Miami city officials pass resolution to save Ribbon Road

MIAMI, Okla. — In an attempt to save a three-mile section of the Route 66 roadway known as the “Ribbon Road”, the Miami City Council approved a resolution on Monday and announced a tentative plan with the Ottawa County Commissioners to save the famed and historical roadway.

The five-member council passed the resolution to preserve the roadway by a 4-0 vote. Council Member Dustin Pittman was absent from Monday’s regular city meeting.

The last section of the original nine-foot-wide Ribbon Road, located outside of Miami, is a tourist attraction and an Oklahoma National Historic Landmark.

According to the city’s tourism website, Ribbon Road allows travelers to experience history older than Route 66. While the nine-foot segment of the highway was part of the original Route 66, which was finished in 1926, this particular road was also part of the original Ozark Trail Highway.

The crux of the problem: How to repair the 102-year-old road.

The Ottawa County Commissioners favor milling up the old road, blending the century-old chat with new chat, and replacing the road.

Messages and telephone calls to Ottawa County Commissioner Chairman Mike Furnas were not returned.

Bless Parker, Miami’s mayor, wants to keep the integrity of the original road. He has even proposed annexing the road to the city limits.

Parker announced during the city council meeting that he had met with State Rep. Steve Bashore, Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, and Oklahoma Department of Transportation officials, saying there is “movement in the right direction” to preserve the famed roadway.

“There is nothing in stone,” Parker said.

Miami City Manager Tyler Cline said there was a plan to save the roadway that would please everyone.

The signing of the resolution was met by thunderous applause.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, Rhys Martin, president of the Route 66 organization, voiced his support for the preservation of Ribbon Road.

Martin described the Ribbon Road section of Route 66 as a unique tourist attraction.

“People all over the world choose to experience Oklahoma through the lens of the Mother Road,” Martin said. “People stop, get out, literally touch the payment and walk the pavement. Milling up the historic pavement and repaving the road will cause irreversible damage to the road.”

“We completely agree that attention to the road has been needed for a very long time,” Martin said. “But we think there is a better way to do it.”

What is the Ribbon Road?

According to the city’s website, the Route 66 attraction runs directly through the heart of Miami. This section predates Route 66, having been built in the early 1920s.

According to Ottawa County folklore, Oklahoma’s budget was tight when the road was built, so rather than covering half the mileage, they covered half the width. This vintage pavement zigzags for 13 miles between Miami and Afton. Another small section of the original road also lies farther south in Narcissa.

Oklahoma was part of the road’s beginning and has more miles of this historic 2,400-mile roadway than any other state.

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