One Hundred Years of Route 66

Students from the University of New Mexico (UNM) Community and Regional Planning Capstone Studio visited the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) to host a discussion on the history, development, and community impacts of Historic Route 66—the U.S.’s first paved highway stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Led by Professor Moises Gonzales, the studio shared their examination of Route 66’s legacy and presented a vision plan outlining strategies for preservation, revitalization, and future development along this iconic corridor.

Full Recorded Event Video

1. Studio Mission
   The UNM Community and Regional Planning Capstone Studio explored the past, present, and future of Route 66, preparing a vision plan for New Mexico communities ahead of the centennial. Their research balances Route 66’s celebration with its more complex and challenging histories.
2. The Highway that Shaped America by Jared Weaver
   Jared provided an overview of Route 66’s formation, evolution, and impact, tracing its role from connecting rural America, to facilitating Dust Bowl migration, to symbolizing freedom and American car culture, and finally to its decline with the rise of the interstate system.
3. Land Uses Along Route 66 by Patrick Akukene
   Patrick analyzed historic and contemporary land uses influenced by Route 66, using GIS mapping to show how businesses, military installations, agricultural lands, and public spaces developed along the highway corridor across different states.
4. Landmarks, Film/TV, and Tunes by Navida Johnson
   Navida discussed the cultural landscape created by Route 66, highlighting historic landmarks, songs, films, and television that shaped the highway’s identity as a symbol of freedom, nostalgia, and American creativity across the states it crosses.
5. Racialized Spaces on the Mother Road by Michelle Perez
   Michelle examined how Route 66’s promise of mobility was shaped by racialized spaces, explaining how segregation, sundown towns, redlining, and tools like the Green Book were critical for Black travelers navigating a landscape marked by exclusion.
6. Route 66 & Indigenous Lands by Maggie Ramirez
   Maggie explored how Route 66 crossed through indigenous territories, disrupting traditional lands and economies, and discussed the role of indigenous labor, trading posts, and cultural tourism in the highway’s history, emphasizing indigenous perspectives today.
7. Public Lands, New Deal Projects, and the Interstate System by Nathaniel Wurster
   Nathaniel showed how public lands and New Deal infrastructure projects boosted Route 66’s popularity, while later interstate construction displaced many communities and changed patterns of travel, commerce, and development along the historic route.
8. Route 66’s Environmental Footprint by Chantell Bustillos
   Chantell discussed Route 66’s environmental legacy, including abandoned infrastructure, suburban sprawl, habitat fragmentation, and pollution, and called for a vision of revitalization that integrates environmental stewardship alongside cultural preservation.
9. Q&A Session
   The session concluded with a rich discussion on preservation strategies, community organizing, historical designations, and how local communities can leverage Route 66’s legacy to support sustainable revitalization and resist displacement pressures today.

On our Instagram (@uicgreatcities), you will find highlights from “One Hundred Years of Route 66.” Please take a look and we welcome you to follow us!
Event Photos | Posters | Route 66 Discussion

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