Portions of the road have now been designated as National Scenic Byways or as “Historic Route 66” in several states including Arizona, New Mexico, Illinois, and Missouri.
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Completed in 1926, Route 66 winds 2,448 miles from Chicago to L.A. Through most of the Western states, Route 66 follows Interstate 40, which eventually replaced much of the Mother Road. In some areas, the remnants of 66 parallel the interstate as a frontage road.
During the 1940s and '50s, Route 66 was known as The Main Street of America. The glittery new blacktop stretched more than 2,000 miles over eight states from Chicago to Los Angeles, winding through small towns, past hundreds of cafés, motels, gas stations and tourist attractions along the way.
U.S. Route 66 (also known as Route 66, U.S. Highway 66, The Main Street of America, The Mother Road and the Will Rogers Highway) was a highway in the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926. However, road signs did not go up until the following year.
According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, about 85 percent of the road is actually still drivable—it just exists under a variety of other official names and numbers, though sometimes marked with a “Historic Route 66” sign.
U.S. Route 20 is the ??longest road, beginning in Boston at Route 2 and runs through to an intersection with US 101 in Newport, Ore. A dozen states make up U.S. Route 20, covering 3,365 miles of road.
Jericho Gap, TexasThis 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.
If you to travel the most famous routes, you will need a sedan or city SUV. If you want to use the oldest routes, definitely choose a SUV 4×4 with a high chassis. Don't forget about the passengers – if there are more of you, choose the car size that provides enough comfort to everyone.
As with the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas isn't considered part of the original Route 66. But, it's a city you might be keen to experience at least once, and it's close enough (five hours' drive) to the canyon. En route is Seligman, a classic Route 66 town of traditional motels, diners, shops and flashing neon signs.