From 1926 to 1946, this road was known as the "Mother Road" or Route 66. During that period, traffic was so congested that an underground passage was built so churchgoers and schoolchildren could cross safely. In 1947, the advent of a four-lane bypass two blocks to the west turned this into Business Route 66, and the tunnel, no longer needed, was filled in. In 1977, Route 66 was decertified, but it lives on in hearts and memories.