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For millions of travelers, whether they were tourists or movers in search of a better life, the Golden State was usually their final destination. It was the Promised Land for thousands fleeing the Dust Bowl conditions of the 1930's as immortalized by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath. In the post WWII years, tens or even hundreds of thousands more, fled what had become known as the Frost Belt for the warmer climes and professional jobs of Southern California. More often than not, U.S. Highway 66 was their route of choice.
Many a carload of voyagers would cheer after crossing the Colorado River and seeing a wonderful sight - that of a billboard proclaiming "Welcome to California". But some of the most difficult miles still lay ahead in the Mojave Desert where shade temperatures often soar to near 120 degrees. But, of course, there is no shade!
There were oases in the desert such as the famed Roy's Café in Amboy, or the Ludlow Café in its namesake town that would reach out to travelers in need. At one time, a combination filling station/restaurant/motor court/grocery store offered its services at Cadiz Summit east of Amboy. Alas, this jewel stands in ruins today.
After leaving the desert behind, The Summit Café, still in business today, can be found at the top of Cajon Pass. The Summit welcomes hungry and thirsty travelers on the last leg of their journey to L.A.
On the far side of the mountains, the Los Angeles Basin is home to the renowned Wigwam Motel in Rialto and that's not to forget the site of the world's first McDonald's Hamburger joint in nearby San Bernardino. What has grown into a sprawling, multi-billion dollar international corporation and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average can trace its corporate history back to a direct link with America's Main Street - U.S. Route 66.
Some of the most fascinating points of interest along Old Route 66 are found near the very western end of old Route. Los Angeles County sports 34 National Registered Historic Places on or within one block of Old Route 66. Los Angeles was also the original terminus of U.S. 66 until it was officially extended to Santa Monica in 1936.
Prior to its "decommissioning", the "66" U.S. Route designation ran over the historic Arroyo Seco Parkway. The Parkway passed through the Figueroa Street tunnels - the only vehicular tunnels to be found anywhere on Route 66. The Arroyo Seco Parkway has now been designated as a National Scenic Byway and is the only such Byway in the United States located in an urban setting.
Something seems sadly amiss in Southern California since the decommissioning of U.S. 66. It's almost as though a small a part of us died with its passing. We needn't have to be satisfied with this state of affairs. The "66" U.S. Route designation can be re-commissioned but only if enough people show that they care.
Amazingly enough, nearly 95% of the pre-interstate era Route 66 is still drivable in California. A few sections such as Santa Monica Blvd. (California Route 2) or Foothill Blvd (California 66) are still designated as state highway. A new U.S. Route 66 designated along historic alignments would drastically improve signage, return the U.S. 66 icon to standard road maps and facilitate state-to-state traffic on the Historic Route. U.S. 66 markers could also be placed on short sections of Interstate highways to provide continuity around those sections where an historic alignment is no longer available.
A more ambitious alternate plan might be to re-designate Interstate 40 as U.S. 66 from the Colorado River to Barstow. This would provide a mainline, "parent" road allowing older sections of Route 66 in the Mojave Desert to be re-commissioned as a historic-bannered U.S. route ("Historic" U.S. 66). This new "Historic" U.S. 66 would function much like an "Alternate" or "Business" route. Exit signs at off ramps leading to "Historic" U.S. 66 would increase tourist traffic and possibly give older business establishments like Roy's Café a chance to thrive again.
Under this plan, U.S. 66 could share an alignment and be dual signed with Interstate 15 between Barstow and Devore near San Bernardino. This would provide a parent road for additional stretches of "Historic" bannered U.S. 66 through Helendale and in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The new U.S. 66 could then leave the freeway at Devore and run out to its final destination at Lincoln Blvd and I-10 in Santa Monica using traditional, historic alignments. Perhaps even the U.S. "Alternate" 66 designation could be restored in Northeast L.A.
In California, all route numbers (State, U.S. and Interstate) are written into law as a part of the State's streets and highways code. A change in route numbering of this magnitude would require an act of state legislation. But that is actually an advantage for those seeking to re-commission the 66 U.S. Route designation. There is a direct channel open between state residents, their state representatives and the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS).
A member of the state legislature has the authority to request a formal study of a route change from CALTRANS and the ability to sponsor legislation that, if passed, would mandate it.
If you are a resident of California and interested in the return of U.S. 66, contact your state assembly member at http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset9text.htm or your state senator at:
http://www.sen.ca.gov/~newsen/senators/senators.htp
Urge them to pursue the re-designation of U.S. 66 in the Golden State.
The United States Congress also has the authority to designate or re-designate U.S. Highways. E-mail or write your U.S. Representative at:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Let your U.S. representative know that a new official U.S. Route designation is needed for Old Route 66 and that federal assistance is needed to help pay for additional new signs and, where needed, repairing the old roadway and bridges.
Never underestimate what the efforts of just a few concerned citizens can accomplish. Let's all work together to put the most famous American highway - and symbol of our American culture - back on our National road atlas.
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