National Scenic Byways Program Lessons from the Road LOGO: National Scenic Byways Program Case #12: Working With a Statewide Byways From high plains to majestic mountains, Colorado is gifted with magnificent beauty. It also boasts a rich cultural history: the Anasazi civi- lization dates back thou- sands of years; the Spanish explored the State’s southern reaches in the 1500s and left an indelible stamp; and then, in the 19th Century, explorers, trappers, and miners made the area their home. Today, Colorado’s Scenic and Histor ic Byway s Program celebrates the State’s heritage through its extensive network of byways. Local groups administer and manage the byways. The Scenic and Historic Byways Commission, created by executive order in 1989, coordinates this diverse byway system for the State of Colorado. This case study summarizes the Commission’s approach to creating and maintaining a successful byway system for the State. PHOTO: Recreational features such as Lake Irwin should be included in Corridor Management Plans. About Lessons from the Road This case study features lessons learned by scenic byway advocates across the country that are applicable to many sce- nic byway initiatives. Scenic byways are public roads with special scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archaeological, and/or natural qualities that have been recognized as such through legislation or some other official declaration. Nomination guidelines for National Scenic Byway designa- tion require 14 planning and management elements. Some byway efforts lead to nomination, and possibly national desig- nation; the rest choose other paths for implementation. These case studies show how various byway managers address planning and management issues in distinctive ways. Each case study in this series concludes with a resource list of helpful publications and details on how to contact the National Scenic Byways Clearinghouse. Good luck with your byway. The Series 1. Mapping 2. Design and Maintenance 3. Assess Intrinsic Qualities 4. Telling the Story 5. Conserving Intrinsic Qualities 6. Visitor Experience & Services 7. Manage Development 8. Signage 9. Marketing 10. Public Involvement 11. Action Plans *12. State Program Management Colorado: A Model State Scenic Byway Program Roles and Responsibilities The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Commission requires local communities to manage each State byway. Community members—whether individuals, government agencies, citizen groups, business interests, or others—must develop a plan to manage their byway. Doing so ensures commitment to the plan and guarantees that related projects will be consistent with local values. The Byways Commission provides technical assistance to all of its byways, creating a statewide framework for the byways, setting standards for management plans, and funneling funding from government grants and private partners. The Colorado Department of Transportation, Office of Environmental Services, provides a staff member to manage the program with funding assistance from the ISTEA Enhancement Program (ISTEA is the Federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991). This staff member is a trained historian skilled in community organization, funding procurement, and management. The State Byways Commission prepared a resource manual to guide the work of its designated byways as each developed a byway plan. The manual is written in layperson terms and each of the 12 chapters covers a key step in developing a byway organization. PHOTO: A cooperative sign marks the entrance to a four-wheel drive loop off the byway. PHOTO: The State, Federal agencies and local residents collaborate on many features in the byway system. PHOTO: Byway improvements keep the route appealing to visitors. Work with Key Partners The key to the Byways Commission’s suc- cess has been finding the right partners to develop a plan and then oversee manage- ment of each byway. The Commission encourages local byway organizations to involve representatives from the tourism industry, local governments, and local res- idents. Depending upon the byway and the land it crosses, the Commission also works with the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service. The Commission first surveyed the byway organizations that had originally nominated routes for inclusion in the statewide pro- gram. Finding that many of the original groups had disbanded, and that others were not well organized or did not feel capable of completing management plans, the Commission hired consultants to help the groups expand their memberships and com- plete important tasks, such as preparing maps to help local groups visualize and dis- cuss their areas; organizing and facilitating meetings; recording and distributing meeting min- utes; preparing vision statements to help groups express their goals and objectives; and preparing agreements between gov- ernment agencies. The Commission delib- erately left this work up to the local groups, allowing them to set their own schedules, and to work without imposed man- dates or requirements. This freedom and time fostered growing interest in the program among the local communities, help- ing to revitalize the organizations and instill in their members a fresh commitment to their vision and their byway’s success. SIDEBAR: Getting Started To help the revitalized organi- zations start writing their man- agement plans, the Commission held four one-day work sessions that covered public involvement strategies, interpretive planning, resource protection, and market- ing. A month later, another work- shop provided facilitators and resource experts to work on spe- cific projects and issues. A third session focused on funding. The Commission invested heavily in this process because the manage- ment plan is the backbone of any designated byway, providing a blueprint for development and planning along the route. Jump at Opportunities to Implement Your Byway Plan Seeing Results Local groups often put their plans to work before they are off the drawing board, eagerly making enhancements to their routes. By mid-1997, 75 proj- ects had been completed, provid- ing travelers along some of the State’s designated routes with a variety of wayside exhibits, audiotapes, infor- mational kiosks, brochures, or rest stops with facilities and gracious peo- ple to answer questions. The local groups allocated half of their nearly $7 million to facility development, interpretation, and planning. Most of the remaining funds paid for road improvements and marketing. Some groups spent small