The Missouri Department of Transportation recently hosted federal, state, and local leaders in Springfield to kick off the National Route 66 Centennial Kickoff Celebration.
[Above photo by FHWA]
The event honored a century of history on America’s “Mother Road” while highlighting major infrastructure improvements now underway along I-44, its modern successor.
“Route 66 is more than just a highway. It’s a symbol of the transformative power of transportation and how infrastructure can shape a nation,” noted Sean McMaster, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, in a statement.
“Together with Missouri, we are committed to delivering a transportation system that works for Americans and there’s no better place to do it than right here on Route 66,” he said.
“Just like 100 years ago, Missouri benefits by serving as a crossroads for commerce, travel, agriculture and opportunity,” said Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe (R). “Missouri may be the historic birthplace of Route 66, but the work happening on I‑44 and projects across our state reflects our commitment to the future. As we celebrate our past, we are committed to improving Missouri’s infrastructure for the future.”
“Sometimes a road becomes more than a road,” said Ed Hassinger, Missouri DOT director. “Route 66 is an American icon. It was a passageway to opportunity, a conduit for national expansion, a place where families found recreation, where ideas traveled and where communities came together.”
He also emphasized MoDOT’s ongoing work to widen and bring other improvements to what’s now I-44 in Springfield between Missouri Route 13 (Kansas Expressway) and U.S. Route 65 – a project will replace three bridges and enhance pedestrian and trail access.
“Today we celebrate where this road has taken us and also where we’re headed next,” Hassinger said.
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