Backgrounder/Fact Sheet

ON THIS PAGE
»	What is a National Scenic Byway?
»	What are the criteria to become a National Scenic Byway?
»	How Many National Scenic Byways have been designated?
»	How does this affect towns and counties along the JTHG?
»	Who was involved in this JTHG application process?
»	What was the basis for the JTHG Application?
»	What is the impact on personal property rights?
»	Where is the funding for the program generated?
»	Must a road submitted for designation under the National Scenic Byways Program need to be first designated as a State Scenic Byway?
»	Can you give me some background on the National Scenic Byway Program?

What is a National Scenic Byway?

A National Scenic Byway is one of the highest designations the U.S. Secretary of Transportation can bestow upon a road. It’s a descriptive and honorific term that recognizes select roads nationwide for their distinct and intrinsic traits. National Scenic Byways are marketed worldwide to promote the roads’ intrinsic qualities so they can be treasured and shared while participating communities receive elevated status when applying for federal funds and grants to manage the road’s distinct traits.

What are the criteria to become a National Scenic Byway?

The Federal Highway Administration created the National Scenic Byway Program in 1991 with specific criteria that must be met in order to be considered for this highly sought-after honor and program.

The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership worked for 20 months and held over 60 community-input sessions with its Partners within this 180-mile corridor to evaluate and then substantiate the corridor’s qualifications to meet the Program’s standards. The criteria are based on the following characteristics:

• The road’s intrinsic archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.
• The road’s national and regional significance
• National Scenic Byways represent the depth and breadth of scenery in America -- natural and man-made panoramas; electrifying neon landscapes; ancient and modern history coming alive; native arts and culture; and scenes of friends, families and strangers sharing their stories.
• National Scenic Byways are considered gateways to adventures where no two experiences are the same.

How Many National Scenic Byways have been designated?

Since the program started in 1991, only a very-select group of roads have been designated. The Journey Through Hallowed Ground is just the 99th in the entire country.

How does this affect towns and counties along the JTHG?

This is a two-part answer, both leading to increased tourism.
First, the designation elevates the status of participating local jurisdictions along JTHG National Scenic Byway when seeking funding for scenic, safety, and interpretative needs along the road. Local jurisdictions quite simply now have a competitive advantage when applying for federal funds.

Here are a few examples of what other communities have used these funds for:

• Way Finding Systems to help visitors find their way to key destinations
• Access to recreation areas
• Visitor Interpretation Centers
• Context Sensitive Design solutions for their Departments of Transportation to utilize
• Heritage tourism collateral material like brochures, maps, trail guides
• Public Service Announcements and advertisements to inform and attract visitors
• Educational programs for students of every age
• Interpretive programs for Native American, African American and European American Heritage

Two, this road is now part of a highly select group of nationally recognized roads that are marketed nationally and internationally as elite tourism destinations through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “American Byways” Program.

This program markets these roads to tourists as a distinct collection of American roads, where their stories and places are to be treasured as the heart and soul of America. The American Byways Website is just one example of the marketing program, and it presently highlights the other five Byways in Virginia, three in Maryland, and two in Pennsylvania with descriptions, photos, news stories and more.

This marketing and public relations is above and beyond what most jurisdictions along the JTHG, even acting cooperatively, could even consider. American Byways is an established program that promotes the JTHG National Scenic Byway to visitors across the globe.

Who was involved in this JTHG application process?

In more than 60 meetings, over 20 months, stakeholders in every community throughout the 180-mile JTHG corridor provided input. Stakeholders included:

• Local officials, representing town councils and county supervisors, boroughs, and townships
• Department of Transportation officials representatives from the three states within the JTHG: Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia
• Destination Marketing Professionals from 15 counties and three states
• National park rangers, heritage site directors and historians
• Businesses and Historic Main Street Organizations
• Local residents, landowners, and farmers
• Congressmen, senators, governors, mayors and other officials
• See attached for complete listing of meetings

What was the basis for the JTHG Application?

The first major step in the application process required that all segments of the 180-mile corridor in all three states be designated as State Scenic Byways. That was done.

The second step required that all communities and stakeholders work together to create a Corridor Management Plan to outline: the intrinsic qualities of the corridor; what makes this corridor worthy of the designation; and how each community seeks to enhance their unique heritage, culture and scenic attractions for the future.

As mentioned, every community throughout the JTHG National Heritage Area provided input through the 60 meetings and that information was included in the Corridor Management Plan.

The application focused on the following characteristics of the region:

• Intrinsic archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.
• Unique tourist destinations along the road
• The road’s national and regional significance
• The road offers a distinct and unique experience, rarely found in the nation

What is the impact on personal property rights?

There is only one, the prohibition of new billboards along the National Scenic Byway.
In practice however, this regulation has no impact on the landowners within the JTHG National Heritage Area as every jurisdiction along the 180-mile corridor prohibited new billboards long ago.

One of the underlying principles for the program has been articulated best by the Byway leader who said, "the program is about recognition, not regulation."

Where is the funding for the program generated?

There is no new funding appropriated to designated roads. However, once designated, National Scenic Byway communities are given elevated status when applying for funds to execute their plans through the existing National Scenic Byways Discretionary Grants program.

Must a road submitted for designation under the National Scenic Byways Program need to be first designated as a State Scenic Byway?

Yes.

Can you give me some background on the National Scenic Byway Program?

The National Scenic Byways Program was established under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, and reauthorized in 1998 under the transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. Under the program, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as National Scenic Byways based on their archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic qualities.

The Journey Through Hallowed Ground serves as the 99th National Scenic Byway found in 44 states. There are five others in Virginia, three others in Maryland and two in Pennsylvania.

Once designated, these roads are promoted under The Federal Highway Administration’s “America's Byways®” marketing.