On Thursday, Sept. 18, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., introduced legislation to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail, a move intended to protect the highway’s legacy while preserving access for future development.

Established on Nov. 11, 1926, Route 66 was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System, running roughly 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif. The highway stretches about 178 miles across the Texas Panhandle, entering from New Mexico near Glenrio and exiting into Oklahoma near Texola while passing through communities including Adrian, Vega, Amarillo, Groom and Shamrock. Supporters say the bill would safeguard the road’s history and ensu

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