VISTAS Winter 2010 What's Inside: Livability: A Vital Component To The Future Of America's Transportation System Roadside Reflections 2011 Scenic Byway Awards Strategic Planning: An Ongoing Journey For A1A Scenic And Historic Coastal Byway Leaders Making History: The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership's Annual Conference Blue Ridge Parkway Celebrates 75 Years! Field Notes Help Curb Distracted Driving Public Awareness Spotlight Roadside Assistance SAVE THE DATE! National Scenic Byways Conference Revitalizing The Great Lakes Seaway Trail Brand Calendar Lead Story Livability: A Vital Component To The Future Of America's Transportation System A mixed-use activity center accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and motorists. On June 16, 2009, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the historic interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities to better coordinate Federal policies and establish a national Livability Initiative. The Partnership will help ensure that communities in rural, suburban and urban areas are afforded better access to quality housing, more transportation options, a cleaner environment and ultimately lower costs in transportation. Specifically, the Partnership has established six Livability Principles, which will serve as the foundation for implementing Federally funded projects and programs. 1. Provide more transportation choices 2. Promote equitable, affordable housing 3. Enhance economic competitiveness 4. Support existing communities 5. Coordinate policies and leverage investment 6. Value communities and neighborhoods What is Livability? The concept of Livability is by no means new to the world of transportation leaders and professionals, or even community stakeholders. It is a popular buzzword that has been frequently used for many years. In general, Livability has reflected a desire by communities to improve their urban or suburban environment through safer neighborhoods and schools, better job opportunities, affordable housing and improved transportation. The recent implementation of the Livability Initiative by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, however, has put in place a highly organized and integrative approach by three Federal agencies to enhance the quality of life for communities across the nation. The word Livability has now taken on a more robust and significant meaning. USDOT Moves Forward A vibrant, walkable downtown promoting pedestrian activity. Since the formation of the Partnership in 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has already taken action to promote Livability in its transportation programming and overall mission. One of the major goals of the Draft USDOT Strategic Plan, made available to the public in April 2010, is an emphasis on livable communities. The incorporation of the Livability Initiative Six Principles in the Strategic Plan reflects a significant shift in transportation policy at the Federal level, which will in turn have a positive impact on transportation projects and programs at all levels of government. As part of the emphasis on Livability, and in keeping with the Partnership, USDOT is also giving priority in its Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) II Grant evaluation process to projects that focus on lowering the cost of transportation, including multimodal components, and promoting environmental sustainability--all key principles of the Livability Initiative. "Livability is about tying the quality and location of transportation facilities to broader opportunities such as access to good jobs, affordable housing, quality schools, and safe streets. This includes addressing safety and capacity issues on all roads through better planning and design, maximizing and expanding new technologies such as ITS and the use of quiet pavements, using Travel Demand Management approaches to system planning and operations, etc." - FHWA Livability Initiative website (www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability/) FHWA's Leadership FHWA has followed the USDOT's commitment to the Partnership by recently creating a Livability Initiative website (www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability/). The website will provide continuous updates on the Partnership, as well as a variety of accomplishments and milestones, case studies and publications. On the website, FHWA has also provided a formal definition of Livability from a transportation perspective, which sets a clear vision for State and local agencies and stakeholders, including those of the byway community, to follow as they move forward with their projects and programs. The National Scenic Byways Program is one of several FHWA programs recognized as supporting the Livability Initiative, and will be utilized to advance livable community-based projects. According to the recent publication, The Road to Livability, by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), there is a "baker's dozen" of techniques that State departments of transportation are encouraged to use to improve the livability of rural, suburban and urban communities. All of these techniques will directly or indirectly impact the National Scenic Byways Program: • Creating good-paying jobs • Stimulating the broader economy • Investing in green projects • Revitalizing a small town's Main Street • Transforming urban streets into neighborhood centers • Preserving scenic country roads • Creating smart transportation solutions for tight times • Enhancing neighborhoods through the enhancement program • Making design responsive to community needs • Integrating transportation and land use • Using scenic byways to attract tourists and support local economies • Promoting walking and biking • Supporting travel and tourism As part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 National Scenic Byway Grant program, FHWA has given priority to eligible projects that demonstrate a Livability component. Example projects may include improvements or new construction of biking and walking infrastructure, safety improvements, or other applicable improvements that provide "value-added livability" benefits to byway travelers and neighboring communities. Additionally, FHWA inpartnership with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), ICF