America's Byways®Inside this Issue
WHAT'S NEW
Change In FY 2006 Solicitation for National Scenic Byways Program Grant Applications: Due to a delay in decisions on 2005 byway grants, applications now are due from State DOT's to FHWA division offices by March 3, 2006 - - an extension from the original February 10 due date. Applications are due from FHWA division offices to headquarters by Friday, March 31, 2006. Byway leaders are urged to check with their State coordinator about any possible changes in the State's deadline, as well as other questions they have regarding 2006 grants.
Decisions and announcements on FY 2005 grants are still pending.
Intrinsic Quality Colors Ready For Download on bywaysonline.org: At the National Scenic Byways Conference in Cleveland, we previewed some of the new collateral materials that are being produced for America's Byways and the National Scenic Byways Program. One of the elements was a color chart representing the Intrinsic Qualities.
Many attendees requested the chart, and it is available for your use by clicking on: http://www.bywaysonline.org/program/marketing/2006materials.html
GREAT IDEA
Celebrating the Coronado Trail in Arizona
A Celebration of Coronado Trail Scenic Byway's designation as one of America's Byways® was held at Hannagan Meadows, AZ, approximately midpoint along the 123-mile National Scenic Byway. Dramamine® was the choice of the day as more than thirty guests ascended to 9100 feet along more than 400 switchbacks. Wildlife sightings were abundant, as were the fall leaves and incredible views. Kathie Knapp, Arizona's State Byways Coordinator, tells us that "People came out of the woodwork for this celebration and they're all so proud."
Songs and Sentiments along Arkansas and Oklahoma's Talimena Scenic Drive
Ronald E. Krupa, Landscape Architect, USDA Forest Service � Oklahoma writes: Brad Holleman, President of the Talimena Scenic Drive Association, welcomed guests to the dedication of the Talimena Scenic Drive as one of America's Byways® on November 18, 2005, at the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge. The Lodge was a very gracious and accommodating host for the event. Bill Grant, nationally known Blue Grass Music performer, TSDA member and Director of Kiamichi Country, performed his newest single, "The Talimena Drive", written by Chuck Combs and Ray Poole.
Speakers from the Quachita National Forest, Arkansas DOT, Oklahoma DOT, and area FHWA addressed the dedication guests. Attendees included Oklahoma's delegation: State Senator Kenneth Corn, State Representative R.C. Pruett, State Representative Neal Brannon, and the office of U.S. Congressman Dan Boren; Arkansas: representatives from the offices of U.S. Congressman Mike Ross, and U.S. Senator Mike Pryer. Transportation representatives from both States joined the celebration.
According to Brad Holleman, "A lot of folks worked hard to get this great honor for the Talimena Scenic Drive. We can't stop now, we must keep the momentum of this prestigious designation alive, and share our beautiful bounty with the world."
America's Byways on the Beach!
Andy Nicol in Florida reports: "We had an event down here in Florida called Sandblast in the Bradenton Beach area (west coast). One of the sand sculpting teams sculpted the Americas Byways™ logo into one of their exhibits. The write up that the sculptor (Mark) sent me is as follows: "As part of the 5th Annual SandBlast Sand Sculpting Contest on Anna Marie Island a 75 ton display sculpture was crafted by Team Sandtastic [www.TeamSandtastic.com]. The display was themed around snowmen and included a snowman driving a classic car down a scenic byway."
ON THE WEB
Check it out!
The presentations from the Rock and Road 2005: National Scenic Byways Conference in Cleveland, Ohio are online! Check www.bywaysonline.org under "Resource Center Happenings" for this great information.
NEWS BRIEFS
Minnesota Department of Transportation receives AASHTO's Best Project Award
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN/DOT) received the national Best Project Award from the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) during the 2005 Best Practices in Context-Sensitive Solutions (CSS) Awards Competition.
MN/DOT received this award for its extraordinary development and reconstruction of the Minnesota Highway 38, "Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway. According to MN/DOT's District Engineer in Duluth, Michael Robinson, this "best of show" project was chosen because of its intensive and long-term collaboration with the Highway 38 Leadership Board, the North Itasca Joint Powers Board, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He said that for more than a decade, these groups worked with MN/DOT in the planning, design, and construction of this prodigious transportation improvement. The final result, Robinson said, "�reflects, in a most poignant way, an exceptionally brilliant national benchmark achievement in context-sensitive highway project design and construction that highlights Minnesota's leadership in transportation excellence."
