Legislators have introduced a bill to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail.
The bill – whose creators include Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema – would amend the National Trails System Act to secure the preservation of Route 66.
Under the bill, the Route 66 National Historic Trail would include all the alignments of U.S. Highway 66 in existence between 1926 and 1985.
It would limit any federal action regarding federal permit requirements, land acquisition, buffer zones and right-of-way changes, among others.
Kelly noted the important role Route 66 has played in Arizona’s history and how its legacy remains central to the character of towns like Winslow, Flagstaff and Kingman. He says that the trail would support small businesses and spur economic development in rural communities.