The Utah Scenic Byway Program has been active and successful for more than 25 years. This program has served as a support system to local scenic byway communities in their planning endeavors, grant acquisitions, and efforts to preserve and promote the unique roads throughout Utah that link travelers with tourism destinations, outstanding recreational opportunities, and public lands. Utah’s eight nationally designated scenic byways and eighteen state scenic byways provide a great travel experience to our state’s world-renowned destinations—some of the most significant and remarkable landscapes in the world.
While the Utah Scenic Byway program has been active since the mid-1980s, the establishment of the National Scenic Byway Program in 1991 provided a form of national recognition and a dedicated funding stream for planning, enhancing, interpreting and marketing scenic byways throughout the state and the nation. The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration established in Title 23, Section 162 of the United States Code. The program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States.e most recent transportation bill, “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” (MAP-21), reauthorized federal transportation programs through the end of fiscal year 2014. The legislation that authorizes the National Scenic Byway Program, Title 23, Section 162 of the United States Code, is still in place, but no further funds were allocated. Funding for implementation of certain scenic byway projects and activities continue as an eligible activity under the Transportation Alternatives Program.
Now is the optimum time to develop a strategic plan for the Utah Scenic Byway Program that outlines best practices toward livability and sustainability and that identify new and creative approaches to funding scenic byway enhancements that encourage the many visitors from around the world or around the state to stay longer and spend more time in our communities.
Scenic Byways Contacts:
Camille Johnson
Director Community and Partner Relations
[email protected]
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