've spent quite a bit of time recently looking at it in OK, TX and NM on Streetview), what was being meant was NM upgrading US66 into I-40 adding interchanges for every clump of businesses, no matter how small, which means that these interchanges either serve one business, or nothing now, and so the only thing to sign is 'Exit 239'.
And US66 Historic is not worth signing at these sort of minor interchanges on I-40 anyway (not that it exists at the specific interchanges referred to as no frontage/service road with the interstate obliterating the former road) - if you wanted US66 Historic, you'd have joined it at any of the other junctions where it also meets/ is right nearby, because that's almost every junction!
The problem I encountered the few times that I drove sections of Old 66 is that some thru segments that you CAN drive on between exits are not necessarily noted, or are bypassed, likely due to who maintains the road and/or the condition of the road.
Kinda like how in Colorado, CDOT fails to mark most still-active US highways which parallel the interstates.
Quote from: thenetwork on September 06, 2019, 03:25:55 PM
The problem I encountered the few times that I drove sections of Old 66 is that some thru segments that you CAN drive on between exits are not necessarily noted, or are bypassed, likely due to who maintains the road and/or the condition of the road.
Oh, totally. It's one of the abysmal signage things that US66 is hard to follow most of the time when it's on frontage roads (and a few places where it's in cities, towns and villages). What isn't an issue, however, is that it's not signed from every (certainly the beginning of a segment, or where they have diverged for a while) exit on the parallel interstates.
What disappointed me on US 66 was the amount of decrepit towns. Needles, Winslow, Tucumcari, Texoma, all looked like they are just a couple decades away from being blown away with the tumbleweeds.
My dream: A corporation interested in promoting US 66 tourism buys up these down at the heels places and gives them a full restoration. Add in plenty of road repairs and signage. Throw up plenty of billboards along I-40 to alert the freeway travelers of upcoming attractions. Make US 66 truly beautiful again!
Rick
What parts of US 66 were four-laned first? What is the worst preserved segment that is still passable by motor vehicle?
Do most people taking Route 66 road trips just follow the parallel interstates? 55, 44, 40? About how often do they take the ACTUAL Route 66?
Quote from: TheGrassGuy on November 09, 2020, 09:08:36 PM
Do most people taking Route 66 road trips just follow the parallel interstates? 55, 44, 40? About how often do they take the ACTUAL Route 66?
Well thing is in a lot of cases driving those Interstates often means you've been on later alignments of US 66. For some reason there is this popular notion that US 66 wasn't ever co-signed with Interstate highways. Who's to say which alignment of US 66 is the truest one? I tend to try to find the earliest stuff I can but that's often ungraded dirt or long abandoned roads out in California and Arizona. Is anymore legitimate than saying you drove a segment of US 66 that multiplexed I-40?
Quote from: TheGrassGuy on November 09, 2020, 09:08:36 PM
Do most people taking Route 66 road trips just follow the parallel interstates? 55, 44, 40? About how often do they take the ACTUAL Route 66?
Most follow the
ACTUAL US 66.(or what there is of it). There are several driving guides available showing different alignments, "lost" alignments, etc.
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on November 09, 2020, 07:32:33 AM
What parts of US 66 were four-laned first? What is the worst preserved segment that is still passable by motor vehicle?
I know Missouri had the first "upgrade" to Interstate standards, but I don't know if it was the first 4-Lane.
Quote from: US71 on November 09, 2020, 09:30:09 PM
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on November 09, 2020, 07:32:33 AM
What parts of US 66 were four-laned first? What is the worst preserved segment that is still passable by motor vehicle?
I know Missouri had the first "upgrade" to Interstate standards, but I don't know if it was the first 4-Lane.
There was probably already existing four lane parts in major cities by November 1926. Especially likely in Chicago and Los Angeles. If we're talking expressway style designs then the Arroyo Seco Parkway and Cajon Pass in California would probably be high up there.
I usually find the sweet spot for me is following US-66 alignments that are now posted as other state highways. That way a minimum level of maintenance can be expected, but there's still noticeable levels of US-66 kitsch. Good examples of the type are OK-66 and the segment of US-281 with the Canadian River pony truss bridge (the approaches of which seem to be on original Bates concrete).