International, and Project for Public Spaces released a new publication, Livability in Transportation Guidebook: Planning Approaches that Promote Livability. The publication is meant to assist stakeholders and practitioners at the Federal, State and local levels to better understand Livability and how to advance the six core principles. A series of case studies is also highlighted, including a success story related to Route 50, a 24-mile-long scenic rural roadway in Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. The publication is available on FHWA's Livability website at www.knowledge.fhwa.dot.gov/cops/rex.nsf/home. White House Forum In July, the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, with representatives from USDOT, HUD and EPA, participated in a live webinar chat session on the topic of Sustainability and Livability. The format of the discussion reflected a national approach on how the three agencies are working together to better coordinate in solving the challenges of affordable housing, efficient transportation, infrastructure investments, protecting public health and the environment and promoting equitable development. The panel's focus on Sustainability and the Livability Initiative is a positive indication of the Partnership's commitment to taking a more holistic and integrative approach to solving our nation's most challenging issues. The Livability Initiative will continue to evolve and expand in the future. As more research is conducted, and as projects and programs are implemented, additional practices will likely be incorporated into the Initiative. The reauthorization of the Federal Surface Transportation Bill will also likely have a significant impact on the role that the Livability Initiative serves in transportation. Stay tuned—this is only the beginning. There is much more to come! Honorable Ray Lahood"Livability is investing in a way that recognizes the unique character of each community. The era of one-size-fits-all transportation projects must give way to one where preserving and enhancing unique community characteristics, be they rural or urban, is a primary mission of our work rather than an afterthought." - Honorable Ray LaHood Livability Resource Links: USDOT Draft Strategic Plan: www.dot.gov/stratplan/dot_strategic_plan_10-15.pdf FHWA Livability Website: www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability FY 2010 National Scenic Byway Grant Information: www.assets.byways.org/asset_files/000/018/368/FY2010_Grant_Information.pdf White House Chat on Sustainability (July 2010): www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/open-questions-sustainable-communities AASHTO's The Road To Livability: www.downloads.transportation.org/LR-1.pdf Roadside Reflections by Michelle Johnson, Director, America's Byways Resource Center For The Love Of Baseball As I write this message, the snow is gently drifting down and the nights are growing colder. It's almost difficult to remember what the hot sun and warm breezes of summer felt like! Nearly six months ago my evenings revolved around baseball. I spent most of my summer on the bleachers cheering on my three kids as they played on baseball fields around town. And when we weren't on the field, we were watching the Milwaukee Brewers. My boys were the Cardinals in the Sand Lot League and my daughter played fast-pitch softball for the Stings. Go teams! Besides the joy of the game and watching my kids play, I also like connecting with the other parents. I had lots of time to enjoy old friends and meet some new friends on the bleachers. One of Tucker and Wyatt's teammates is a girl named Aili and she had the biggest fan club of any of the kids. Aili was cheered on by grandparents, uncles, aunts and even a little cousin at every game. Rain or shine. Their tight-knit family brought support and encouragement not just to Aili, but to all the little kids. The energy and love they carried to every game was contagious and encouraging. On the bleachers, I learned that this close family had been hit with a devastating tragedy in November 2007, when Aili's father and a co-worker were killed in a pipeline explosion while on the job. Steve Arnovich left behind a wife, a tiny daughter and many family and friends that loved him dearly. As they mourned, family members and friends searched for ways to keep Steve's memory alive. They started a local foundation with the goal of honoring Steve's name in the community he loved through academics, athletics and art. The following summer the group hosted the first Steve Arnovich Memorial Golf Tournament and raised $12,000 through donations, business sponsorships and a silent auction. Contributions to date have included a donation to the Superior Youth Organization to renovate a baseball field, which was renamed in honor of Steve, art supplies at Cathedral School, funds to upgrade a youth football field and funds to support a youth gymnastics program. Establishing a foundation with specific goals that reflected their family's values and Steve's interests have helped to honor Steve in a lasting way. Baseball season is over, but I'm still amazed at the powerful impact of that family's organization. It reminds me that we all can make a difference in our communities when we work together with a shared vision and goals. For the byway community, "friends" groups or foundations can be especially important to sustainability and achieving long-term success. The National Scenic Byway Foundation for America's Byways (www.nsbfoundation.com/); the Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc., for the Blue Ridge Parkway (www.blueridgeparkway75.org); Friends of A1A for the A1A Scenic And Historic Coastal Byway (www.scenica1a.org); and Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership (www.hallowedground.org/content/view/110/6) are just a few that are active in the byway community. A foundation gave Steve's family a purpose to unite for the benefit of others. The family's vision reflected in Aili's face as she ran around the field this summer. Countless more children will share the joy of baseball in the future because of the foundation's work. Imagine what your byway group can accomplish! Share the vision. Work toward those goals. Go teams! 