In Pixar’s Cars, what is the name of Radiator Springs’ highway bypass?

In Pixar’s Cars, Radiator Springs is bypassed by Interstate 40.

The interstate is central to the town’s backstory. Once located along the main route between Chicago and Los Angeles, Radiator Springs loses most of its passing traffic when the newer, faster highway is built around it. The change leaves the town economically isolated and nearly forgotten.

Cars uses this fictional history to echo the real decline experienced by communities along sections of U.S. Route 66 after modern interstate highways redirected travelers. The film makes the bypass a symbol of progress that brings efficiency but can damage local businesses and traditions.

Route 66 is therefore the historic road associated with Radiator Springs, not the bypass itself. The distinction matters: Route 66 is the old road through town, while Interstate 40 represents the newer route that takes drivers elsewhere.