National Scenic Byways Program and
America’s Byways Resource Center: 10-Year Report
This December 2009 report represents the byway-specific knowledge base and resources created over the previous decade to fortify the success and sustainability of designated byways. It covers work implemented by the America’s Byways Resource Center in support of the National Scenic Byways Program.
For ease of viewing this 10-year compilation, descriptions of the work follow the Introduction in four categories: Research, Training, Tools, and Evaluation. Links to digital resources are provided when available.
For additional information, please contact the FHWA-National Scenic Byways Program or America’s Byways Resource Center.
Training
America’s Byways Resource Center and FHWA-National Scenic Byways Program have worked to provide learning opportunities that allow grassroots byway organizations to develop an essential level of knowledge for effectively planning and managing their respective corridor’s intrinsic qualities. This work has been accomplished through traditional-style workshops, distance learning, on-demand learning and self-study tutorials.
Byways 101 Online Training - 2009 - Present
Byways 101, produced by America’s Byways Resource Center, introduces volunteers, leaders and coordinators to the basics of byways in four primary sections: Program Overview, Intrinsic Qualities & The Byway Story, Public & Community Involvement, and Planning, Action & Nomination.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: New byway organizations, individuals new to existing byway organizations, byway community stakeholders and interested parties.
- Goal: Provide basic byway information and links to tools and resources, by combining information from the previously published Byway Beginnings and the Community Guide, and incorporating new, relevant information in a digitally navigable format.
- Intensity: An online format provides 24/7 access to information and tools, and the division of content into four primary sections provides definable learning objectives for each section. Participants can complete a knowledge self-assessment to aid in determining what information is available, and users can view a video module for each section that describes the objectives and tools.
- Duration: This is a self-directed learning experience, allowing users to review the information by subject as many times as he or she prefers, and for as long as desired. Data shows the average time spent on the site between April 2009 and December 2009 is over six minutes per visit. The average visitor sees 6.97 pages per visit.
- Product: Online digital product consisting of 170 pages, as well as video.
- Outcome: 311 registered users, and 2,070 visits since April 2009 with over 14,000 page views.
- Continued Use: The site offers continuous learning potential. Its online format is expected to gain new users over time, as well as incremental increases in returning users seeking topic-specific guidance. The downloadable PDF pages encourage use as a printed resource for ongoing reference material.
National Scenic Byways Conferences - 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009
America’s Byways Resource Center and FHWA-National Scenic Byways Program have hosted a biennial national conference to provide learning opportunities through classroom presentations, experiential workshops and peer-to-peer exchanges covering core topic areas important to byways, such as finances, organizational development, corridor management, visitor experience, and marketing.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: National Scenic Byway community (America’s Byways®, State byways, USFS Byways, BLM Backcountry Byways, Tribal byways, NPS Park Roads, Refuge Roads), byway practitioners, State and Tribal byway program coordinators, and partners. Average attendance per conference is 400.
- Goal: To highlight opportunities to improve and sustain byways, instill a high sense of responsibility, and provide an important networking opportunity for the byway community.
- Intensity: Classroom sessions, field sessions, best practices, awards programs, general sessions and exhibits.
- Duration: Typically 3-4 days in length, averaging 8 hours per day.
- Product: Onsite conference brochure; attendee directory; Scenic Byway Awards publication; conference presentations and materials for 2007 and 2009 were made available online for those unable to attend.
- Outcomes: Since 1999, six conferences have yielded a total of 2,500 participants and a total of 669.75 contact hours. Continuing Education Credit hours are offered upon request. Evaluation in 2009 indicated that 69% of respondents felt that the biennial conference is an efficient use of time. Networking, learning new skills and sharing new ideas were the primary factors indicated when respondents selected their preferred conference experiences on surveys.
- Continued Use: Most conference presentations and materials from the 2007 and 2009 conferences are available online in PDF and .txt formats, and continue to be used and referred by the Byways Specialists when providing technical assistance to byway groups.
2009 Conference
2007 Conference
2005 Conference
2003 Conference
2001 Conference
1999 Conference
Distance-Learning Opportunities - 2005 - Present
Hosted by America’s Byways Resource Center, Tele-Workshops offered call-in learning opportunities about topics of importance to the byway community, providing a guest speaker or facilitator and follow-up fact sheet for more information. Podcasts and webcasts have replaced the Tele-Workshop for cost-effective delivery channels.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: Byway practitioners, byway leaders, and State and Tribal byway program coordinators.
- Goal: To provide subject-specific tutorials in a cost-effective manner and facilitate information sharing among participants.
- Intensity: Most sessions cover exposure to basic theories and concepts, and include access to tools and resources. A few in-depth sessions and modules cover intermediate-level information with tools and resources.