2011 Scenic Byway Awards Logo2011 Scenic Byway Awards Submit your application for this prestigious award today! America's Byways Resource Center and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), invite national, State, Indian tribe, or Federal lands management agencies to submit applications for byway projects of excellence and for outstanding byway leaders. Winners will be announced at the 2011 National Scenic Byways Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 21-24. See details and forms online at www.bywaysresourcecenter.org/events/conferences. Strategic Planning: An Ongoing Journey ForA1A Scenic And Historic Coastal Byway Leaders By Sally O'Hara, Friends of A1A The Friends of A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway is a nonprofit organization that protects, preserves and enhances resources along the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway. This citizen's advocacy group collaborates with municipalities, governmental agencies and other civic groups to maintain and improve resources along the A1A corridor. For more information contact Friends of A1A at 904-425-8055 or Sallie_OHara@scenica1a.org. A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway LogoWhen A1A River and Sea Preserve, A1A Ocean Shore, and Scenic and Historic A1A St. Johns completed their corridor management plans in 2001 and 2002 to become Florida Scenic Highways, members believed the process was complete. National designation as one of America's Byways® occurred in June 2002, and Friends of A1A was incorporated in 2004. Progress on planning goals continued along parallel tracks with each entity mindful of its original plans. In 2007 Corridor Solutions performed an organizational assessment, which helped identify areas of need, including refocusing on strategic goals. FDOT District Five, in coordination with the Friends of A1A organization (www.scenica1a.org), initiated a strategic planning process in February 2008. The purpose of the project was to develop a Byway Strategic Plan (BSP) for the 72-mile A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway (www.byways.org/explore/byways/2477) and employ a collaborative, consensus-building process to unite the three individual corridor management entities (CMEs): A1A Ocean Shore (Flagler-south), A1A River and Sea Trail (Flagler-north), and Scenic and Historic A1A (St. Johns). To help the Byway board and members focus on a shared mission and work toward a unified set of goals over the next five years, the strategic planning process consisted of four phases: data collection, strategic visioning, preparation for implementation, and documentation. Specifically, the Byway Strategic Plan was designed to: • Consolidate and prioritize corridor-wide goals, objectives and strategies. • Eliminate redundancies among the CMEs. • Create an action plan to allow board members and volunteers to focus and take action on specific projects and areas of interest. • Assign roles and responsibilities to implement the plan. • Develop commitments and generate a sense of pride in corridor-wide resources, talents and expertise. Barbara Jenness, President of Friends of A1A, presided over six months of planning meetings with consultants from PBS & J to guide the Byway governing group through a strategic process. Barbara explained, "The Byway Strategic Plan will help us focus on our renewed mission and allow Friends of A1A to move forward with a unified set of goals over the next five years." How The Strategic Planning Process Worked A call went out to all volunteers passionate about preserving the character of the Byway in the face of challenging area growth. New volunteers were then drawn into the planning process. From March to September 2008, intense energy was devoted to discussions about where the Friends of A1A, as the governing entity managing the corridor plan, was headed. The group chose to synchronize planning meetings with regularly scheduled board meetings, because geography continues to be a barrier for meeting. The 72-mile linear corridor covers two counties, so the location commonly selected for meetings has been the Town of Marineland. Participants practiced brainstorming, affinity processing and prioritization techniques under the tutelage of the consultants Alice Price and Mike Palozzi. Many hours of discussion yielded six core values and goals that focus on: 1. Resource Protection 2. Transportation and Safety 3. Community andGovernment Support and Participation 4. Education and Communication 5. Economic Development and Tourism 6. Organizational Development Leaders and committee members were identified for each area and action plans resulted. In September, a final report was issued, complete with a new corridor action plan with measureable objectives. Find the report at: www.scenica1a.org/documentslibrary.aspx. The document is updated annually during the FDOT reporting process. Of the six goals, 25 objectives and 131 strategies, over half are now completed. Many strategies are ongoing and others are identified as short term and long term. While the strategic planning process was laboriously long, the resulting product is now the base document used in many grant applications, justifying requests for funding. A well-conceived plan with measureable objectives provides grant makers with a clear vision of the organization's capacity to handle projects. The 2008 Strategic Plan has been invaluable to the corridor management entity thanks to the Florida Department of Transportation, Corridor Solutions, PBS& J, and all passionate volunteers devoted to preserving the ambiance of Old Florida along A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway. The Byway will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2012—about the same time a new strategic plan may be developed. Making History: The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership's Annual Conference Photo: Ron Maxwell Epic American-history film director and producer Ron Maxwell addressed Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership's 4th Annual Conference. Photo by Stephanie Gross Historians revel in the 180-mile swath of land running from Gettysburg to Monticello, using descriptive phrases such as "where America happened" and the "birthplace of the American ideal." With 400 years of American, European and African-American heritage, plus nine presidential homes, 13 