RESOURCE PROTECTION

CONTEXT-SENSITIVE
SOLUTIONS FOR MARYLAND
SCENIC BYWAYS

Maryland Scenic Byways 

MArylAnd 


2 0 0 7  S C E N I C  B Y W A Y  A W A R D  W IN N E R  f o r

R E S O U R C E  P R O T E C T I O N

As States gain experience managing their scenic 
byway programs, they realize that designation of 
a byway is only the starting point for a successful 
long-term plan. Maintaining the integrity of 
the resources for which the byway received its 
designated is among the critical hurdles still 
to be faced. 

STATE PARTNER SUPPORT

The Maryland Scenic Byway program, administered by the 
Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), has made 
great progress toward maintaining the distinctive qualities 
of the State’s byways. Recognizing the importance of the 
State’s byways, the Maryland SHA worked to ensure the 
completion of a professionally prepared document entitled, 
“Context-Sensitive Solutions for Work on Scenic Byways.” 
In addition, the Maryland SHA requested that State and local 
governments immediately begin implementing the guidelines 
presented in this publication, even while the publication 
was still in a draft form. 

INNOVATION IN DESIGN AND PLANNING TOOLS

“Context-Sensitive Solutions for Work on Scenic Byways” is 
an informative and easy-to-use publication. It gives hands-on 
advice and illustrations, both of which have already been put 
to good use. Judith Kremen with the Maryland National Road 
Association noted in her letter of support, “Maryland’s byway 
guides...are easy to read and designed to stimulate thoughtful 
decision making without intimidating local citizens and 
community leaders by incorporating a lot of technical jargon 
or talking down to design and engineering professionals.” 

The guidelines cover a host of issues, including roadside 
barriers, utilities, landscaping, bridges, signs, lighting, bicycle 
access, and maintenance. Importantly, the workbook of solutions 
focuses first on identifying the byway’s character-defining 
features, then assists the user in applying context-sensitive 
design solutions to protect these features. 

PROCESS OF COOPERATION 

In crafting the documents, the Maryland SHA was committed 
to reaching common ground with a variety of partners who served 
on a working group of advisors. This group reached consensus 
on the publication guidelines and reviewed the draft documents. 
To ensure implementation of the guidelines, Maryland SHA 
also held critical meetings with SHA offices that are directly 
involved with road projects along designated byways. 

MODEL FOR STATEWIDE LEADERSHIP 

The Maryland SHA contribution to this publication offers a 
spectacular model for State departments of transportation 
nationwide, both in the specific guidelines and the process for 
establishing them. The project provides an excellent example 
of innovative leadership at the State level. The SHA has also 
developed a specific handbook, “Context-Sensitive Solutions 
for the Maryland Historic National Road Scenic Byway,” and 
has plans to develop individual handbooks for each of 
Maryland’s byways. 

PHOTO & LINE ART (3)


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