Oklahoma contains the longest surviving drivable section of historic Route 66.
The highway crosses Oklahoma from the northeastern corner near Miami to the western border near Texola. Several original or closely aligned sections remain open to traffic, including stretches through towns, farmland, and small communities. Roadside landmarks such as bridges, trading posts, museums, and neon signs help preserve the corridor’s identity.
Oklahoma’s unusually extensive surviving alignment reflects the importance of Route 66 to the state’s twentieth-century transportation and tourism history. The highway also passed through Tulsa and Oklahoma City, making it a major east-west route for residents and travelers.
Arizona is famous for scenic surviving sections, and Illinois contains the eastern beginning of the route, but neither has the longest drivable remnant. “Longest” can vary slightly depending on whether researchers count only original pavement or closely aligned historic road segments; Oklahoma is the standard state-level answer in Route 66 references.