National Parks, sites from the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the largest concentration of Civil War battle sites in the nation, it's no wonder. The Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area, which is connected by the National Scenic Byway of the same name (www.byways.org/explore/byways/2343), also includes 49 National Historic districts, 30 historic Main Street communities, 10,000 years of Native American history, and winds its way through Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. It's one thing for the academic community to deliver such illustrious descriptions, but what about the residents and visitors? Does the depth of heritage resonate with them? And what about the local businesses--are they interested in the historic, cultural and natural attractions? The members of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership (www.hallowedground.org/content/view/110/6), the nonprofit that oversees the National Heritage Area and National Scenic Byway, offers a resounding "yes on all counts" since the organization's creation in 2005. Photo: Audience JTHG Partnership parents and students at the vodcast premier. Photo by Stephanie Gross "The history, heritage and culture connect us, but it's the mutual commitment of our 350 partners to share these treasures with the rest of the world that truly unites us," said Cate Magennis Wyatt, president and founder of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership. "From Gettysburg to Monticello, it's the dedication of the heritage sites, national parks, Main Street communities, visitors bureaus, local jurisdictions, schools and educators, families and local businesses, farmers, and residents that cements this partnership. So many have stepped up to embrace this region and this nation's heritage to transform the past into a bright future for all." And the JTHG Partnership has created several programs that have switched the lens on history to make it more fun and more engaging for everyone to participate. A Chance To Participate Photo: Richard Dreyfuff The JTHG Partnership's fourth annual conference featured Oscar-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss and other key speakers. Photo by Stephanie Gross This past June, the JTHG Partnership hosted its fourth annual conference in Charlottesville, Virginia, home to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and the University of Virginia. Both historic sites played key roles to welcome partners and the public to various events. The conference featured Oscar-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss, epic American-history moviemaker Ron Maxwell and elected officials along the National Scenic Byway with special remarks given by Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris and Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ann Mallek. To top that off, the conference served as the movie premier for 200 sixth graders from Sutherland Middle School in Albemarle County, who participated in the JTHG Partnership's award-winning Of the Student, By the Student, For the Student service-learning program, where the students created nine movie vignettes or Vodcasts on Thomas Jefferson and Monticello. And students packed the house! Even kids from the JTHG Partnership's Extreme Summer Camp changed their plans to be there for the premier. That makes sense since the two programs use the innovative concept of combining history and leadership with heritage sites and multimedia to see and experience history through the lens of these future leaders. Photo: Students Students participating in the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership's Of the Student, By the Student, For the Student service-learning project gathered around actor Richard Dreyfuss, who joined them for their movie premiers. Photo by Stephanie Gross Like past JTHG conferences held in Gettysburg, James Madison's Montpelier, and in Leesburg, this last one included several workshops, where local and regional experts provided keen insight on the economic impact of heritage tourism; the value of eating and growing local foods; and the influence of past African Americans on today's American culture. These workshops built on other JTHG Partnership programs that provide further opportunity for partners to participate. For example, Norris Flowers, executive director of the Gettysburg Visitors Bureau and his counterpart from Charlottesville, Kurt Burkhart, offered expertise from the bookends of the National Heritage Area and described how a JTHG-branded motor-coach tour can generate $11,000 for a single overnight stay for a destination. They built upon the recently created strategic alliance between the JTHG Partnership and Mid Atlantic Receptive Services that provides customized and thematic heritage coach tours for visitors. The conference also featured recently published JTHG books including, Honoring Their Paths: African American Contributions Along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground; The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Travel Guide; and National Geographic's The Journey Through Hallowed Ground - Birthplace of the American Ideal. But wait. An award-winning service-learning program, an innovative summer camp, area experts leading diverse workshops, national stars, and book publications, too...the JTHG Partnership was formed only five years ago—how did it build such momentum? Momentum Built On The Past For The Future As mentioned, the Partnership knew how historians revered the region, but it wasn't clear how the national public or even local stakeholders felt--critical and necessary input for the Partnership to be truly successful. Opinion polls and focus groups provided the national public a chance to present their views, while locally hosted public-input meetings offered residents, businesses, farmers, developers, preservationists, destination organizations and State and local officials ample opportunity to contribute their thoughts, hopes and aspirations to the process. And they did. Words such as "patriotic," "fun," and "beautiful" consistently surfaced in the polling and focus groups, explained JTHG Partnership Vice President, Beth Erickson. "What surprised us were the highly expressive descriptions that mounted," Erickson said."It was clear that it