amounts to acquire land to protect important local resources. The Commission’s ability to secure funding for early action has been extremely important to the local byways, and to the success of the statewide byways network. Being Organized Pays Off Just as the Byways Commission was preparing to seek funding to develop man- agement plans and provide amenities for byway visitors, the US Congress passed ISTEA. Suddenly funds were available through the National Scenic Byways pro- gram. Today, the Commission works to attract additional partners who are willing to contribute to the development of byway programming. Partners have already provid- ed more than $1 million in projects and local matches. Coping with Difficulties While the reasons vary, it is not uncom- mon for byway organizations to face any- thing from dissenting opinion to outright opposition due to the differing visions and goals individuals may have for a corridor and local communities. The Byways Commission and local groups used third- party facilitators to help them progress through these difficult situations. Another useful tool is a “Memorandum of Agreement” signed by key stakeholders stat- ing their commitment to participate in a public planning process. While a smaller task force may develop the actual plan, those who sign the Memorandum have the oppor- tunity to review the final document. The planning process should also include Scenic and Historic Byway public hearings. For the Gold Belt Tour Byway near Colorado Springs, copies of the draft plan were available at the hearings with a survey so residents could easily respond and offer comments. Gathering citizen input helps people feel part of the process. PHOTO: Protecting archaeological features and respecting native cultures are important issues. Lessons Learned --Support the Community as it Develops its Management Plan Provide an outline of a management plan and what it should address, but stress that the outline is not an edict. Encourage the community to revise it to fit its needs. Give examples of what has worked well elsewhere and why it has worked. Be willing to be a sounding board and act as an information clearinghouse, especially among affected State and Federal agencies. Provide funding sources and coordination. Help the byway group to be sustainable. --Understanding the Community Do not move too fast. Meet with com- munity leaders individually to allow them to express their concerns. Go to town council and planning commission meetings. Follow the local newspaper(s). Realize that some folks may not think a grassroots process is genuine and may suspect a hidden agenda behind the byway project. Never make unfounded assumptions. If you don’t know if you understand something, ask again. Listen, listen, and listen! --Develop True Citizen Participation A true grassroots byway approach must attempt to bring every possible interested party to the table. Shared incentives are powerful tools for getting diverse groups together. Whether an issue is Federal, State, or local, each agency or individual must believe the process is fair and inclusive to gain the necessary sense of ownership that makes a successful project. The byway management plan is the most effective tool for assuring that diverse and even conflicting interests are dealt with properly. Be patient and demonstrate commitment. It may take time to gain credibility with a grassroots group. Support your words with actions that make a difference in the community. Remember to use local knowledge and resources. Diverse opinions will be an ongoing management issue, so encourage an expression of all opinions and a means of resolving conflicts. Never assume that any byway is designated specifically as an economic development or tourism effort. The protection of intrinsic qualities and life styles, coupled with visitor education, may be the focus of the group’s byway planning effort. PHOTO: Citizen involvement builds support for byway projects, and in Colorado, that support has turned into improvements along the State byway system. A Byway Checklist Colorado’s goal is for all its byways to complete management plans for their corridors. Local groups have helped create the following list of management considerations: . Accommodations . Budget and Funding Program . Evaluation . Financial Projections . Fund Leveraging . Funding and Financing (types and sources of funding and revenue) . General Marketing Strategy and Techniques . Infrastructure Protection, Enhancement, and Development . Interpretive Plan . Maintenance of Resource Quality . Market Identification . Marketing and Promotion . Medical, Police, and Fire . Monitoring and Protection . On-site Byway Support Facilities . Phasing and Time Lines . Promotion Program . Recreation Attractions . Resource Protection, Enhancement, and Development . Restaurants . Transportation and Traffic . Visitor Services To complete the plan, the Commission provides technical assistance and trou- bleshooting. Work sessions focus on ele- ments of the plan or on issues such as understanding the balance between devel- opment and resource protection. In some cases, the Commission and the local group work closely with community leaders to learn about past successes and failures, and to understand the causes. Additional Resources Scenic Byways Plan, State of Colorado, Department of Transportation, 4201 East Arkansas Avenue, Room 284, Denver, Colorado 80222. Contact the National Scenic Byways Clearinghouse for these and other resources (see below). About this Series The National Scenic Byways Program of the Federal Highway Administration and the Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service collaborated to research, write, and produce Lessons from the Road. The series was written in 1998. For information on resources mentioned in this series, contact the National Scenic Byways Clearinghouse: 1-800-4-BYWAYS (1-800-429-9297), press 2, or visit our website at www.byways.org. The Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program works beyond national park boundaries to bring conservation assis- tance to communities, serving as a catalyst for tangible results. Opinions expressed in these case studies are not necessarily those of the USDOT/FHWA or the NPS. These documents do not constitute standards, specifications, or regulations and are distributed in the inter- est of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for the contents or use thereof. LOGO: U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration LOGO: U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER FHWA-EP-99-011