- Duration: 60-120 minutes per session; some courses contain multi-session modules.
- Product: Recorded webcasts, recorded podcasts, Tele-Workshop Fact Sheets, and online tools.
- Outcome: Continued opportunity to access subject-specific information without travel costs or session fees. Distance-learning format allows for multiple participants regardless of location. Limited and specific session time complements multiple time zones and encourages participation. Data shows 694 active participants; 25 live sessions; 436 clicks on digital formats; 13,200 Fact Sheets covering 23 Tele-Workshops have been distributed, and digital formats are available.
- Continued Use: Recordings and subsequent webcasts and podcasts allow for repeated use; printed or downloaded Fact Sheets provide ongoing reference material.
Podcasts and Webcasts - 2008 - Present
Tele-Workshop Fact Sheets - 2005 - 2007
Power Workshops: Strength Training for Byways - 2004 - Present
Power Workshops, delivered by the America’s Byways Resource Center, offered regional four-hour, theme-intensive workshops that focused on developing skills in fundraising, organizational sustainability and resource protection. The regional nature of these workshops made them more accessible and affordable to the byway community, while providing a valuable networking opportunity for byway representatives within their own regions.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: Byway leaders.
- Goal: To provide hands-on, theme-based sessions focusing on the foundations for byway organization planning in topics such as resource management, fundraising and organizational sustainability.
- Intensity: Full participant-style workshop. Participants remained in small groups and worked together in each respective subject area. Teachers rotated to the groups. Sessions required role-playing, problem solving and presentations to other participants.
- Duration: Three 4-hour theme-based sessions and one general session over 1.5 days, for a total of 15 contact hours. This scenario was repeated four times around the country, for a total of 184 participants and a total of 60 contact hours.
- Product: 70-page workbook; 3 self-assessment indicator worksheets.
- Outcomes: Workbook has been formatted for digital use; indicators are in print-and-go tools available to byway organizations. Curriculum developed for workshop has been modified for use with byway specialists in the field. Byway organizations that have participated in the workshop have revised their resource strategies and strategic planning efforts, and have redefined their mission and vision statements based on the workshop.
- Continued Use: Digital versions of the work book and the self-assessment indicators continue to be used by byways specialists when working with byway organizations in the field.
Conserving Our Treasured Places: Managing Visual Quality on Scenic Byways - Publication - 2004
The result of a collaboration with Scenic America and America’s Byways Resource Center, this manual and two-day workshop program was developed to help guide byway groups and communities through the scenic conservation planning process, including how to engage key partners; assess, inventory and map visual resources along the byway; identify and prioritize scenic issues; and develop a scenic conservation strategy.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: Byway practitioners, byway leaders, and others involved with managing visual quality along byways.
- Goal: Produce a manual and workshop capable of detailing the background and various topics related to visual quality, visitor experience and scenic conservation along a byway.
- Intensity: The publication and workshop thoroughly discussed the background of visual quality and provided a detailed outline for conducting the workshop.
- Duration: Self-directed, four-step workshop conducted onsite at various locations.
- Product: A 179-page publication and workshop outline that can be delivered onsite.
- Outcome: The manual was distributed to all byways requesting a copy. All workshop attendees received a copy. Workshops were conducted in Arkansas, Idaho, Delaware, Colorado, Arizona, New York, Florida and New Mexico, with a total of 168 participants and 2,336 contact hours.
- Continued Use: Any current requests are filled with remaining stock.
Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Maintaining Effective Byway Organizations - Publication - 2003
This printed and digitized publication produced by America’s Byways Resource Center presents basic organizational concepts, case studies and best practices from the National Scenic Byways Program. Specific discussions and exercises focus on partnerships, structure and group dynamics.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: Byway practitioners, byway leaders, and State and Tribal byway program coordinators.
- Goal: To provide tools and strategies covering basic organizational concepts to increase the sustainability and effectiveness of byway groups.
- Intensity: Self-directed study, in most cases; primarily intended for readers with beginner or intermediate knowledge of the subject.
- Duration: Self-directed study, in most cases.
- Product: A 275-page printed version, also published as a digital CD version and offered online in a digital version.
- Outcome: Byway Specialists direct byway practitioners to this publication, including newly designated byway organizations. It has also become a reference for other training work, including Byways 101. Data shows 880 hard copies and 994 digital copies have been distributed.
- Continued Use: Elements of the publication are used in providing technical assistance to byways working to improve their organizational effectiveness. Most widely used is “Your Structure.” As a printed and digitized resource, it continues to offer potential for reference material.
Table Of Contents (PDF, .txt)
Preface (PDF, .txt)