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 09, 2020, 10:14:50 PM
I usually find the sweet spot for me is following US-66 alignments that are now posted as other state highways. That way a minimum level of maintenance can be expected, but there's still noticeable levels of US-66 kitsch. Good examples of the type are OK-66 and the segment of US-281 with the Canadian River pony truss bridge (the approaches of which seem to be on original Bates concrete).
Some are, some aren't. However, most states now mark old 66, though it's sometimes a later alignment.
Quote from: US71 on November 09, 2020, 10:17:50 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 09, 2020, 10:14:50 PM
I usually find the sweet spot for me is following US-66 alignments that are now posted as other state highways. That way a minimum level of maintenance can be expected, but there's still noticeable levels of US-66 kitsch. Good examples of the type are OK-66 and the segment of US-281 with the Canadian River pony truss bridge (the approaches of which seem to be on original Bates concrete).
Some are, some aren't. However, most states now mark old 66, though it's sometimes a later alignment.
So could one consider driving on an iteration of US 66 if they are on I-40 in New Mexico take the I-40 Business Loops but not the frontage roads as driving US 66 in NM? US 66 was on I-40 pavement before it was decommissioned.
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on November 12, 2020, 07:10:39 AM
Quote from: US71 on November 09, 2020, 10:17:50 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 09, 2020, 10:14:50 PM
I usually find the sweet spot for me is following US-66 alignments that are now posted as other state highways. That way a minimum level of maintenance can be expected, but there's still noticeable levels of US-66 kitsch. Good examples of the type are OK-66 and the segment of US-281 with the Canadian River pony truss bridge (the approaches of which seem to be on original Bates concrete).
Some are, some aren't. However, most states now mark old 66, though it's sometimes a later alignment.
So could one consider driving on an iteration of US 66 if they are on I-40 in New Mexico take the I-40 Business Loops but not the frontage roads as driving US 66 in NM? US 66 was on I-40 pavement before it was decommissioned.
Your best bet is the 66 travel guides, unless you just want to navigate by seat of your pants.
The amusing thing is that this phenomenon of "which alignment is the real one?" also can be found with other decommissioned US Routes. Example; US 99 has just as many former alignments that are just as varied as US 66 had.
Well I believe some may argue, however, if US 66 lets say ran down 4th Avenue but before that it ran down Broadway in lets say Sayre, OK. Which one is true? I say either way if you drove down one, you drove down one.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 12, 2020, 09:06:29 AM
The amusing thing is that this phenomenon of "which alignment is the real one?" also can be found with other decommissioned US Routes. Example; US 99 has just as many former alignments that are just as varied as US 66 had.
In the Lincoln Heights and Highland Park areas of eastern L.A., it seems that either US 66 or US 99 was routed, at one point or another between 1926 and 1934-35, down almost every major arterial, largely due to the hilly regional topology. Of course, this was in the era when those routes were being posted by ACSC (Auto Club of SoCal) and had only loosely-defined connections to state-maintained facilities, which themselves were in something of a state of flux within the city limits of L.A. and its adjoining suburbs. Some of these have been posted as historical routes on streets and/or arteries that were either never officially adopted, but served as interim connectors; others, such as historical US 99 posted on Valley Blvd. and North Main Street (which was actually original US 60 before the Ramona Parkway was opened in 1935-36 -- but that route doesn't have its own historical preservation group in L.A.) were actual state highways but only for an extremely short period. Attempting to reconcile routings that date back as far as the mid-1920's is almost like a game of "whack-a-mole"; you determine that one was used for a while, but alternates seem to pop up the deeper one searches.
Quote from: sparker on November 12, 2020, 06:28:58 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 12, 2020, 09:06:29 AM
The amusing thing is that this phenomenon of "which alignment is the real one?" also can be found with other decommissioned US Routes. Example; US 99 has just as many former alignments that are just as varied as US 66 had.
