The Subway - Odell, Illinois - Route 66 Women's T-Shirt

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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

I'm a travel photographer that enjoys photographing United States architecture, nature, and transportation. As the 8th photographer in 4 generations of my family, I don't remember a time when photography was not part of my life. By the time I was five years old, I was standing on a stool in the darkroom, helping my dad develop pictures. It was my job to transfer the photos from the hypo to the water bath. I went to college for interior design. After I graduated, I had a long successful career as an art buyer and designer for a large home furnishings company. In 2006, I had a significant life change. My husband became a medical traveler, and I decided to put my career on hold to tag along. In the process, I found my roots again. What...