11th Street: How the Interstate Highways Changed Route 66 and America's Main Street - Paperback

by Terry Young (Author)

11th Street examines the historical and economic impact of Route 66 and the Interstate highway system on Tulsa, Oklahoma. Focusing on Tulsa's stretch of Route 66 along 11th Street, the book traces the corridor's growth as part of America's roadside economy and explores how later highway development, including I-44 and I-244, redirected traffic and reshaped neighborhoods, businesses, and patterns of urban development.

Drawing on Tulsa's 1957 Major Street and Highway Plan, the work of Route 66 advocate Cyrus Avery, local history, and the author's personal experiences, the book documents the transition from the era of America's Main Street to the modern Interstate system. Topics include downtown Tulsa, roadside commerce, urban planning, the Crosstown Expressway, the influence of Cold War-era transportation policy, and the continuing revival of Route 66 landmarks and historic districts.

Part local history and part civic reflection, 11th Street presents Tulsa's experience as part of a broader national story about transportation, progress, and community change in twentieth-century America.