In the Lincoln Heights and Highland Park areas of eastern L.A., it seems that either US 66 or US 99 was routed, at one point or another between 1926 and 1934-35, down almost every major arterial, largely due to the hilly regional topology. Of course, this was in the era when those routes were being posted by ACSC (Auto Club of SoCal) and had only loosely-defined connections to state-maintained facilities, which themselves were in something of a state of flux within the city limits of L.A. and its adjoining suburbs. Some of these have been posted as historical routes on streets and/or arteries that were either never officially adopted, but served as interim connectors; others, such as historical US 99 posted on Valley Blvd. and North Main Street (which was actually original US 60 before the Ramona Parkway was opened in 1935-36 -- but that route doesn't have its own historical preservation group in L.A.) were actual state highways but only for an extremely short period. Attempting to reconcile routings that date back as far as the mid-1920's is almost like a game of "whack-a-mole"; you determine that one was used for a while, but alternates seem to pop up the deeper one searches.
Personally I think one of the cooler AASHO Database finds was that US 66 was supposed to end at US 99 in San Fernando (which is also shown on the 1930 Division of Highways Map) but the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County more or less convinced the State/ACSC to do what they wanted without Executive Committee approval. From what I can surmise in my own research both US 66 and US 99 moved almost every year until the Mid-1930s when the State decided the Division of Highways could maintain mileage in Cities.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 12, 2020, 07:45:18 PM
Quote from: sparker on November 12, 2020, 06:28:58 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 12, 2020, 09:06:29 AM
The amusing thing is that this phenomenon of "which alignment is the real one?" also can be found with other decommissioned US Routes. Example; US 99 has just as many former alignments that are just as varied as US 66 had.
In the Lincoln Heights and Highland Park areas of eastern L.A., it seems that either US 66 or US 99 was routed, at one point or another between 1926 and 1934-35, down almost every major arterial, largely due to the hilly regional topology. Of course, this was in the era when those routes were being posted by ACSC (Auto Club of SoCal) and had only loosely-defined connections to state-maintained facilities, which themselves were in something of a state of flux within the city limits of L.A. and its adjoining suburbs. Some of these have been posted as historical routes on streets and/or arteries that were either never officially adopted, but served as interim connectors; others, such as historical US 99 posted on Valley Blvd. and North Main Street (which was actually original US 60 before the Ramona Parkway was opened in 1935-36 -- but that route doesn't have its own historical preservation group in L.A.) were actual state highways but only for an extremely short period. Attempting to reconcile routings that date back as far as the mid-1920's is almost like a game of "whack-a-mole"; you determine that one was used for a while, but alternates seem to pop up the deeper one searches.
Personally I think one of the cooler AASHO Database finds was that US 66 was supposed to end at US 99 in San Fernando (which is also shown on the 1930 Division of Highways Map) but the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County more or less convinced the State/ACSC to do what they wanted without Executive Committee approval. From what I can surmise in my own research both US 66 and US 99 moved almost every year until the Mid-1930s when the State decided the Division of Highways could maintain mileage in Cities.
If CA's DOH wanted to ensure routing over facilities they maintained, then snaking US 66 over the various Foothill Blvd. iterations through the northern San Gabriel Valley then up through the Crescenta Valley (La Canada/Crescenta, Tujunga, etc.) along LRN 9 would have ensured this; it wasn't until the '30's that L.A. started snapping up SF Valley tracts for future city expansion
plus making sure they had access to the water runoff from the San Gabriel Mountains (hello,
Chinatown!). San Fernando, then just a community, incorporated during that time to fend off L.A. incursions (which eventually surrounded it!). But it was pretty clear that the long-term goal was to extend US 66 into downtown L.A. rather than "out in the sticks". That 1934 decision to allow city mileage pretty much cemented North Figueroa St./LRN 165 as the US 66 alignment -- that is, until the Arroyo Seco Parkway was constructed, with Figueroa becoming part of Alternate US 66 as the truck route between L.A. and Pasadena.
Any of the old alignments save the state maintained highways have an indication of the former life of US 66? I am talking about mile markers, bridge/culvert markers, or any trace of the old stuff. I am not talking about Historical US 66 brown signs or those stupid Route US 66 fake signs.
