AASHTO Journal - New Oklahoma Roadway Map Celebrates Route 66

State officials recently held s special ceremony to unveil Oklahoma’s new 2025-2026 roadway map; a map that specifically highlights Route 66 in anticipation of what’s known as the “Mother Road” turning 100 in 2026.

[Above photo via the Oklahoma DOT]

That event included Matt Pinnell, Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor and chairman of the Route 66 Centennial Commission; Tim Gatz, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation; Sterling Zearley, executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department; and Joe Echelle, executive director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, among others.

Maps are free of charge and will be available statewide mid-Spring at any Tourism Welcome Center, by calling 1-800-652-6552 or by visiting TravelOK.com/Brochures.

The map’s cover features a motorcyclist traversing Route 66; symbolically having crossed the Bridgeport Bridge to pass by the 1950s-era iconography of Stella Atom at Buck Atom’s in Tulsa, Pop’s in Arcadia and the Beckham County Courthouse in Sayre, among others.

The map’s retro design features 20 unique stops along and near the route from Elk City to Miami, with bright reds, greens and blues of the period illustrate the destinations, Oklahoma DOT noted.

“Oklahoma is proudly leading the way for Route 66 Centennial celebrations across the nation, and our 2025-2026 map will be a warm welcome and helpful navigation tool for visitors,” said Lt. Gov. Pinnell in a statement. “With more than 400 drivable miles of Route 66, Oklahoma is the world’s destination for the ultimate Route 66 experience. I’m proud to showcase that in this new, free resource.”

“We are excited to be celebrating the anniversary of Route 66 along with our partners and dedicating the state map to such a unique stretch of roadway with so much history,” noted Oklahoma DOT’s Gatz. “The department takes pride in its transportation leadership having had a hand in creating the Mother Road.”

In the 1920s, Cyrus Avery – a Tulsa businessman and then-Oklahoma State Highway commissioner – joined a board tasked with creating the federal highway system. In that position, he created Route 66; officially established on November 11, 1926.