Arizona Route 66 License Plate Supports Preservation

​It should not take long for drivers in Arizona to spot the black and white Route 66 license plate as the eye catching specialty plate has achieved great success adorning a recorded 13,833 vehicles. Available since late 2016, the design and approval process for the specialty plate was lengthy and expensive. Requirements for an Arizona specialty plate include a $32,000 contribution, an organizational history of at least 30 years, and allocated monies to a charitable organization with 501 (c)(3) status.

Eight dollars from the sale of the $25 plate is used for administrative purposes, leaving the remaining $17 for the Association. Revenue from last year’s plate sales totaled $231,161.

The Association is proud of their progress and perseverance. They were honored for their hard work when the plate was recognized by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA) as the Best Plate of the Year for 2016.
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The Association is excited about the new opportunities available for the road thanks to the license plate program’s success with revenue being used for preservation and grant opportunities. The Association has hired an attorney to assist in the creation of long term programs to ensure license plate revenue is responsibly allocated. Much thought and consideration is required to ensure that sustainable, impactful projects and causes are supported. Several projects are currently under consideration and the Association will announce some projects and new programs in the near future as they become available.

The Association is moving away from a membership based organization in order to focus on becoming a resource to Arizona Route 66 businesses and communities. Key community members and business owners will gather this week for their annual Arizona Route 66 meeting. The group will be celebrating Route 66 in Arizona, share successes, as well as identify projects and preservation opportunities that would benefit the Arizona Route 66 community.

In the early years, the budget was tight, so an all volunteer force supported the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona’s mission to preserve, promote, and protect Route 66 in Arizona. The Association now has a full time Director of Operations and operates a Gift Shop inside the Powerhouse Visitor Center in Kingman, Arizona. The Association is governed by a Board of Directors who represent Route 66 across Arizona.

Angel Delgadillo, President Emeritus and founding member of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, has always stressed the importance of individuals contributions and enthusiasm that continue to make Route 66 special and an experience like no other destination. That is exactly what the license plate program does, allows individuals to support the Association in their mission as well as advertise one of Arizona’s greatest economic assets, Route 66. 

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