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Towns along Route 66 are concerned about their future

Congress is considering legislation that would preserve grant funding for the towns.

A road marking of the historic Route 66 sign is seen painted on the street of the town of Kingman, Arizona.
A road marking of the historic Route 66 sign is seen painted on the street of the town of Kingman, Arizona.
ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/Getty Images

Dozens of towns along Route 66 — once known as “Main Street of America,” stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, California — went from boom towns to ghost towns when a four-lane interstate was built, bypassing them. A federal grant has helped businesses in these towns, but that’s scheduled to end in the fall. It’s not clear whether new supportive measures will be put in place.

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