{"id":880,"date":"2021-02-19T20:58:56","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T20:58:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scenicmichigan.org\/?p=880"},"modified":"2021-02-19T20:58:56","modified_gmt":"2021-02-19T20:58:56","slug":"2021americanbyways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scenic.dorsay.io\/index.php\/2021\/02\/19\/2021americanbyways\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating the \u201cMagic of the Open Road\u201d with Revival of the National Scenic Byways Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your support at work! <\/span>Thank you, supporters of Scenic Michigan and Scenic America.<\/span> <\/span>We celebrate the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Feb<\/span>.<\/span> 16, 2021 announcement of 49 new designations to the America’s Byways\u00ae program<\/a><\/span>, including 15 All-American Roads (AAR) and 34 National Scenic Byways (NSB)<\/span> <\/span>in<\/span> 28 states<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Michigan\u2019s <\/span>Copper Country Trail, River Road Scenic Byway and Woodward Avenue M-1 Automotive Heritage Trail<\/span> are among the roads previously <\/span>recognized<\/span> by the <\/span>National Scenic Byways P<\/span>rogram, now <\/span>totaling 184 <\/span>America’s Byways\u00ae <\/span>in 48 states.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Established in 1991, the National Scenic Byways Program is a grass-roots collaborative effort of communities working with their state governments and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) which seeks to recognize, preserve and enhance some of America\u2019s most outstanding roads. Roadways are recognized for their notable scenic, historic, cultural, natural, recreational, and archaeological qualities. Communities can also apply for designation as state byway status, specifics of the state programs and sponsoring organizations and communities vary across the U.S.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Scenic America<\/span>, of which Scenic Michigan is an affiliate,<\/span> <\/span>led the efforts to revitalize and restore federal funding for the <\/span>National Scenic Byways P<\/span>rogram. <\/span>The<\/span> 2021<\/span> <\/span>additions <\/span>are the first <\/span>to the <\/span>program since 2009<\/span>. <\/span>Scenic Michigan Board of Director<\/span>s<\/span> member David Betts underscores the importance of <\/span>the <\/span>program. <\/span> <\/span>\u201cByways are <\/span>beautiful <\/span>but <\/span>vulnerable <\/span>places in Michigan<\/span> and across the country<\/span>. R<\/span>estoring <\/span>federal <\/span>funding <\/span>stream <\/span>was long overdue, especially for rural scenic byways where resources are limited.<\/span> <\/span>We are eager to continue collaboration with the state <\/span>and other partners <\/span>to leverage federal funding on behalf of our communities<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span>Restoration of this program bring<\/span>s<\/span> exciting o<\/span>pportunities to <\/span>secure national recognition <\/span>and resources <\/span>for <\/span>existing Michigan-designated byways<\/span>.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201cReviving America\u2019s Scenic Byways Act of 2019<\/span>\u201d<\/span> <\/span>was signed into <\/span>law<\/span> in September 2019, restarting the application process for new federal byways designations, and marking a new <\/span>era <\/span>for current and prospective byways.<\/span> <\/span>Scenic<\/span> Michigan and Scenic<\/span> America will continue to advocate for<\/span> the program\u2019s <\/span>long-term funding, <\/span>FHWA <\/span>consideration of applications on a rolling basis, a<\/span>nd<\/span> inc<\/span>lusion<\/span> in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill that Congress will take up this session<\/span>. <\/span>A <\/span>FHWA <\/span>spokesperson told Scenic <\/span>Michigan <\/span>this week <\/span>that grant opportunities <\/span>for existing byways programs <\/span>and <\/span>training for state coordinators <\/span>are still in the works and will be announced in future months. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Local communities across the country will benefit from the revival of the National Scenic Byways Program. <\/span>Natio<\/span>nal recognition helps draw<\/span> <\/span>visitors<\/span>, jobs and other benefits to communities along <\/span>our <\/span>scenic roads. <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to think about how more American cities and towns will be able to leverage the scenic roadways<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d said <\/span>Mark <\/span>Falzone<\/span>,<\/span> Scenic America President.