Route 66 in the News
Oklahoma 66 a Scenic Byway?
2007-09-27 18:13:24
SAPULPA, Okla. - Members of the Sapulpa community gathered to voice their opinions on how Route 66 can enhance the area with state and university officials on Tuesday.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation and The University of Oklahoma program OU Outreach are currently working on an application to formally recognize the portion of Route 66 that runs through Oklahoma as a national byway.
They are now taking suggestions from citizens across the state on how to best recognize the famous American highway.
"During the meeting, we talked about the different things we can do in the community to bring more tourism into Sapulpa through Route 66," said Janet Sherwood, Director of Sapulpa Main Street.
The group discussed marketing tools that the community could use to highlight Route 66 and Sapulpa as destination along the route.
"Some of the things that were suggested included directional signs along the route to highlight downtown Sapulpa, as well as emphasize the buffalo sculpture, Frankoma, just a general focus on tourism," said Sherwood. "We want to make it easier and fun to come visit Sapulpa."
Sapulpa has made a name for itself as “the heart of route 66,” and city leaders hope that the designation of the highway as a National Scenic Byway would not only enhance the road but also highlight the city.
Route 66 travels through eight states, beginning in Illinois and ending in California. The route is now traveled largely as part of the nostalgic tourism trade and in recent years several other states have designated the roadway as a National Scenic Byway.
The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration to preserve and enhance designated roadways for their cultural, historic, recreational or scenic qualities.
Oklahoma has more surviving miles of Route 66 than any other state, and organizers hope that honoring the road as a National Scenic Byway will preserve the history of the roadway as well as revitalize communities along the highway.
~Heather Sleightholm, Sapulpa Daily Herald
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