Compromise reached; Ottawa County Route 66 “Ribbon Road” saved
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MIAMI, Okla. – A solution has been reached to keep a century-old historic Ottawa County tourist landmark partially intact.
Miami city leaders and the Ottawa County Commissioners had been at odds over a three-mile stretch of Route 66 known as the “Ribbon Road.”
The “Ribbon Road” allows today’s travelers a nostalgic glance at yesteryear and the famous Route 66, where Corvettes and Mustangs ruled the roadway. The nine-foot-wide highway segment was part of the original Route 66.
Miami Mayor Bless Parker, State Rep. Steve Bashore, Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, Oklahoma Department of Transportation officials and Ottawa County Commissioner Scott Hilton were able to pave out a solution to save the “Ribbon Road” attraction.
The compromise – leaving one mile of the three-mile roadway – untouched, said Parker and Hilton.
Hilton said Tim Gatz, Oklahoma Department of Transportation secretary, received permission through ODOT officials to leave one mile of the “Ribbon Road” untouched.
“The one-mile road will be reclaimed and restored, but we (the city) will need to secure funding,” Parker said.
Parker fought hard to preserve the landmark’s integrity and is pleased with the compromise.
Miami city officials pass resolution to save Ribbon Road
Because the road had deteriorated, the Ottawa County Commissioners planned to mill up the old road, blending the century-old chat with new chat and replacing it.
Hundreds of Route 66 fans fought the idea and several residents took their concerns to the Miami City Council, prompting passage of a resolution on Monday to save this important section of the “Mother Road” at all costs.
On Tuesday, Bashore released Hilton’s July 16 letter to Matt Mitchell, an Oklahoma Department of Transportation engineer, outlining the proposed compromise.
Hilton, whose district covers Ribbon Road, acknowledged the impasse the city of Miami and the Ottawa County Commissioners were locked in and the bumpy ride they had when dealing with Route 66 admirers.
“At this time, it has become impossible to provide a workable solution that will address the needs of the project, satisfy the requests of the various interested parties, and meet the requirements of SHPO (State Historic Preservation Office) and the Federal Highway Administration for minimizing impacts to this historical resource,” according to Hilton’s letter.
“I am glad we have come to an agreement and everyone is pleased with the solution,” Hilton said.
The one-mile area has the fewest driveways and the lowest traffic volumes, Hilton said. The compromise allows the county road crews to proceed with the larger part of the project, providing a safer road for area residents, he said.
With this revision, the stretch of E140 Road, which holds the original section of Route 66 highway, will be left in its current state. This will also allow improvements to the road, the letter states.
The last section of the original nine-foot-wide Ribbon Road, located just south of Miami, is a tourist attraction and an Oklahoma National Historic Landmark.
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