In Pixar's Cars, what highway connects Radiator Springs to the wider United States?

In Pixar's Cars, U.S. Route 66 connects Radiator Springs to the wider United States.

The fictional town is presented as a former stop along Route 66, the historic highway that linked Chicago and Santa Monica. In the film, Radiator Springs loses most of its traffic when a faster interstate bypasses it. That change explains why the town's businesses and population have declined before Lightning McQueen arrives.

The movie draws heavily on real Route 66 landscapes, roadside attractions, and small towns. Pixar filmmakers traveled along the highway while researching the visual world of Cars, and several locations influenced the film's architecture and scenery. The story turns the historic road into a symbol of slower travel and overlooked communities.

Interstate 40 is the road associated with bypassing Radiator Springs, but it is not the answer to the question. Route 66 is the historic road that gives the town its identity and connects its fictional setting to American transportation history.