Is Route 66 a real road I can drive today?

No, not as a single road. Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985. The original alignment was replaced by I-40 (largely) and I-44 (in part). Original sections survive as state and local roads. The driveable Route 66 experience today is a curated tour combining I-40 parallel driving with stops at preserved-alignment fragments, historic motels, and the NPS Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. Plan 14-21 days for a Chicago-Santa Monica experience.

Can I drive every original mile?

No. Significant sections have been destroyed, paved over, or are unsafe. The curated experience is what's driveable.

Is Route 66 a real road I can drive today?

No, not as a single road. Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985. The original alignment was replaced by I-40 (largely) and I-44 (in part). Original sections survive as state and local roads. The driveable Route 66 experience today is a curated tour combining I-40 parallel driving with stops at preserved-alignment fragments, historic motels, and the NPS Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. Plan 14-21 days for a Chicago-Santa Monica experience. • Decommissioned 1985 • I-40 + I-44 replaced largely • Fragments survive as state + local roads • NPS Corridor Preservation Program • Plan 14-21 days end-to-end

Special / heritageCited official sources

Route 66 revised — what's actually driveable today

The original 2,448-mile Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985. This is what's driveable now.

Route 66 was decommissioned as a US highway in 1985. The original 2,448-mile Mother Road from Chicago to Santa Monica no longer exists as a continuous route. What remains is a curated patchwork of state and local roads, NPS-managed segments, and surviving roadside architecture. This page is the realistic Route 66 driving guide for 2026.

Browse RV rentals All special / heritage routes

By PickRV·Cited primary sources·Updated May 18, 2026

Route almanac

Tier: Special / heritage
State: Illinois
Sources: Cited official (.gov / .org)

The cultural and commercial framing

Route 66's commercial heyday was 1930s-1960s. The interstate system that followed bypassed the small towns + motels that defined the route. Some towns survived as nostalgia destinations (Williams AZ, Seligman AZ, Cuba MO). Others vanished.

What remains: a sense of mid-century American highway culture, neon signs, drive-up restaurants, the architectural patterns of the original alignment, and a community of Route 66 enthusiasts preserving what they can.

What Route 66 nostalgia coverage doesn't tell you

Most Route 66 coverage romanticizes a road that no longer exists. PickRV's honest framing: the route is a curated experience, not a continuous drive.

The most intact alignment is the AZ-66 segment Seligman to Kingman (90 miles bypassed by I-40 in 1978). This is the authentic Route 66 experience.

NPS Route 66: Corridor preservation program.[source]

Frequently asked questions

Can I drive every original mile?: No. Significant sections have been destroyed, paved over, or are unsafe. The curated experience is what's driveable.