FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily)— Route 66 is turning 100 next year, and people in the High Country are already planning a big celebration! There’s a ton of history built into the road that runs through the heart of many northern Arizona towns, including Flagstaff.
Alan Winninger moved to Flagstaff in 2022. The Air Force veteran was hired to help organize Route 66 Centennial celebrations.
With Route 66 turning 100 next year, tourism is also expected to skyrocket, especially international tourism.
“The longest continuous original stretch of Route 66 is in Arizona,” Winninger said. “Europeans are going to be out the door. It’s going to be nuts. We’re going to see an influx of about 250,000 to 300,000 new tourists come in.”
There are 66 signs across town. If you’ve ever driven on 66 as it turns into Highway 89, you’ve probably seen a giant sign pointing drivers to follow the newer 66 route.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, Winninger said there’s a hidden gem right next to it that’s often missed: the only stretch of original Route 66.
“There’s no signage. There’s no parking. There’s no entrance,” Winninger said.
It’s a part of Flagstaff’s Urban Trail System, but the only way to access it is by walking about a mile from the mall or parking at a private business and crossing six lanes of traffic.
The city said they are looking into ways to make the area more accessible. Still, Jana Weldon, Flagstaff’s beautification, arts and sciences program manager, said the challenge lies in how many different organizations own land around it.
“The location of the project is a narrow strip between the BNSF railroad and the current Route 66, which is under ADOT’s jurisdiction,” Weldon said. “Jurisdiction issues and traffic safety make a public roadway with an adjacent parking lot difficult. The city is looking into closer car access, but with multiple jurisdictions and the need for traffic engineering it will take time to determine the feasibility.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Winninger said the city also just used Build Back Better money to build new signage at the Flagstaff Mall. His hope is to get a parking lot and better accessibility features before the centennial, so people can experience this piece of 66 and Flagstaff’s history.
“Even though it’s history, it’s also our future because you have to educate the youth to understand where we came from,” Winninger said.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2025 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.