U.S. Bike Route 66

In 2008 the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved a National Corridor Plan for Bicycling Routes that was developed by the Task Force on US Bicycle Routes. Route 66 from Illinois to California is one of the nationally significant corridors in the plan. 

Currently Oklahoma has no U.S. Bike Routes approved in the state. 

BikeOklahoma, the state bike advocacy organization thinks that having Route 66 designated as a U.S. bike Route would have the following benefits:

• Would help elevate Oklahoma in the Governor’s goal of making Oklahoma a “Top Ten State”.
• Would help communities along Route 66 increase their tourism income as more cyclists ride on Route 66
• Would benefit cyclists with better maps and signage as they travel along Route 66

There is no cost to apply for a road to be designated as a U.S. Bike Route. Signage may be constructed and added as desired by the adjacent communities and jurisdictions along the route.

The process to apply requires the communities and jurisdictions along the route to approve this designation, and then the department of transportation sends the completed application to AASHTO, the organization responsible for numbering highways.

In 2012, BikeOklahoma arranged to get the approvals from the 30 communities along Route 66 and presented the completed application to ODOT for its signature.

Since that time, ODOT has declined to sign the application.