What historic U.S. highway inspires the setting of Pixar's Cars?

U.S. Route 66 inspires the setting of Pixar's Cars.

The film places Radiator Springs along a fictionalized stretch of Route 66, the famous highway that once connected Chicago and Santa Monica. The road became closely associated with roadside businesses, motels, diners, and communities across the American Southwest.

In Cars, Radiator Springs loses much of its traffic after Interstate 40 bypasses the town. That fictional history reflects a real pattern: newer highways redirected travelers away from many older Route 66 communities, leaving local businesses economically isolated.

Pixar drew on real Route 66 landmarks and landscapes during the film's development. The highway was officially removed from the U.S. Highway System in 1985, but its cultural identity remains strong through tourism, preservation projects, and popular media.