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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Coos Bay officials identify body, search for suspect ... Mobile home tenants face rent increases with new leases from IPG ... Since You Asked: TV sound delay has other explanations ... Coos Bay officials identify body, search for suspect ... Mobile home tenants face rent increases with new leases from IPG ... Since You Asked: TV sound delay has other explanations ... GREEN TECHNOLOGY Charging stations, solar panels added to Route 66 Comment By RUSSELL CONTRERAS Associated Press MailTribune.com By RUSSELL CONTRERAS Associated Press Posted Jul. 15, 2016 at 6:24 PM By RUSSELL CONTRERAS Associated Press Posted Jul. 15, 2016 at 6:24 PM » Social News ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Route 66, the historic U.S. highway made famous for attracting gas-guzzling Chevrolet Bel Airs and 1957 Cadillacs traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles, is turning green. The Mother Road has seen in recent months a growing number of electric car charging stations along the 2,500-mile path, and some states even are pushing for solar panels and electric buses. In Illinois, where Route 66 begins, the state has installed a network of electric vehicle charging station from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. BMW, Mitsubishi, and Nissan are supporting the $1 million effort with technical help from the University of California at Davis. Officials say it the project will cover eight cities, and each site will have at least one fast-charging station. "This infrastructure has the clear potential to save drivers money while delivering environmental benefits to the state and the nation," Gustavo Collantes, with the UC Davis Policy Institute and lead of the Zero Emission MAP initiative, said at the time of the project's announcement. Earlier this year, Missouri's highway department announced it was eying a project to cover a portion of its Route 66 with road-ready solar panels. Under the experiment, roadways would be embedded with solar panels to provide energy to nearby rest stops. The electronics of the panels would be inside glass-covered, hexagonal sections weighing about 70 pounds each. Solar Roadways, an Idaho-based company developing solar panels, said the formulated tempered glass would support the weight of semi-trucks and has a traction surface like asphalt. Solar Roadways also said this month it was in talks with a Ramada hotel in Kingman, Arizona along Route 66 about placing solar panels in a parking lot. The hotel isn't the one trying to get in the action. Bella Roma Bed & Breakfast innkeeper Laura Ferrary said she installed a Tesla supercharger at her Albuquerque spot after seeing an offer from Tesla seeking motel charging station. She also anticipates more environmentally-conscience travelers in the future. "It's just something I thought would be perfect for us since we like to be eco-friendly and those who drive Tesla cars are high-end travelers," Ferrary said. In the six months her upscale bed & breakfast has had the charger, it's been used only twice, she said. "But I bet that changes soon," she said. By RUSSELL CONTRERAS Associated Press MailTribune.com By RUSSELL CONTRERAS Associated Press Posted Jul. 15, 2016 at 6:24 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501