Is Route 66 a safe drive?

Is Route 66 still dangerous? Stretches along the original Route 66 have been realigned over the years, and about 85 percent of the original U.S. 66 highway is still driveable, per The Route-66. Most of the road is paved, making it safer to travel on than it has been in the past.



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Route 66's popularity led to its downfall, with traffic swelling beyond its two-lane capacity. In 1956, legislation created the Interstate System, and over the course of three decades, five separate interstates bypassed segment after segment of Route 66.

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Practicalities of driving Route 66 You need around three weeks to complete Route 66. There is no perfect time to drive Route 66. Due to its sheer size, you're likely to experience some adverse weather conditions, whatever the month.

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May and September are considered good months to travel Route 66 if you're not a fan of the intense heat that comes with the summer months - you get the benefits of fair weather and reduced tourism. June, July and August are the peak months in terms of both tourism and temperature.

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Although it is no longer possible to drive US 66 uninterrupted all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles, much of the original route and alternate alignments are still drivable with careful planning. Some stretches are quite well preserved, including one between Springfield, Missouri, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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Only one state, Montana, is left unspoiled with no daytime speed limit. At night, speeds are restricted to 65 mph on interstate highways and 55 mph on two-lanes.

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Jericho Gap, Texas This became so profitable that there were rumors that some residents watered down the road to increase the plight of Route 66 travelers. Eventually, Route 66 was rerouted to higher ground in the 1930s and the area dwindled into a ghost town.

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Route 66 became a popular route because of the active promotion of the U.S 66 Highway Association, which advertised it as “the shortest, best and most scenic route from Chicago through St. Louis to Los Angeles.”

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And it's a prime example of a rebirth of Route 66 that's occurring in various parts of the country. Town leaders here decided to use the history of the famous road to their advantage, 20 large murals, a museum of Route 66 collectibles, and much more, all bringing in tourists from around the world.

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Oklahoma has an important place in this story, with more drivable miles of historic Route 66 than other states. There are 400 miles of it stretching from the town of Quapaw in northeast Oklahoma to Texola in western Oklahoma, with many historic and roadside attractions remaining along the route.

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