The Mother Road is poised to get a mother lode of attention and money leading up to its 100th birthday in 2026. City officials and an array of partners met last week to tout plans for the centennial celebration of one of Albuquerque’s (and the country’s) most famous roads — Route 66.

Plans have been brewing for at least two years — primarily led by the city’s Arts & Culture Department — and involve a collection of ideas to pay tribute to the city’s 18-mile stretch, officially known as Central Avenue. During an event at the West Central Route 66 Visitor Center, Mayor Tim Keller used a “crossroads” analogy to illustrate the road’s historic and cultural significance.

“Fundamentally, Albuquerque is a city at a crossroads — that’s why we’re here as a community — and that story actually goes back to time immemorial,” he said. “Of course, as you fast forward, eventually, around 1926, someone decided to pave that crossroads, and it’s the very same road that became Route 66. It’s the beginning of modern Albuquerque.”

Keller described Route 66’s path through the Rio Grande River, the Southwestern plains and near the Sandia Mountains, including its role as a critical trade route for Indigenous communities. He said it became a representation of the city’s blend of Native American and Hispanic cultures.

“Route 66 was also sort of the ultimate symbol of the Anglo colonization that happened,” Keller said. “But all of that created the city that we know and love today, a city at a crossroads that is the home of the Mother Road.”

Keller said he wants to leverage the centennial lead up to keep momentum on efforts to clean up crime-ridden and trash-strewn stretches of Central Avenue. He said the city would continue to target substandard and dangerous hotels that are “symbols of decay and crime” and clean up streets with dedicated street sweeper vehicles. Keller said he’s counting on state lawmakers to help fund some of the costs. 

“We’re going to try and do as much as we can through the heart of our city. It’s an extra challenge,” he said.

100 Candles Doesn’t Come Cheap

While it all takes considerable funds to pull off, officials hope the resources and investments will draw scores of tourists to the city to give small businesses an economic boost. The Route 66 Summerfest scheduled for July 19 will be the first official centennial event.

Plans include hundreds of thousands of dollars for both new and refurbished neon signs, street banners, new art installations and many events — including a lowrider parade. Arts & Culture is also developing a series of large-scale murals and interactive art installations in partnership with Meow Wolf. Visit Albuquerque, the city’s marketing arm, created a $34,000 centennial-focused website for the occasion (visitalbuquerque.org/route-66-centennial/). 

Officials said the city has secured about $1 million in grant funding from the New Mexico Tourism Department, National Park Service and the National Endowment for the Arts for different aspects of the celebration. Other city departments are expected to pitch in on infrastructure improvements and new lighting.

One of the biggest ongoing expenses, however, is the $14 million and counting West Central Route 66 Visitor Center, which is still not open to the public even though it was completed years ago. The 21,000-square-foot, two-story facility with sweeping views of the city and the Sandia Mountains is considered by officials to be essential for centennial events, also serving as the site of immersive Route 66 art installations and augmented reality experiences.

The center’s costs were mounting well before the city took it over about nine months ago (and dropped “West Central” from the name). Once it landed under the purview of Arts & Culture, at least $400,000 in upgrades to the still not ready for prime-time facility began — including the installation of a security system, elevator repairs, water leak remediation and fire alarm and fire suppression system inspections that were two-years overdue.

Arts & Culture officials have said the center could open as early as May. Once up and operating, they hope some costs can be recouped over time by hosting public and private events, such as weddings and concerts, at the site. The venue features a high-end commercial kitchen, tap room and ballroom space. The exterior layout includes an outdoor amphitheater and ample parking with space for food trucks.