Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership Provides 2024 1st and 2nd Quarter Reports

Members of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership and guests at their annual meeting in Claremont, California.

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership Board of Directors met for its annual meeting April 4, 2024, in Claremont, California, but did not meet at the end of the second quarter. The activity updates for the first six months of 2024 are available on the organization’s website, www.route66roadahead.org (accessible by clicking on the “News” or “Resources” tab). The reports covers the period between January 1 and June 30, 2024.

The Route 66 Road Ahead State Associations Advocacy Working Group reported successes in Illinois (saving McLean Water Tower, Gemini Giant, American Giants Museum opening, and $4 million grants), Missouri (Route 66 license plate program launch), Kansas (working on signage improvements. Rainbow Bridge repainting, Oklahoma (Pony Bridge reopening), Texas (Bug Ranch relocated to Amarillo), Arizona (new website coming soon), and California (bridge construction completed and the road open from Amboy). Centennial logos have been created for Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

The Road Ahead Financial Sustainment Task Force reported that eleven proposals to the Route 66 Centennial Commission for consideration as official Centennial activities have been accepted and will be recommended to Congress. The proposals are: The Route 66 National Research Center, AAA Route 66 RoadFest, Route 66 Centennial National Kickoff Event, Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant Program, Route 66 Orchestral Suite, Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program, the designation of Route 66 as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, the Route 66 Centennial Caravan Project, Route 66 Light Capsules Project, Route 66 Centennial Certification Program, and the Route 66 Centennial Preservation and Economic Development Program.

The Preservation Working Group’s Quick Reference Preservation Guide is available online at www.route66theroadahead.org/resources. The Road Ahead can help users make the most of this tool. For more information, email rt66theroadahead@gmail.com.

During the second quarter, the Route 66 Road Ahead Board of Directors discussed and took action to enter into a Partnership Agreement with Road Runner Motorcycle Touring & Travel to help it promote upcoming Centennial-related rides and to promote the Road Ahead's new Route 66 Preservation and Economic Development Grant Program.

Chairman Thomas and Jodi Sweeney, the RAP fundraising consultant, have met with members of Lobo Development Corporation to arrange details for an initial meeting with representatives from the University of New Mexico Foundation. The desired outcome is to enter a partnership to fund the proposed National Route 66 Research Center.

Established in 2016, with the support of the National Park Service and the World Monuments' Fund, The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership’s mission is to revitalize and sustain Route 66 as a national and international icon through partnerships focused on promotion, preservation, research and education, and economic development.