isn't just the historians who are so deeply touched by the unparalleled heritage and natural beauty found here. Locally and across the country, there is a true connection with our shared national history." Erickson is referring to descriptions such as: "emotional," "humbling," "inspirational" and "national heritage" – themes that emerged again and again in the polling and focus groups. And many of those same themes also materialized in the local public-input sessions, which became the foundation for a regional Corridor Management Plan that identified the intrinsic qualities area residents and businesses valued and wanted to both celebrate and preserve in the region for years to come. It was those 300 public meetings held over 36 months in four States and the continued ongoing communications with the participants that are indicative of the JTHG Partnership's foundation of grassroots support. It was this public input coupled with the Corridor Management that helped the Partnership gain National Heritage Area status in 2008 and National Scenic Byway designation in 2009. Upon learning of the National Scenic Byway designation, the JTHG Partnership arranged a Whistle Stop Tour where it drove a motor coach through the region, hosting events at six partnering heritage sites to congratulate them and the public on their new national designation. "The story is not about our organization," said Magennis Wyatt. "It's all about the heroic efforts that individuals and businesses have made to make this designation happen." Because the National Scenic Byway designation is one of the highest the Secretary of Transportation can bestow upon a road, the JTHG Partnership takes this designation with the solemnity and significance it conveys. Currently, the Partnership is working with local jurisdictions to create a Living Legacy Project in conjunction with sesquicentennial commemoration of the American Civil War that starts in 2011. Instead of creating more inanimate monuments to honor the 620,000 who died in the war, they are working collectively to create a living legacy of national significance by planting a single tree along the National Scenic Byway for each who made the ultimate sacrifice to create this union. The JTHG has many other projects, including Teacher Summer Workshops; Bike-a-thons; Heritage Tours; expansion of the Extreme Summer Camps; and, of course, planning its 2011 annual conference, in Manassas, Virginia, to celebrate our nation's collective accomplishments...and you're invited! Blue Ridge Parkway Celebrates 75 Years! Blue Ridge Dance Workshop Photo: Members of the National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration celebrated the Blue Ridge Parkway's anniversary, and commemorated the event with a special plaque recognizing the important relationship between the agencies. Photo by Sherry Hayman The Blue Ridge Parkway (www.blueridgeparkway.org), an All-American Road as designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, commemorated its 75th anniversary with celebrations, events and symposia along the Parkway throughout 2010. The yearlong celebration culminated with a festival weekend September 10-12, 2010, at the North Carolina-Virginia State line, where construction of the road began September 11, 1935. Considered a national treasure, the 469-mile parkway connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway's mission is to preserve the natural scenery and resources along its rural Southern Appalachian route, as well as provide recreational opportunities for the public and a glimpse into the cultural heritage of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was constructed as part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal during the Great Depression, with both private contractors and workers from the Bureau of Public Roads. It was the first national rural parkway to be developed for the new American pastime of leisure road trips. Additional laborers from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built campgrounds and picnic areas, trail shelters, rail fences and waterlines. The CCC also cleared overlooks and assisted with landscape plantings. Managed by the National Park Service, the Parkway traverses 29 counties and two major metropolitan areas - Roanoke, Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina - and averages 17 million visits annually. This ridge-top corridor rises and falls in elevation from 649 feet at Virginia's James River to 6,047 feet at Richland Balsam in North Carolina, and is the highest and longest continuous route in the Appalachian area. Photo: Blue Ridge Dance Workshop Blue Ridge Parkway 75th Anniversary Festival goers enjoyed a traditional dance workshop at the Blue Ridge Music Center, owned and operated by the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 213. The Blue Ridge Parkway, offering public access to spectacular views of forested mountains and rural landscapes, is estimated to have an economic impact of $2.3 billion each year on the communities through which it passes. Recognized internationally as a notable achievement of both landscape and engineering design, the parkway also plays a vital role in preserving a biologically diverse environment with a wide range of flora and fauna, including rare and endangered plant and animal species. In fact, the Blue Ridge Parkway has more diversity of habitat and supports more plant species than any other park in the United States National Park System. The five mountain ranges of the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor include the oldest mountain building processes in the world. This national park also stands at the summit of many local and regional watersheds defining the hydrological patterns of much of the eastern United States. Visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway experience multiple examples of rural Appalachian life, from log cabins to split-rail fences and gristmills. Scenic easements restricted development but allowed for the continuation of traditional agriculture. In other locations, adjoining national forests or State parks preserve the scenic quality of the Blue Ridge Parkway experience and, in many cases, create the impression the parkway's boundary extends as far as the eye can see. Also along the corridor, travelers can enjoy established