Route 66, Cayuga to Chenoa
Why it's listed
This 18.2-mile stretch of Route 66 runs from near Cayuga to Chenoa through Livingston and McLean Counties, Illinois. Wartime pavement failure and heavy truck traffic led the state to build new 24-foot-wide, 10-inch-thick concrete lanes beside the original 1920s road. The southbound lanes were built in 1943-44 and the northbound lanes followed in 1954-55 over the 1926 alignment, creating a divided four-lane highway with a grass median. The segment includes six contributing bridges, a concrete box culvert, and six later replacement bridges that do not contribute. Parts of the southbound lanes are now closed to traffic. The road is significant for its link to the national Route 66 corridor between Chicago and California and as an example of limited-access highway engineering from the 1940s and 1950s. It is owned and maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Significance in brief: The segment is significant statewide under Criterion A for transportation, through its association with Route 66 as a major route from Chicago to Santa Monica. It also meets Criterion C for engineering as a representative limited-access four-lane highway built to 1940s and 1950s design standards. It qualifies despite being under fifty years old because of its connection to the famous highway.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99000115, listed July 23, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Rte 66, bet just N of Township Rd 2200 N and just S of Township Rd 3000 N., Pontiac |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| Listed | July 23, 2003 |
| Reference number | 99000115 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1943-1956 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Other: Limited Access Four-Lane Highway |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Portions of the southbound lanes are abandoned and closed to traffic with dirt mounds and signs; the northbound lanes and part of the southbound lanes near Pontiac remain open with a macadam overlay. Six of the twelve bridges have been replaced. |
| Coordinates | 40.75351, -88.71865 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99000115.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.