The Route 66 Plazas on the River in Tulsa

Two plazas in Tulsa celebrate Historic Route 66 and Cyrus Avery: Centennial Plaza on the east bank of the Arkansas River, and Southwest Plaza on the west bank.

Included below is a map showing the location of Centennial Plaza and Southwest Plaza in Tulsa

The Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza

Map showing the key elements of the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza (click for interactive map)


Historic U.S. Route 66 sign on the Skyway bridge, downtown Tulsa at the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza


Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza looking west from the Skyway

The Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza is named for the Tulsa resident who is known as "The Father of Route 66". It is located at the east entrance to the historic Route 66 bridge near downtown Tulsa. The first phase of the plaza, dedicated in 2008, included a display of flags from all eight states through which Route 66 traversed.

A Skyway with observation deck leads pedestrians from the visitors parking lot across Southwest Boulevard to the plaza.

The park and sculptures are an artistic representation of the use of automobiles and highways spreading across the country in the late 1920s and 30s. Future plans for the Avery Centennial Plaza include a visitor’s center and the Route 66 Interpretive Center, to be located on the hill beside the Skywalk near the parking lot. It would feature Route 66 exhibits, historical perspectives, restaurants and gift shop.

Centennial Plaza is located at the east entrance to the historic Route 66 bridge at the intersection of Southwest Boulevard and Riverside Drive.

A visit to Centennial Plaza is highly recommended for Route 66 fans!

The Sculptures
East Meets West: Symbolic Route 66 Midpoint

The scene in Centennial Plaza depicts the Avery family riding west in a Motel T Ford, meeting an eastbound horse-drawn carriage. Cyrus, his wife, his daughter and their pet cat are all in the Model T traveling down Route 66. They suddenly come across an oil field waggoneer whose team of horses are scared by the new sounds of a combustion engine. The sculptures are the work of Robert Summers.

Route 66 Bridge Over the Arkansas River

Directly west of Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza is the original Eleventh Street Bridge bridge built in 1915 to carry Route 66 over the Arkansas River. It is located between newer bridges on Southwest Boulevard and Interstate 244, and was closed to traffic in 1980 although it remained open for pedestrians for a time.

Gates were locked on the bridge in 2008, and it remains closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic today. The old bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and re-named the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge.

The Cyrus Avery Southwest Plaza

The Cyrus Avery Southwest Plaza is located near the west side of the historic Route 66 bridge.

The plaza includes replicas of three neon signs from classic Tulsa-area motels: Tulsa Auto Court, the Will Rogers Motor Court, and the Oil Capital Motel (see photos below along with vintage images of the three motels).

Route 66 Road Trips in Oklahoma

Kansas to Tulsa

Oklahoma City to
Texas

Oklahoma Route 66 Passport

The Oklahoma Route 66 Passport from the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department helps Route 66 travelers find new destinations to explore and document their progress along the way. A new updated passport (yellow) is being offered beginning in 2023.

The Route 66 Passport, which is available free at TravelOK.com, features 66 of the state’s memorable Mother Road attractions. It includes iconic stops like Catoosa’s Blue Whale, Stroud’s Rock Cafe and Clinton’s Oklahoma Route 66 Museum along with many newer favorites.

Get your passport stamped at each stop, then take it to a Tourism Information Center to be verified and earn an exclusive Route 66 coin.

Both the new yellow and previous red Route 66 Passports are now available in a digital format. Download the official TravelOK Trip Planner app on the Apple App Store or Google Play to get started. When you get to each stop, you'll find a code displayed that you can enter to digitally check in.

• More information about the Oklahoma Route 66 Passport
• Order the Oklahoma Route 66 Passport online