recreational areas, including Peaks of Otter, Rocky Knob, Doughton Park and Mount Pisgah. Hiking, fishing, camping and picnicking are all popular Blue Ridge Parkway activities. Photo: Members of the Asheville Quilt Guild created a fine art quilt to commemorate the Blue Ridge Parkway's 75th anniversary. Photo by Mike Booher Although the Parkway was started in 1935, construction was interrupted by World War II in the 1940s. The remainder of the road was built in the 1950s and 1960s with the exception of the route around the ecologically fragile slopes of Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. After years of negotiating and dispute, the Blue Ridge Parkway was completed with the opening of the Linn Cove Viaduct in 1987. Today, the Blue Ridge Parkway faces challenges in preserving its scenery and natural resources due to commercial and residential encroachment, air and water quality issues, and a lack of sufficient funding--all posing threats to this valuable and vulnerable corridor. Advocates have used the Parkway's 75th anniversary to draw attention to some of these issues and build a larger citizen coalition willing to speak out on behalf of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc. (www.blueridgeparkway75.org), is the nonprofit organization established and designated by the National Park Service to lead the Parkway's 75th anniversary celebration. With representation from all of the Blue Ridge Parkway's partner groups, the States of North Carolina and Virginia, and community leaders along the 469-mile scenic route, Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc.'s mission is to engage local communities and all visitors in an anniversary that focuses attention on a sustainable and healthy parkway for future generations. Through meetings with local governments, community meetings, social media strategies, promoting over 400 events in local communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor as official 75th events, and providing communities an online presence on the 75th anniversary website, www.blueridgeparkway75.org, Parkway Anniversary planners worked strategically throughout 2010 to engage the many gateway communities that line the Blue Ridge Parkway's route. Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Phil Francis emphasizes the role of the parkway as a gateway to its neighboring communities. "Traveling the Parkway is a beautiful pastime," said Phil, "but to gain the full experience, it's important to venture off and on the road and explore the wonderful towns and communities along the way." This emphasis on the corridor, and thinking beyond parkway borders, has been an important approach for anniversary initiatives. Not only did this approach set an important tone for the anniversary activities, it has helped all involved embrace the idea of a meaningful celebration--a celebration that provides time for critical analysis resulting in a refined vision for the future. The 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway has effectively gathered support for action. The work now must turn this support into action that properly plans for the sustainability of this special national park and region through which it passes. Blue Ridge Parkway 75th Anniversary Festival Visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway's 75th Anniversary Festival, the weekend of September 10, 2010, at Cumberland Knob, NC, (Milepost 217.5) and the Blue Ridge Music Center near Galax, Virginia (Milepost 213), were treated to extraordinary traditional music, artists, historical programs, crafts people, children's activities, hikes led by Park naturalists, storytellers, an antique car parade, vintage camping exhibits and more. The event kicked off the morning of September 10, 2010 with both North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue and Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell presenting remarks alongside four members of Congress and various Park Service officials. On September 11, a remembrance was given by the Rev. Dr. Dan Matthews, who served as rector of Trinity Church on Wall Street in the shadow of the World Trade Center when the events of September 11, 2001, occurred. A Saturday night concert at the Blue Ridge Music Center featured the legendary Ralph Stanley. Field Notes Intrinsic Qualities: A Study Activity For Every Byway By Curt Pianalto with Rob Balmes, Byways Specialists Sidebar: Inventory And Assessment Intrinsic qualities arise from a particular combination of resources along a byway that together define its character, interest and appeal. A byway organization must be able to identify, inventory and assess the intrinsic qualities that are representative of the route. A byway organization must prove the regional or national significance of the intrinsic qualities for designation as a National Scenic Byway or All-American Road. As part of the 2009 expansion of the America's Byways® collection, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation designated sections of the Great River Road in four States (Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee). Now, ten States have designated byway sections along the Mississippi River (www.byways.org/explore/byways/2279). In one of the first face-to-face meetings since the 2009 Designation Event, members of each State of the Great River Road gathered for the Mississippi River Parkway Commission's annual meeting September 10, 2010 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Mississippi Parkway Commission is the coordinating agency for the promotional efforts of the ten-State Great River Road. Rob Balmes and I had the opportunity and honor to facilitate sessions at the annual meeting. We focused on intrinsic qualities and brainstorming potential strategic projects. Each section of the Great River Road had previously decided that history would be its primary intrinsic quality for designation. We challenged the participants to think about the intrinsic qualities of the entire Great River Road. Intrinsic qualities arise from a particular combination of resources along a byway that together define its character, interest and appeal. A byway organization must be able to identify, inventory and assess the intrinsic qualities that are representative of the route. A byway organization must prove the regional