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Recognizing the impact of the National Scenic Byways Program on America\u2019s travel and tourism industry and our own scenic conservation mission, Scenic America took the lead working with Congress to open a new nominations process and <\/span>re-<\/span>establish funding for the program.<\/span> <\/span>\u201c<\/span>We are grateful to Rep. David <\/span>Cicilline<\/span> (D-RI), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), and the nine Members who led the way to pass Public Law No. 116-57, The Reviving America\u2019s Scenic Byways Act, making <\/span>(this) <\/span>announcement possible,\u201d said Scenic America President Mark Falzone. <\/span>Congress included $16 million in funding for the program in the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act enacted on December 29, 2020 \u2014 its first dedicated funding since 2012.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

I<\/span>n announcement of the 2021 <\/span>program additions, <\/span>FHWA Executive Director Tom Everett<\/span> n<\/span>oted,<\/span> <\/span>“Through their many unique qualities, each of these new <\/span>(49) <\/span>additions to the National Scenic Byways <\/span>P<\/span>rogram helps America\u2019s roads tell our national story<\/span>. <\/span>These special routes offer travelers exciting new opportunities to explore the nation, from coast to coast or close to home.<\/span> <\/span>Scenic roads have always been popular with travelers<\/span> <\/span>and support a wide array of area businesses too. Whether hotels, eateries or gas stations, Scenic Byways and All-American Roads support the nation\u2019s small business community and are economic drivers for entire regions.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The program\u2019s revitalization comes at a critical time for <\/span>our <\/span>travel and tourism sector<\/span>s<\/span> as <\/span>we <\/span>contend with the devastating <\/span>personal losses<\/span> <\/span>and <\/span>impacts of COVID-19 on o<\/span>ur <\/span>robust hospitality industry<\/span>,<\/span> and on the state economy overall.<\/span> <\/span>Tourism is one of Michigan\u2019s leading industries<\/span> and<\/span> the state <\/span>attrac<\/span>ts<\/span> widespread resident and visitor travel. <\/span>Michigan is home t<\/span>o 23<\/span> <\/span>Byways, including 3 National Scenic Byways and 20 State Byways<\/span> — our byways contribute to overall tourism.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

A<\/span>ccording to <\/span>data compiled by Tourism Economics for the <\/span>Michigan Tourism Office, Department of Community and Economic Development, in 2019 <\/span>Michigan e<\/span>mployment supported by visitor activity rose to 351,100<\/span> jobs<\/span>, 6.1% of all employment in the state.<\/span> <\/span>Employment directly supported by visitor spending increased by 22,000 jobs <\/span>between <\/span>2015<\/span> and 2019<\/span>. <\/span>In 2019, <\/span>125.6 million visitors spent $26.3 billion in Michigan.<\/span> Visitors generated $2.9 billion in state and local<\/span> <\/span>taxes, <\/span>which is equivalent to $735 in tax savings for every household in Michigan. <\/span>The National Park Service estimates that in 2018, 2.7 million park visitors <\/span>in Michigan <\/span>spent a<\/span>bout <\/span>$237 million in <\/span>scenic <\/span>gateway regions while visiting lands managed <\/span>here <\/span>by the National Park Services<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Your support at work! Thank you, supporters of Scenic Michigan and Scenic America. We celebrate the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Feb. 16, 2021 announcement of 49 new designations to the America’s Byways\u00ae program, including 15 All-American Roads (AAR) and 34 National Scenic Byways (NSB) in 28 states.  Michigan\u2019s Copper Country Trail, River Road Scenic Byway and Woodward Avenue M-1 Automotive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,19],"tags":[9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,20,21,22,23],"class_list":["post-880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-scenic-byways","tag-all-american-roads","tag-byways","tag-copper-country-trail","tag-mark-falzone","tag-michigan","tag-michigan-roads","tag-michigan-tourism","tag-national-scenic-byways","tag-river-road-scenic-byway","tag-scenic-america","tag-scenic-byways-act-of-2019","tag-scenic-michigan","tag-scenic-views","tag-woodward-avenue-m-1-automotive-heritage-trail"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCelebrating the \u201cMagic of the Open Road\u201d with Revival of the National Scenic Byways Program - 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