ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Route 66, the historic American roadway that linked Chicago to the West Coast, soon may be dropped from a National Park Service preservation program, which would end years of efforts aimed at reviving old tourist spots in struggling towns. A federal law authorizing the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program is set to expire in two years, and some lawmakers are working to save the program or get Congress to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail. The deadline, first reported by The Herald-News in Joliet, Illinois, also has Route 66 enthusiasts and preservation advocates scrambling to make sure the program or an alternative is maintained for the "Mother Road." Development of the interstate highway system after World War II diverted motorists away from Route 66 and economically hurt communities along the road. Preservationists fear that small towns along Route 66's 2,500-mile (4,020 kilometer) path will miss out in much-needed investment if the funding program is not extended or if the route does not get the historic trail designation, said Frank Butterfield, director of the nonprofit group Landmarks Illinois.