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Why was Route 66 officially decommissioned as a federal highway?
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Route 66
A final plan for the construction of Route 66 was approved in 1926, and it was built in segments, often discontinuous ones. Route 66 was not entirely paved until 1938. This map shows how the highway connected Chicago and Los Angeles through cities in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Route 66 was officially decommissioned as a federal highway on June 27, 1985, because it was replaced by the Interstate Highway System. The Interstate Highway System was developed to accommodate increasing traffic volumes and meet more stringent safety requirements with newer, wider, and faster roads. While Route 66 was a significant route for commerce and travel, becoming known as the "Main Street of America," its capacity was surpassed by the growing number of vehicles. Many segments of the original Route 66 still exist and have been preserved, reflecting its historical importance.12