Rt. 66 Road Ahead Partnership Announces Bill to Designate Rt. 66 A National Historic Trail Unanimously Passes Out of Committee

The Rt. 66 Road Ahead Partnership is pleased to announce that legislation [H.R.801] introduced by Congressman Darin LaHood to designate Route 66 a National Historic Trail passed out of the National Resources Committee by a unanimous vote on Wednesday, January 10th. This comes after the bill received a legislative hearing in November of 2017, at which Rep. LaHood and other Members of the House spoke of the importance of preserving the road for future generations. Road Ahead Chairman, Bill Thomas, was invited to testify at the hearing regarding the economic impact of Rt. 66. “For nearly a century, Route 66 has been a crucial transportation artery for the heartland of America. Many towns in my district and others across our nation have seen the Mother Road keep tourism, employment, and revenues up, leading to a higher quality of life and civic pride. It is vital that we highlight and preserve this national historic roadway for future generations, and this committee vote gets us one step closer to that goal,” said Rep. LaHood. “Passage of H.R. 801 is a primary goal of the Rt. 66 Road Ahead Partnership for many reasons, noted Thomas. Stakeholders who attended the 2015 Collaboration Workshop meetings held by the Road Ahead all along Rt. 66 made it known that designating the Mother Road a National Historic Trail was a top priority. The designation will also establish an ongoing, permanent focus on Rt. 66 at the Federal level, something that is needed given the impending sunset in 2019 of the NPS Rt. 66 Corridor Preservation Program. In addition, the designation will help support promotion and preservation activities vital to the future of Route 66.” Rep. LaHood’s bill (H.R. 801) would designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail, providing the highway with a permanent program to preserve, promote, and economically develop. It was introduced on February 9, 2017 with Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA) as original cosponsors. The legislation now awaits a vote before the full House of Representatives, then it is on to the Senate.     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   For additional information, please contact:   Bill Thomas – [email protected] The Rt. 66 Road Ahead Partnership Post Office Box 166, Atlanta, Illinois 61723