Albuquerque Plans $2.3 Million Makeover of Forgotten Route 66 Stretch

The largest N.M. city will spend approximately $2.3 Million to restore a barren stretch of the historic Route 66.

Albuquerque Plans to Restore Its Stretch of Route 66 for $2.3 Million

The largest city in New Mexico is among the latest in the U.S. to initiate major upgrades on the historic Route 66. Officials have expressed their plans of improving a “forgotten” portion of Route 66 in Albuquerque.

KRQE-TV reported that locals have complained about this unused and barren stretch of the legendary highway.

Furthermore, officials have stated that the renovation plan would cost approximately $2.3 million. The portion of the highway is located close to downtown, and it is not frequently visited. It doesn’t contain any sidewalks or street lights. The planned renovations would add landscaping, medians, as well as proper lighting. Interestingly, the largest stretch of Route 66 which goes through an urban area is in Albuquerque.

The decision to upgrade the Mother Road is part of a federal program to restore and preserve the famous route. At the start of 2019, Gallup, N.M. also released plans of changing the street lights with LED lights in their section of the route.

With its construction in 1926, Route 66 became an essential part of American heritage. It was among the first roads in the new federal highway system. It merged state and local roads from south to north and even all the way to Los Angeles.

Additionally, the new route saw the establishment of many motels, diners, shops, and gas stations, which boosted the local economies during the car culture craze. Route 66 passed through eight different U.S. states, and it had a total length of over 2,400 miles. Route 66 had a significant impact on tourism and was modified many times before the interstate highways took over. Then, the route became obsolete, and it was even listed as one of the top endangered sites by the World Monuments Fund. Since the late 1980s, the route became a popular tourist attraction containing many museums, landmarks, and monuments.