Oklahoma Route 66 - Miami

9-ft wide section, a bit bumpy, from 2008

Sharp turn on the 9-ft wide section, from 2008

9 ft-wide section, from 2008

Oklahoma 66 shield on the old 9-ft section, from 2008

MIAMI, OKLAHOMA. Just south of Miami, and a little tricky to find and follow, is a section of old, old Route 66 this is just a hoot to drive because it is only 9 feet wide. (Including curbs!) Constructed between 1919 and 1921 as Highway 7, it was later claimed by Route 66 at the more famous road's inception in 1926. It is one of several sections of the Mother Road known as the Sidewalk Highway, built only wide enough for one vehicle at a time. 66 legend has it that frugal local officials were able to build their section of the road twice as long by making it only half as wide. (Or maybe in those dangerous early days of auto travel, most road trips were only in one direction anyway, with the driver never to be heard from again. No return trip necessary!) Used now as a side road between farms, I had to pull way over onto the shoulder several times to let the local pickup trucks pass.

      Unfortunately, my 2012 travel schedule (and lack of full rental car insurance) necessitated a bypass of this old section of 66, so these photos are from 2008.