US 66 has been gone for 30 years now

[bugo]

US 66 was decommissioned on April 1, 1985, 30 years ago on Wednesday. One of AASHTO's dumb actions, on the level of the removal of US 61 north of Wyoming (and soon to be north of St Paul.)

[NE2]

The states are to blame for moving it to the parallel Interstates. It could have been kept between OKC and Joplin, however.

[Bickendan]

US 66 was decommissioned on April 1, 1985, 30 years ago on Wednesday. One of AASHTO's dumb actions, on the level of the removal of US 99.

FTFY

[kurumi]

Article from 2010: Who owns Route 66?

Some Brandy McMarketers are claiming ownership of the Route 66 trademark, have licensing websites, and are sending takedown notices to people at Zazzle, Etsy, etc. selling trinkets with US 66 signs on them.

That licensing site is almost a clever parody (Poe's law, etc.) "Feel the Freedom". "ORIGINALITY IMPLIES BEING BOLD ENOUGH TO GO BEYOND ACCEPTED NORMS" (and use all caps).

[Henry]

I wasn't even 15 when they took the last Route 66 signs down! But nonetheless, I was sad that I would never get to drive the same road that I had travelled on during family road trips in my childhood.

And I would like to know more about this Brandy McMarketer

[Scott5114]

The states are to blame for moving it to the parallel Interstates. It could have been kept between OKC and Joplin, however.

You could even keep it into Springfield; MO-266 is an old alignment still on the state primary system.

[roadman65]

I never got to see US 66 in the day as when growing up road trips for me were always down I-95 to Florida.  I was 20 years old in 1985, and my first experience of US 66 was Joliet Road in Illinois on a 1987 rail trip that year.  Then 13 years later I saw it on my 2000 road trip from Kansas City to Las Vegas after when NM and AZ started signing the Historic Route 66 banners in the old cities it transited.

However, I am glad that no one has forgotten the road and towns along the way are happy to keep the old soda fountains, ice cream parlors, and other hey day memorabilia alive. 

Route 66 may be dead to AASHTO, and the local states, but still alive in many hearts.

[formulanone]

Article from 2010: Who owns Route 66?

Some Brandy McMarketers are claiming ownership of the Route 66 trademark, have licensing websites, and are sending takedown notices to people at Zazzle, Etsy, etc. selling trinkets with US 66 signs on them.

If the shield shape is basically in public domain, and you can't copyright/trademark a number, then there's no merit to their so-called "ownership". Although it does explain a lot of grotesque shields with "ROUTE 66" on them, but I'd guess any copyright claims to the phrase and symbol have zero merit.