ASCE New Mexico Section Contributes to Route 66 ASCE National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Designation
Overview
On July 10, 2025, the Board of Directors of ASCE approved the designation of Route 66 from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and named fifteen locations on the route as select civil engineering features. This designation is recognition of the Route 66's enduring legacy as one of the most influential transportation corridors in U.S. history. Route 66 transformed interstate travel and connected communities across eight states, embodying innovation in highway design and construction.
New Mexico’s Role
The ASCE New Mexico Section played an active role in this national recognition as part of the multi-state nomination committee formed under the Route 66 National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark initiative. The effort involved coordination across ASCE Sections to document the engineering and cultural significance of the route.
Acknowledgments
Special recognition is extended to Dr. Roger Zimmerman, whose leadership, research, and dedication to preserving the engineering history of Route 66 were instrumental in achieving this designation.
Route 66 Centennial
The 100th anniversary of the historic U.S. Route 66 will be celebrated in 2026 - visit the Route 66 Centennial website to lean more about the plans to honor the "Mother Road", which originally opened on November 11, 1926.
Learn More
🔗ASCE Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Program
🔗Route 66 National HCEL Website
The ASCE New Mexico Section is honored to have contributed to the preservation and recognition of this iconic engineering achievement and looks forward to continuing to celebrate the legacy of civil engineering in shaping our communities.
Fellow Nominations
As the ASCE New Mexico Section Director, Ken Cooper have begun an initiative to assist those members who may be qualified for election to Fellow grade to be nominated for that honor. The grade of Fellow is the highest grade a member of ASCE can be elected to with approximately 3% of our membership being Fellows. The ASCE Bylaws and the
Official Register Rules of Policy and Procedure contain the following regarding Fellows:
2.0.3.2 Fellow. The standard required for advancement to the grade of Fellow is broad responsibility for engineering work of major importance. The duties and responsibilities of the applicant must have been definitely above those required for the Member grade. Serving in appointed titled positions is not construed as the sole qualifying criterion. It must be demonstrated that the applicant was the primary (or one of the primary) individual(s) who had responsibility for engineering work and its compliance with applicable codes, standards and specifications, or for the integrity of the plans, documents and reports prepared. For projects requiring a team effort by a group of professionals, engineering work of major importance may include the coordination of several engineering or related disciplines, under the direct or indirect supervision of the applicant. In academia, it shall be demonstrated that the applicant has functioned as a leader, guide or directing head of academic programs. In engineering teaching, the applicant must have taught in an engineering school of recognized standing and must have had at least a grade of associate professor or its equivalent. In the research field, it shall be demonstrated that the applicant has been the principal investigator or has made other major leadership contributions, such as serving on national or international committees outside the individual’s institution.
ASCE Bylaws 2.3 Fellow. There is no direct admission to the grade of Fellow. To be eligible for the grade of Fellow, an individual shall advance from the grade of Member.
2.1.1.5 Fellow. To be eligible for the grade of Fellow, an individual shall advance from the grade of Member, AND b) be a licensed Professional Engineer or Professional Surveyor in the United States or in the country in which the Member resides (if such licensure is available), AND c) provide three (3) references from Society members (at least two (2) references must be from Society Fellows), AND d) be nominated by an Organizational Entity of the Society, AND EITHER e) have had responsible charge for not less than ten (10) years, in the grade of Member, of important work in civil or related engineering or surveying and be qualified to direct, conceive, plan, or design engineering works; OR f) have had responsible charge for not less than ten (10) years, in the grade of Member, of important industrial, business, construction, editorial, or engineering society activity, requiring the knowledge and background gained from civil or related engineering training and experience, OR g) have provided leadership for a period of not less than ten (10) years in the grade of Member in educational or research activity related to the field of civil engineering.
Only ASCE organizational entities such as the Section, a branch, or institute may nominate a member for Fellow grade; nominations are not accepted from individual members. A nomination is sent to the Member Manager, who then sends the nominee an application packet to complete. When the Member Manager receives the completed packet plus the three required references, the application is presented to the Membership Application Review Committee (MARC) for consideration at its monthly meeting. For clarification, references are sent directly to the Member Manager and are not shared with either the nominee nor the organizational entity. The MARC must vote unanimously to promote a member to Fellow Grade.
As part of this initiative, I am inviting everyone in the Section to send me an email ([email protected]) with the name, or names, of those you feel meet the qualifications noted above. Feel free to self-nominate yourself. Please me the potential Fellow's name and contact information (telephone number or email). I will contact the person from there.
-Ken Cooper, P.E. (NM), F.ASCE