Mother Road Revival Pilot Program: Bringing Feedback and Ideas to Life
We have gathered feedback from travelers and we are connecting with local communities to test real ideas that invite travelers to stay longer, connect with people, and experience each town in a more meaningful way.
And we are staring small - on purpose.
One location. One pilot. One clear goal:
Our first pilot is underway in Baxter Springs Kansas, working alongside local businesses and other stakeholders — small actions to support and promote easy-to-miss stops that makes so many stretches of the Mother Road worth slowing down for.
Once this pilot proves the model, we'll take what we learn — what worked, what didn't, what travelers responded to — and bring it to the next Route 66 community. One town at a time, for the next 100 years.
Why it matters:
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For trustees: Support real, measurable impact. This isn't a promise — it's one town, one set of changes, one set of results you can see for yourself.
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For communities: Gain practical improvements that strengthen local identity and economic activity, without red tape or grant applications.
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For partners: Align investment with visible, community-driven results that support businesses, preserve culture, and strengthen the Route 66 corridor.
Our Focus
Travelers told us:
Improve Way-Finding: Stops are hard to find, poorly marked, or easy to drive right past. This pilot tests clear, simple signage and directions that get people to the real Route 66 — not just the ten spots everyone already knows.
Stronger Local Storytelling: Not another neon sign or movie tribute — the real history behind the stop, told by the people. [ Story(s) TBA ]
Comfort: If people can't sit, rest, or relax, they won't stay. Here, that means: [e.g., "a shaded seating area, clear signage inviting travelers to linger, and a small rest spot built into the stop itself.
Small changes, but the kind that turn a five-minute photo stop into a twenty-minute conversation.
Together, these three things create a better visitor experience — and a model we can test, learn from, and repeat.