This Stretch of Route 66 Plays "America the Beautiful" When You Drive at the Right Speed


(Video Link)

It's called the Singing Road. Follow Route 66 west of Tijeras, New Mexico. Slow down to 45 miles per hour and drive over the rumble strip on the side of the road. The bumps are arranged so that they will vibrate your car's tires to the tune of "America the Beautiful."

The National Geographic Channel and the New Mexico Department of Transportation created the Singing Road in 2014 to serve as a roadside attraction, as well as persuade drivers to avoid speeding. ABC News (auto-start video) reported at the time:

The Singing Road was constructed by Sand Bar Construction on old Route 66, just west of Tijeras and east of Albuquerque. A mathematician from Tigress Productions created the attraction for the National Geographic Channel series.

"They started work on Monday and finished on Tuesday," Dosher said. "It's remarkable the speed in which they finished it."

This video from the National Geographic Channel explains how they built the Singing Road. It's a remarkably precise work of engineering.

-via Jalopnik


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I filmed this when they were still constructing it.
I have to correct this though, since it's installation it has become worn due to the weather and the snow plows. You can still hear the song, but in about a year the road will need maintenance, and neither the highway department or county will spend money on repairing that.
This is also a section of road where bicyclist ride (one has been killed), so encouraging people to drive towards the edge of the road to hear a song, is just bad IMO.

IMO - there are far better places here in East Mountains that they could have put this, like up on the road to the peak, where there are the purple mountains. They are even called The Sandias.
And for those expecting the entire song, it does not play the entire song, just the last stanza. And then it is spoiled by the nationwide jingle.
Also - if you do decide to venture out this way - locals fly around the corner that precedes the strip, so I apologize in advance if they come up on you and blow their horn. Because even though you have to go 45 to hear the song, the posted limit through there is 55.
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