In Pixar’s Cars, what is the name of the road that bypasses Radiator Springs?

Interstate 40 is the road that bypasses Radiator Springs in Pixar’s Cars.

The town’s decline begins when traffic is redirected away from its historic stretch of Route 66 after Interstate 40 opens nearby. With fewer travelers stopping, the local businesses lose customers and the community becomes nearly forgotten.

This detail gives the film’s setting a real historical foundation. Interstate 40 replaced much of the role once played by Route 66 for long-distance travel through the American Southwest, although the fictional town’s exact geography is created for the story.

Route 66 is sometimes offered as the answer because Radiator Springs is located along it. However, Route 66 is the old road through town; Interstate 40 is the newer bypass that causes the traffic to disappear.