Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 24 May 2017
Losing their kicks? Funds for Route 66 towns may be at risk

RUSSELL CONTRERAS and Gas Station restoration
Associated Press in Baxter Springs, Kansas.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Other grants are being
— Route 66, the historic used to repair the roof of
American roadway that the Historic Navajo County
linked Chicago to the Courthouse in Holbrook,
West Coast, soon may be Arizona and restore a free-
dropped from a National standing neon sign of the
Park Service preservation Donut Drive-In in St. Louis,
program, which would end Missouri.
years of efforts aimed at Some places that have re-
reviving old tourist spots in ceived preservation fund-
struggling towns. ing are listed on the Na-
A federal law authorizing tional Register of Historic
the Route 66 Corridor Pres- Places. Tourism and local
ervation Program is set to officials believe the grants
expire in two years, and help revitalize forgotten
some lawmakers are work- structure and spur tourism,
ing to save the program or especially by international
get Congress to designate visitors who flock to Route
Route 66 as a National His- 66.
toric Trail. That designation Decommissioned as a U.S.
would set aside preserva- In this Nov. 19, 2014, file photo, a car travels down historic Route 66 toward Albuquerque, N.M. highway in 1985, Route 66
tion funds annually. Route 66, the historic American roadway that linked Chicago to the West Coast, soon may be went through eight states,
The deadline, first reported dropped from a National Park Service preservation program. connecting tourists with
by The Herald-News in Jo- Associated Press friendly diners in welcoming
liet, Illinois, also has Route A bipartisan bill in Congress Preservationists fear that es.” The uncertainty comes small towns.
66 enthusiasts and preser- to designate Route 66 as small towns along Route as the Trump administra- It was once an economic
vation advocates scram- a National Historic Trail, 66’s 2,500-mile (4,020 kilo- tion is proposing deep cuts driver for small towns from
bling to make sure the pro- sponsored by Rep. Darin meter) path will miss out in to domestic spending and Illinois to California. Nat
gram or an alternative is LaHood, an Illinois Repub- much-needed investment various agencies. King Cole famously sang
maintained for the “Mother lican, is supported by 12 if the funding program Established in 2001 by Con- “(Get Your Kicks on) Route
Road.” other members of Congress is not extended or if the gress, the Route 66 Corri- 66” in a 1946 hit that has
dor Preservation Program been remade by countless
began as an effort to save other groups.
aging landmarks and di- Use of Route 66 dropped
lapidated structures. significantly after high-
The program has given out ways were built as part of
$2 million for nearly 150 the interstate system, forc-

This June 21, 2016, file photo shows one of the neon signs that
This Aug. 1, 2016, file photo shows the Kimo Theater on Albuquerque’s historic Route 66 in Albu- lines historic Route 66 in Albuquerque, N.M.
querque, N.M. Associated Press
Associated Press
projects and has gener- ing businesses to close and
The program is credited from Illinois, Kansas, Okla- route does not get the his- ated another $3.3 million in leaving others in disrepair.
with helping bring back to homa and California. toric trail designation, said matching funds, said Kaisa Barthuli said the program
life forgotten landmarks New Mexico has the lon- Frank Butterfield, director of Barthuli, program manager has funded 20 projects in
along the route, many in gest stretch of Route 66 the nonprofit group Land- for the Route 66 Corridor New Mexico and given out
disrepair because of sharp- passing through urban marks Illinois. “Route 66 runs Preservation Program in $340,000 in grants, includ-
ly lower Route 66 traffic. De- communities, but state through a lot of very small Santa Fe, New Mexico. ing $8,000 to help fix up the
velopment of the interstate Tourism Secretary Rebecca towns where there is not a The program has helped windows and neon sign of
highway system after World Latham said she did not lot of economic develop- fund projects like the El the historic Blue Swallow
War II diverted motorists know whether the program ment,” Butterfield said. “It’s Vado Motel neon sign res- Motel in Tucumcari, New
away from Route 66 and would have an adverse im- been quite impactful so it toration in Albuquerque, Mexico. That grant helped
economically hurt commu- pact on the state if it is not would be a great loss to the New Mexico and the Bax- attract an additional
nities along the road. eventually refunded. town where Route 66 pass- ter Springs Independent Oil $27,000 for restoration.q