ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The weathered old sign that once served as a beacon along a stretch of Route 66 just outside of New Mexico’s largest city has removed and will be preserved as part of an initiative to build a visitor center dedicated to the historic roadway.
The city of Albuquerque announced Friday that the Mountain Lodge Motel sign will remain in storage until the new venue is ready.
Construction is scheduled to start in the coming months.
City officials say the sign is a piece of history that can be enjoyed by future generations.
The sign had sat along Route 66 since the 1940s.
Albuquerque is home to the longest urban stretch of Route 66.