or national significance of the intrinsic qualities for designation as a National Scenic Byway or All-American Road. During this facilitated session we asked the participants to look at pictures of other routes in the America's Byways collection, and determine which intrinsic qualities each picture represented. In the second part of the activity, we asked the participants to think about what would be the secondary intrinsic quality (after history) for their State's particular section of the Great River Road. We posted the results on one of our "Sticky Walls." Previous editions of Vistas (www.bywaysresourcecenter.org/resources/publications/vistas) have included articles about the importance intrinsic qualities play in the overall composition of the National Scenic Byways Program. The activities described here are relevant and useful to any byway: • Developing byways can use this activity to help determine which intrinsic quality will be your primary intrinsic quality • Long-time byways can use this activity to re-examine intrinsic qualities • Multi-State byways can compare what other States might think about their intrinsic qualities or what they might think about your intrinsic qualities The Byway Intrinsic Quality Study activity on the next page is a useful activity to consider for your byway organization. What some of the participants had to say... "One thing I took away is to not assume you know the guidelines of the program....read the definitions." "This activity helped organize what the other States think about the intrinsic qualities within their own State." Your byway can benefit from an intrinsic quality study. Contact your Byways Specialist to discuss how you can facilitate this activity for your byway group. Byway Intrinsic Quality Study Activity Preparation: 1. Have your group members take several pictures of their favorite spots along the byway. Encourage them to focus on a particular favorite spot. 2. Print out 3 or 4 copies of 10 to 20 of the best pictures. 3. Print out the definitions of each of the six intrinsic qualities. You can find them in the Interim Policy or at www.bywaysonline.org/program/iq.html. Small Group Activity: 1. Break into three or four small groups. Give each group the same set of 10 to 20 pictures and the definitions of the intrinsic qualities. 2. Have each group read through the definitions of each intrinsic quality. 3. For each picture, the small group has to come to a consensus as to what intrinsic quality that picture best represents. If there is disagreement, have the group re-read the intrinsic quality definitions and try again. Consensus Conclusion 1. Have each group share, picture by picture, which intrinsic quality it has selected for each photograph. 2. Keep a running tally for each picture of the intrinsic quality each group identified for it. 3. Once completed, review the results. Take-aways: • What one person might see as a very obvious intrinsic quality, another person might see quite differently. For example, what one person might see as a cultural asset, another might see as an historic quality. • The National Scenic Byways Program definitions of each intrinsic quality help to clarify the best match for a byway. • When we did the part of the activity where each person chose a secondary intrinsic quality for his or her particular section, it was interesting to see the differences of opinion. Again, the definitions held the clues to achieving consensus. The Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC) is a multi-State organization that was established in 1938 to work collectively to preserve, promote and enhance the scenic, historic and recreational resources of the Mississippi River. The MRPC works to foster economic growth in the corridor and develop the national, scenic and historic parkway known as the Great River Road. For decades, the volunteers of the MRPC have coordinated efforts on Federal, State and local levels to leverage millions of dollars for highway improvements, recreation trails, bikeways, scenic overlooks and historic preservation. The MRPC works collaboratively with Mississippi River Country, USA to coordinate both domestic and international marketing for the river valley, and facilitates efforts to enhance economic development and resource awareness. Help Curb Distracted Driving Distracted driving is taking a toll on Americans' safety. According to the US DOT on its www.distraction.gov website, there are three types of distracted driving: • Visual - when your eyes are off the road • Manual - when your hands are off the wheel or handle bars • Cognitive - when your mind is not focused on driving Forms of distracted driving include cell phone use, texting, eating, changing CDs, applying makeup, reading, watching videos and any other activity that distracts the driver from his or her full attention to the task of driving. Daydreaming or emotional situations or conversations are also forms of distracted driving. There are an estimated 270 million active cell phone subscriptions in the U.S. Many people depend on cell phones to stay connected to work, family and friends. In a time-crunched world, people look for ways to combine tasks, and accomplish more while staying in constant contact with others. This form of multi-tasking is quickly becoming a threat to our safety on our nation's roads and streets. In 2005, there were 4,572 fatalities as a result of cell phone use and texting while driving. That number rose to 5,870 in 2008, a 28% increase in three years. