In Pixar's Cars, which real highway is the setting's historic road based on?

In Pixar's Cars, the historic road around Radiator Springs is based on U.S. Route 66.

Route 66 was established in 1926 and connected Chicago with Santa Monica across the United States. It became famous through road travel, roadside businesses, diners, motels, and attractions. The highway was removed from the United States Numbered Highway System in 1985, but many communities preserve its history as a heritage route.

Pixar filmmakers researched Route 66 communities while developing Cars. The film uses Radiator Springs to show how bypass construction can redirect traffic and damage local economies. Its road signs, landscapes, and roadside architecture draw on the visual identity associated with the historic highway.

The road is sometimes confused with other famous American highways, especially U.S. Route 101 because that route also runs through California. In Cars, however, the town's identity and decline are specifically tied to Route 66 and the arrival of a faster interstate bypass.