TIA and USDM.net Survey Reports Significantly More Travelers Plan and Book Trips Online
According to the Travelers Use of the Internet, 2005 Edition issued jointly with TIA co-sponsor and contributor USDM.net, the Internet continues to grow as a dominant channel for both reaching and transacting with today's travel consumers. In fact, while growth in the number of U.S. adult travelers using the Internet for any purpose has slowed, the number of online travelers who used the Internet to actually plan and book trips grew significantly this past year.
Survey results indicate a majority of online travelers (78 percent or 79 million Americans) turned to the Internet for travel or destination information in 2005 � much higher than the 65 percent of online travelers in 2004. Also, when it comes to leisure travel, women are more likely to be online travel planners (56%). For more results, click on http://www.tia.org/pubs/pubs.asp?PublicationID=57 or http://www.USDM.net
U.S. Forest Service Wants Your Input
The Forest Service (FS) published a new regulation on November 9, 2005, governing off-highway vehicles and other motor vehicle use on national forests and grasslands. The new rule requires each national forest or ranger district to designate those roads, trails, and areas open to motor vehicle use. See the link with press release, copy of the final rule and audiotape of the press conference with the Chief at http://www.fs.fed.us/ The FS encourages your participation with individual National Forest System officials as they undertake this process of designating roads, trails, and areas for motorized travel across these lands. Each unit's motor vehicle use map will need to be a product of our collective best efforts. Once the designation is complete for unit at the local level, motor vehicle use off these routes and outside these areas will be prohibited. This prohibition will not affect over-snow vehicles, such as snowmobiles. The Forest Service National Staff lead for this effort is Jerry Ingersoll, 202-205-0931, or email - jingersoll@fs.fed.us
Extra! Extra!
Don't miss out! The deadline for new America's Byways Map Information has passed.
The new America's Byways® map is being redesigned. State Byway Coordinators, Byway Leaders and Marketing contacts, if you haven't responded to your verification email, please contact Angel immediately at angel@byways.org or 1-800-429-9297, press 3 then 5. This will ensure that your byway's information and photo is current and accurate on the new map and on the website. We are counting on you!!!!
OPPORTUNITIES
RESERVE NOW! Join us in the America's Byways Booth at TIA's PowWow 2006!
The Travel Industry Association's International PowWow 2006 provides the best opportunity to showcase your Byway to international travel buyers. It will be held in Orlando, Florida, May 7-10, 2006. We are once again offering the America's Byways® community the opportunity to be in the booth. This year the booth cost will be covered by the America's Byways Resource Center. The cost to you--the individual Byway booth attendee--is $650.00. You will be responsible for hotel and transportation costs, individual Byway materials for the booth, and set-up or breakdown of the Byways booth with the team. LIMITED SPACE IS AVAILABLE! So sign up now!!!!!! Contact Patricia McNally to reserve your space or for additional information, 1-800-429-9297, press 4; pmcnally@byways.org.
French Tour Operator Requests "USA themed" Window materials, Video Tapes and PowerPoint
Remi VENITIEN , Product Manager for Vacances Transat, one of the largest tour operators in France, is requesting the Byways' assistance. They send 25,000 tourists overseas to the USA each year and publish a 180 page brochure twice a year, printed into 400,000 copies and distributed in all France's travel agencies. Vacances Transat features a variety of escorted tours, fly and drives and "a la carte" travels.
Remi writes: We plan to display "USA themed" windows based on materials supplied on a free loan basis for a limited period (Posters, toy stuffed animals or plants, wagon models, lasso rope, horse shoes, hats, handicraft, dry food, T-shirts, caps, cooking pot,etc.). Those items will thus "rotate" from one agency to another, enhancing the visibility of your byway.
We are ready to receive your items and dispatch them to the travel agencies. Any items will help. If you have a PAL video and/or PowerPoint presentation of your byway, please send it too. Please ship items (stamped "no commercial value") to: Remi VENITIEN / Product Manager /Vacances Transat France / 43, Boulevard Diderot / F-75578 PARIS Cedex 12 / FRANCE, Tel:+ 33 1 53 02 23 07 ; rvenitien@vacancestransat.fr Thank you for your help.
January/February Topic:
"Cooperation and Collaboration."
Do you have news or ideas to share with the Byway Community?
E-mail bulletin@byways.org
