The Subway - Odell, Illinois - Route 66
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
The Subway - Odell, Illinois - Route 66
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Across the street from St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Odell, Illinois, is what remains of a pedestrian tunnel that once ran under the road on the 1926 - 1946 alignment of Route 66.
When standing on the corner in this quiet little village, it is hard to imagine that traffic was once so congested that parishioners and school children needed a Subway, as it is known locally, to safely cross the street on the way to school or church.
After 1947, the Route 66 four-lane bypassed the town two blocks to the west. As a result, the Subway was no longer needed, and its entrance was sealed off in the 1950s.
In 2006, the Route 66 Association of Illinois restored the railing and first three steps to the tunnel because of its importance to Route 66 history.
Copyright 2022 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
October 8th, 2022
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