Will Route 66 ever reopen in parts of San Bernardino County?

Q: Gary Oliver of Hemet asked if there are any plans to repair or reopen Route 66 east of Amboy.

A: Plans are in progress to repair and reopen Route 66 east of Amboy, said Amy Ledbetter, spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Public Works Department. But this won’t happen overnight.

There are 99 bridges that need to be repaired along the National Trails Highway, Ledbetter said. Ten bridges along the highway, between Amboy Road and Kelbaker Road, are in the final design stage. Additionally, three more bridges in the same section are in the early design phase, she said. Beyond these projects, there are 19 bridges from Cadiz to Essex in the early stages of design, Ledbetter said. Additional funding is still needed to complete repairs and replacements for the remaining structures within this road segment, she said.

“We are actively seeking and applying for grant programs to secure funds for these remaining bridges,” Ledbetter said. “This phased approach will help restore safe, continuous travel on Route 66.”

We’d like to mention that Route 66 – one of America’s most famous historic highways – hasn’t really disappeared. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, about 85% of the highway is still drivable but it’s under other names and numbers, some of which are marked with a “Historic Route 66” sign. The website nps.gov/articles/route-66-overview.htm offers a great overview about Route 66’s history and efforts to preserve the “Mother Road.”

Q: Joy Hardsand of San Jacinto said she heard that drivers who have a disabled driver license plate can drive in the high-occupancy vehicle, or carpool lanes, without any passengers in their vehicle. Hardsand wanted to verify if this is true.

A: This is not true, and if this myth is floating around out there, we need to dispel it now before someone gets an expensive carpool violation ticket.

Disabled driver placards and license plates are not for driving solo in carpool lanes.

Inland Empire carpool lane drivers must have passengers in their vehicle to use the HOV lanes in accordance with the HOV lane rules. Disabled driver placards and disabled person license plates are strictly used for parking — to allow those holders to access a closer parking spot to a business or establishment.

Final point

Finally, we would like to acknowledge a good point made by reader Steve Higbee of Banning, who emailed On the Road in response to our recent column addressing the potential hazard to pedestrians posed by unused trailer hitches left on vehicles. “Leaving the hitch in place when it is not in use is not too smart. In addition to its being a hazard — unless it is locked in place — it’s a target for theft,” Higbee said via email. We agree and thank him for bringing this up.

Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@scng.com or call us at our new phone number, 951-368-9995.