Route 66

In our #GEOroadtrip series, we’ll be featuring fun places to go (both near and far) that are related to our disciplines. Come with us and see the world through the eyes of an engineer or geologist!

You don’t have to be a pavement engineer to appreciate this historic road

Route 66, “The Mother Road,” is widely known for its neon signs, quirky roadside attractions, restored vintage gas stations, historic sites, and welcoming locals.

But there’s a main attraction that many people miss: the road itself. If you choose to travel the Mother Road, make sure you pay attention to the story that’s outside your window and under your wheels:

• Get your bricks on Route 66? Illinois features a beautiful 1.4 mile section of hand-lain brick road dating back to 1931, just outside of Auburn.
• If you pass through Oklahoma (which features the longest stretch of Route 66 at 400 miles), check out a little history about how this highway was paved – and paved to last! Vast stretches of original concrete still survive today, which earned the road a Lifetime Pavement Award from the American Pavement Concrete Association in 1999.
• NE of Waynesville, Missouri, lies Hooker Cut – the last section of Route 66 that was paved. It’s also an innovative landmark: “the first time…sloped curbs were used to channel rainwater off a highway.” Also notable from a civil engineering standpoint, here’s more about the construction of Hooker Cut.
• Speaking of innovation, Missouri’s Route 66 may soon host the first solar roadway in the United States.
• For even more information on historic Route 66, check out NPS – and happy trails!