Although it brought considerable prosperity, the thoroughfare also spawned bumper-to-bumper congestion in the communities and numerous accidents on the rural stretches leading to the gruesome nickname, "Bloody 66".
Unaware of these declining conditions, in August of that year, David and Mary Lou Knudson set out to relive their early experiences along the legendary road.
Mary Lou remembered traveling it during World War II with her parents as her father, a U.S. Air Force Sergeant, drove between several bases in Illinois and California.
On the trip, David decided to sell the shares in his business and commit his time to developing a nonprofit corporation that would work to save Route 66.
He directed them to the National Park Service office in Santa Fe where they had prepared a study of the Route for Senators Pete Domenici (R) and Jeff Bingaman (D).
Between the Knudsons, the Senators and New Mexico Congresswoman Heather Wilson (R) a Congressional Bill was drafted that would help fund the restoration of the famous highway.
The act provides $10 million in matching fund grants to individuals, corporations and communities for the purpose of preserving or restoring historic properties along Route.
Although restoration dollars were essential to the Knudson's plans and hopes, bringing in tourists to patronize the businesses was every bit as important.
The Federation suffered significant financial loss as a result, and it was not until October 1998 that a John Steinbeck Awards Evening took place; this time in Kingman, Arizona.
The Federation's "Adopt-A-Hundred" Program was initially developed to keep an eye on possible preservation problems along the Route such as a bridge, a business or a stretch of roadbed being closed.
With the intent of making it as easy as possible for travelers to find the most popular alignments, the Federation commissioned Route 66 artist, historian and cartographer, Jerry McClanahan to produce a map guide.