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on November 13, 2020, 01:35:49 PM
Any of the old alignments save the state maintained highways have an indication of the former life of US 66? I am talking about mile markers, bridge/culvert markers, or any trace of the old stuff. I am not talking about Historical US 66 brown signs or those stupid Route US 66 fake signs.
There are a few artifacts along the former US 66 between Pasadena and San Bernardino; most of the bridge inventory numbers (the 53 series in L.A. county and 54 for S.B. county) remain intact if stenciled on a rail or abutment -- but except for the ones that were retained for the section east of San Dimas that was CA 66, there's no indication that US 66 itself was ever on the alignment (the originals were marked when it was LRN 9 or LRN 161, but the bridge inventory numbers didn't break out the route numbers until specific separate bridge signage was updated post-'64). IIRC, there were several structures along CA 66 that carried such signage, referring, of course to the "remnant" state highway -- but those would have been the sole "piece of history" that could be identified as connected to the number "66" in any form.
I'm not even sure there would be that much. US 66 died officially with the Great Renumbering, so all that would be left (if anything) would be LRNs and station markers, maybe C blocks.
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on November 13, 2020, 01:35:49 PM
Any of the old alignments save the state maintained highways have an indication of the former life of US 66? I am talking about mile markers, bridge/culvert markers, or any trace of the old stuff. I am not talking about Historical US 66 brown signs or those stupid Route US 66 fake signs.
What about buildings? Lots of old buildings, some of which have been rehabilitated.
4 Women Cars on the Route (Galena, KS) comes to mind.
What was the last portion to be purposely built as US 66. That is it wasn't a place holder for something like I-40 or the like but built to be US 66?
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on February 26, 2021, 09:57:07 AM
What was the last portion to be purposely built as US 66. That is it wasn't a place holder for something like I-40 or the like but built to be US 66?
Hard to say. 66 was designated in 1926, but was upgraded over the years.
The AASHTO Database is a good place to start digging.
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on February 26, 2021, 09:57:07 AM
What was the last portion to be purposely built as US 66. That is it wasn't a place holder for something like I-40 or the like but built to be US 66?
It was probably either the "Goffs Cutoff" west of US 95 and Needles, CA; the original alignment followed the Santa Fe (ATSF) rail line, with a realignment south of that dating, IIRC, from the late '30's -- or the AZ realignment between the Colorado River and that, ironically, followed that same rail line but bypassed the original US 66 alignment through Oatman.
Quote from: sparker on February 26, 2021, 08:36:29 PM
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on February 26, 2021, 09:57:07 AM
What was the last portion to be purposely built as US 66. That is it wasn't a place holder for something like I-40 or the like but built to be US 66?
It was probably either the "Goffs Cutoff" west of US 95 and Needles, CA; the original alignment followed the Santa Fe (ATSF) rail line, with a realignment south of that dating, IIRC, from the late '30's -- or the AZ realignment between the Colorado River and that, ironically, followed that same rail line but bypassed the original US 66 alignment through Oatman.
The bypass of Oatman through Yucca was in 1952.
Certainly arguable it was really meant for US 101, the Hollywood Freeway segment that US 66 used was a little later than 1952...
All of Illinois US 66 bypasses look to be in place by 1951...
I just remembered: there are a couple old sections of 66 near Devil's Elbow, MO that were neve assimilated.
Also east of Chain of Rocks
Quote from: Mapmikey on February 26, 2021, 09:31:39 PM
Certainly arguable it was really meant for US 101, the Hollywood Freeway segment that US 66 used was a little later than 1952...
All of Illinois US 66 bypasses look to be in place by 1951...
Actually one year later (1953), when the 4-level interchange opened to traffic and both US 66 and US 101 were rerouted off Sunset Blvd. onto the Hollywood Freeway; the connection to the previously-constructed Cahuenga Pass section, along US 101 well north of the Santa Monica Blvd. exit where US 66 departed the freeway, and which contained the Vine/Gower viaduct, opened that year as well.