ASU students present I‑40 gateway vision to help draw travelers back to downtown Kingman
June 02, 2026 | Kingman City, Mohave County, Arizona
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A team of graduate students from Arizona State University's Project Cities program presented a vision framework for Kingman's I‑40 gateway and West Beale Street corridor on June 2.
"Our three goals are to strengthen the interstate to downtown connection, preserve Kingman's historic Route 66 identity, and create compelling reasons for visitors to stop," student Christian Remkkey told the council. The team's work was prompted by ADOT's construction of a new I‑40/US‑93 interchange, slated for completion in 2027, which officials said will re‑route through traffic away from downtown.
The students mapped existing conditions (a five‑lane West Beale Street with many unsignalized driveways and narrow sidewalks), conducted a multimodal connectivity assessment and examined peer communities that have coped with freeway bypasses. They reported in‑person engagement at a downtown Comic‑Con event and an online Qualtrics survey that collected 1,262 responses.
Public preferences emphasized safety, walkability, preserving Route 66 character and adding shops, restaurants and amenities that encourage visitors to stop and spend time in Kingman. Recommended strategies include enhanced signage and wayfinding to trails, incentives to attract unique businesses, a post‑interchange traffic study to evaluate reconfiguring West Beale Street, and zoning/overlay tools to encourage higher‑density infill.
The team proposed a four‑phase implementation tied to the interchange timeline: immediate branding and low‑cost improvements before the interchange opens; traffic analysis and visible improvements just after opening; larger infrastructure investments three to seven years post‑opening; and long‑term maintenance and management after year seven.
Why it matters: the interchange will alter through‑traffic patterns that sustain much of Kingman's Route 66 tourism. The students provided a menu of tactical and policy steps for the city to preserve its downtown tourism economy and improve safety and multimodal connections.
Staff said the final summary and report will be circulated to council and the Economic Development Advisory Commission in July–August for next steps.
"Our three goals are to strengthen the interstate to downtown connection, preserve Kingman's historic Route 66 identity, and create compelling reasons for visitors to stop," student Christian Remkkey told the council. The team's work was prompted by ADOT's construction of a new I‑40/US‑93 interchange, slated for completion in 2027, which officials said will re‑route through traffic away from downtown.
The students mapped existing conditions (a five‑lane West Beale Street with many unsignalized driveways and narrow sidewalks), conducted a multimodal connectivity assessment and examined peer communities that have coped with freeway bypasses. They reported in‑person engagement at a downtown Comic‑Con event and an online Qualtrics survey that collected 1,262 responses.
Public preferences emphasized safety, walkability, preserving Route 66 character and adding shops, restaurants and amenities that encourage visitors to stop and spend time in Kingman. Recommended strategies include enhanced signage and wayfinding to trails, incentives to attract unique businesses, a post‑interchange traffic study to evaluate reconfiguring West Beale Street, and zoning/overlay tools to encourage higher‑density infill.
The team proposed a four‑phase implementation tied to the interchange timeline: immediate branding and low‑cost improvements before the interchange opens; traffic analysis and visible improvements just after opening; larger infrastructure investments three to seven years post‑opening; and long‑term maintenance and management after year seven.
Why it matters: the interchange will alter through‑traffic patterns that sustain much of Kingman's Route 66 tourism. The students provided a menu of tactical and policy steps for the city to preserve its downtown tourism economy and improve safety and multimodal connections.
Staff said the final summary and report will be circulated to council and the Economic Development Advisory Commission in July–August for next steps.
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