Serving the High Plains

Bill introduced to declare Route 66 historic trail

A U.S. senator from New Mexico introduced legislation that would designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail under the guidance of the National Park Service.

Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) last week introduced Senate bill S.3609, known as the Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act.

The bill is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday by a subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Route 66 stretches through eight states, including New Mexico, and more than 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Quay County contains prominent sections of the historic highway in Tucumcari and San Jon.

“By designating Route 66 as a National Historic Trail, this legislation would revitalize cities, small towns and rural communities along the Route 66 corridor in New Mexico and across the country, bolstering local economies and protecting vibrant historic sites,” Udall stated in a news release. “Just as importantly, this bill would safeguard Route 66 as cultural landmark, preserving its significance as the ‘Main Street of America’ for future generations of adventurers, migrants, hitchhikers, and tourists venturing westward.”

Earlier this summer, the U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation.

Under the proposal, the National Park Service would award federal funds for preservation, development and promotion. The bill also would lead to more directional signs; the lack of such signs on Route 66 was the No. 1 complaint of travelers, according to a Rutgers University survey.

Efforts for Route 66 to attain National Historic Trail status also is being spurred by the highway’s upcoming 100th anniversary in 2026. Also, the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, which has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants since its inception in 2003, is scheduled to sunset next year.

The National Park Service states there are 19 designated National Historic Trails, including the Trail of Tears, the Lewis and Clark Trail and the Selma to Montgomery March in Alabama.

Designating Route 66 as a National Historic Trail has become a priority in recent years among many of the highway’s advocates, including the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership.

Congress has until Dec. 31 to pass the legislation, when its 115th session ends. If it fails, Congress will have to re-introduce the bill for the 116th session, starting in 2019.