William Kelly retires as executive director of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway
 

[November 02, 2019]    William Kelly has retired as the Executive Director of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway on October 31st after nearly ten years of service.

During that time, Kelly oversaw the successful deployment of more than fifty interpretive statues, kiosks and wayside exhibits all along the Illinois Route 66 Corridor. The Byway coordinated the funding of these strategic projects through the Federal Highway Administration, the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois Office of Tourism and the participating Illinois Route 66 Communities.

Mr. Kelly also worked with the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, National Park Service, to help secure federal funding from the Department of the Interior for several restoration projects on Illinois Route 66.

Mr. Kelly worked with State Representative Tim Butler on two strategic Route 66 Bills in the Illinois General Assembly.

Through Representative Butler’s leadership, the bills creating an Illinois Route 66 Motorcycle Plate and establishing an Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission passed unanimously and were signed into law.  Illinois was the first state to introduce legislation to prepare for the 100th Birthday of the most famous road in the world which will occur in 2026.

Geoff Ladd, Assistant Director of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway since April 2017, has been named Acting Executive Director. A Committee has been formed to search for a new Director.

[Geoff Ladd
Assistant Director
Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway]