With a possible compromise, future of Ribbon Road still draws concerns

OTTAWA COUNTY, Ok. (KOAM) - “It's one of the things that makes our area unique.”

Ribbon Road outside of Miami is an original stretch of the famous Route 66 Highway, completed in 1922. While much of Route 66 has been repaved over the years, Ribbon Road has essentially remained original, staying it's famous nine feet wide.

But the road has begun to show its age.

“There is no question first and foremost, the road needs attention," says Rhys Martin, President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association . "But we just want to make sure it's done in the right way and preserves as much of it as possible and just doesn't change the the dynamic of the road.”

Ottawa County and state officials with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) have been working on a proposal to repair Ribbon Road, but the original plan to mill up and relay the historic road drew sharp criticism from Miami city officials and preservationists.

"Having that original piece, that attracts tourists from all over. From, you know, all over England and Scotland and Vietnam," says Bless Parker, Mayor of Miami. "I mean, I've met people from all over the world, Germany, all over the world that want to come see that piece of the Ribbon Road.”

For businesses surrounding the historic stretch of Route 66, the tourists are some of their main customers.

Chris Briley owns two ice cream shops along Route 66. He says tourists are a huge part of his business.

One of his shops, Briley's Silver Screen in Miami, has tourists make up nearly 90% of its customer base according to Briley.

He fears what destroying the stretch of original highway could do to his business.

"They're going to bypass us," says Briley. "We're just going to be a footnote basically."

The City of Miami passed a resolution earlier this month, opposing the milling up and repaving of Ribbon Road.

Following the passing of that resolution, it was announced that an Ottawa County Commissioner sent a letter to ODOT, proposing a compromise regarding the repairs to Ribbon Road.

That compromise would see more than two miles of the road relayed, but it would leave the one mile stretch closest to the road's marker untouched.

For advocated hoping to preserve the road, the compromise is a step in the right direction, but it may not be enough.

“That is good progress," says Martin. "But that still doesn't arrest the fact that it is deteriorating and it does need some help to keep it from continuing to deteriorate. We want it to last as long as possible, you know, for the next 100 years for people that are traveling Route 66.”

Mayor Parker says that while he is grateful that the proposed compromise would leave the most intact mile original, he says he concerned that it would not address any repairs for it at all. He fears that if not patched and repaired, it will continue to deteriorate over time.

Miami City officials and the Oklahoma Route 66 Association say they hope to continue having discussions with the county and ODOT to ensure as much of Ribbon Road is preserved as possible.

Mayor Parker says he has discussed helping to provide dirt work and even annexing in the road to Miami to help with the situation.

“Let's be open and transparent. Let's have open communication," says Parker. "The city is willing to be a good partner here, and we're willing to help with what we can. but we have to be allowed to.”

Route 66 will celebrate it's 100th anniversary in 2026, and both officials and preservationists hope to have Ribbon Road restored by that time.

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