One hundred years after it was officially commissioned in 1926, Route 66 is marking its centennial with a year-long, federally coordinated program of festivals, preservation projects and a coast-to-coast caravan spanning all eight states along the historic highway.
Why it matters
Route 66 has stood as a symbol of American road culture for a century, and the centennial has pushed towns that spent decades quietly preserving neon signs and motor courts into the spotlight, with preservation grants and a push for National Historic Trail designation.
What to watch
The centennial closes out on November 11, 2026, the highway's exact 100th anniversary, with organizers also lobbying Congress to make Route 66 the first highway ever designated a National Historic Trail.