Your Purpose (PDF, .txt)

Your Partners (PDF, .txt)

Your Structure (PDF, .txt)

Your Group Dynamics (PDF, .txt)

Your Plan (PDF, .txt)

Appendix (PDF, .txt)

Training Materials (PDF, .txt)
From Milestones to Mile-Markers: Understanding Historic Roads - Publication - 2003
Commissioned and produced by America’s Byways Resource Center, this publication provides information to help local byway organizations understand and manage a scenic byway with historic intrinsic qualities and resources.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: Byway practitioners involved with byways possessing historic intrinsic qualities or features.
- Goal: To provide a case study of historic inventory, analysis and preservation techniques.
- Intensity: Self-directed study, primarily for readers with beginner or intermediate knowledge of the subject.
- Duration: Self-directed study.
- Product: A 216-page printed publication.
- Outcome: All State and Tribal offices have a copy. A total of 1,553 copies have been distributed.
- Continued Use: America’s Byways Resource Center hosted a two-part webinar series highlighting the publication and demonstrating how to use the resource for inventory analysis along a byway corridor. The publication was also featured at two Historic Roads Conferences, and Byways Specialists use the book when working with byway corridors that possess historic intrinsic qualities. As a printed resource, it continues to offer potential for reference material.
America’s Byways And Intelligent Transportation Systems: An Introduction To ITS - Publication - 2001
An electronic booklet produced by America’s Byways Resource Center that introduced Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to the byway community to help increase awareness of ITS in byway organizations; demonstrated how ITS could be used to address byway-related issues; and provided resources and suggested next steps for incorporating ITS solutions into byway initiatives.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: Byway practitioners, byway leaders, and others seeking to learn more about the various ITS applications on byways.
- Goal: Produce a report capable of detailing the background, and various topics surrounding ITS and its applicability to a byway.
- Intensity: The publication introduced the concept of ITS and how byway communities could use this technology to address byway-related issues.
- Duration: Self-directed.
- Product: A 29-page electronic publication on CD that reviewed the ITS background, applications, devices, and support organizations that have used ITS technology.
- Outcome: The publication was distributed to all byways requesting a copy. 1,000 copies of the CD were produced.
- Continued Use: The publication is no longer available.
Lessons From The Road - Publication - 1998
The National Scenic Byways Program of FHWA and the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service collaborated to produce a series featuring lessons learned by scenic byway advocates across the country. The lessons apply to many scenic byway initiatives.
Work Synopsis
- Audience: Byway practitioners, byway leaders, and others desiring to review and apply lessons proven to be successful from throughout the collection.
- Goal: Provide a series of useful, workable, successful lessons that benefit individual byways.
- Intensity: Self-directed study, primarily for readers with beginner or intermediate knowledge of the subject.
- Duration: Self-directed study.
- Product: A series of twelve six-page fold out publications covering various topics of byway improvement and delivery of visitor positive experience.
- Outcome: All byways received the series with the initial printing. Presently, Byways Specialists refer byway organizations to the digital version.
- Continued Use: Byway Specialists use various issues in the series as topics for byway improvement and direct byway leaders and others to the digital versions for additional resources.