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2008: • 5,870 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction (16% of total fatalities). • The proportion of drivers reportedly distracted at the time of the fatal crashes has increased from 8 percent in 2004 to 11 percent in 2008. • The under-20 age group had the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes (16%). The age group with the next greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the 20- to 29-year-old age group (12%). • Motorcyclists and drivers of light trucks had the greatest percentage of total drivers reported as distracted at the time of the fatal crashes (12%). Sidebar: Eight States plus the District of Columbia have passed statewide bans on driving while talking on hand-held cell phones. The figures from 2009 don't show any improvements. Distracted driving-related crashes claimed 5,474 lives and led to 4,448,000 traffic injuries, representing 16% of total fatalities, which is the same percent as in 2008. "These numbers show that distracted driving remains an epidemic in America, and they are just the tip of the iceberg," said Secretary Ray LaHood in a September 2010 press release announcing the 2009 distracted driving fatality and injury numbers prior to the second National Distracted Driving Summit held September 21, 2010 in Washington, D.C. "I'm convening our second Distracted Driving Summit in the hopes that we can continue to draw attention to the dangers of distracted driving and work together to save lives." Jennifer Smith, President and Founding Board Member of FocusDriven, referenced the annual fatalities caused by cell phone use in a HealthDay News (September 2010) article, and noted the number is "equivalent to a major airliner going down every week in this country. If that was happening, they would ground all flights until they figured out what the problem was and they would solve it. But because everyone likes their cell phones, we have to debate this." FocusDriven is a private nonprofit organization dedicated solely to supporting victims and their families of cell phone distracted-driving accidents and increasing public awareness of the dangers of cell phone distracted-driving by putting a human face on the disastrous impact of this behavior to promote public policies, programs and personal responsibility. Ms. Smith lost her mother, Linda, in September 2008 in a traffic accident caused by a driver distracted while on his cell phone. For more information on this organization visit www.focusdriven.org. 30 States = NO TXTNG + DRVNG Thirty States plus the District of Columbia have banned texting while driving (eleven of these laws went into effect in 2010). Twelve States do not have bans on texting and the balance of States have passed partial texting laws that mostly address texting bans for teens and bus drivers. Eight States plus the District of Columbia have passed statewide bans on driving while talking on hand-held cell phones (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington). Utah, New Hampshire and Maine treat cell phone use as part of a larger distracted-driving issue and consider cell phone use while driving a careless driving offense only if the driver has also committed another moving violation other than speeding. Several cities have passed laws making it illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving, including Chicago, Detroit and Santa Fe. Some States without cell phone laws have restricted communities from passing specific bans. Most States have made the ban on driving and texting a primary offense, meaning a driver could be pulled over and ticketed without another offense. Other States have made cell phone use a secondary offense, and officers would only be able to ticket if there was another violation. For interactive maps that highlight each State's ban on hand-held cell phones, texting, bus driver laws and young drivers, see www.iihs.org/laws/maptextingbans.aspx. This website hosted is by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute. No Text Is Worth Dying For Teens are the most vulnerable section of the driving population. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, the age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers is the under-20 age group. Sixteen percent of all under-20 drivers involved in a fatal crash were reported to have been distracted while driving. The American Automobile Association and Seventeen magazine recently partnered with the US DOT on a campaign, National Two-Second Turnoff Day, to get teens to turn off their cell phone and focus on driving. Kathleen Marvaso, AAA vice president of public affairs, said, "Taking your eyes off the road for two seconds doubles your risk of a crash and National Two-Second Turnoff Day is an opportunity for young drivers nationwide to take control of their own safety behind the wheel by making the wise and responsible decision not to drive while distracted." In addition to the campaign, the trio also sponsored a survey of teenage driving and cell phone use. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teens; still, the results of the survey are astonishing. Of the teen drivers surveyed, 60 percent have used a cell phone while driving and 28 percent have sent a text message while driving. Teens who text while driving admit to sending an average of 23 messages while driving during the past month. Seventeen magazine Editor in Chief Ann Shoket commented, "Today's teens are heavily distracted by their cell phones and a car full of friends while they are driving. We hope that on this Two-Second Turnoff Day, we are showing them how easy it is to put down the phone and keep their focus on the road so everyone gets where they are going safely." For more information on AAA's teen driving programs, visit www.TeenDriving.AAA.com. State Farm also conducted a survey of teen drivers. Its findings? Teens view texting and driving as less risky than drunk driving. State Farm teamed up with recording artist Jesse McCartney to talk about the dangers of cell phone use while driving. The company also hosts www.betterteendriving.com, a website for teens and their parents. Jesse McCartney and State Farm are telling kids to text NNID (Not Now I'm Driving) to friends and family before they get behind the wheel. Similarly, the Jonas Brothers have teamed up with Allstate's X the TXT campaign to create awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. Find more information on this campaign on Facebook, including how to order a "TXTNG KLLS" thumb band to share with friends and family. Allstate shares facts and statistics on distracted driving, including this one from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute: (Texting) takes your eyes off the road an average of five seconds at a time. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of a football field completely blind. Allstate encourages families to talk about the dangers of texting and driving and, like several other insurance companies, has a Family Texting Pledge to set family driving expectations. Students are talking to other students about the dangers of cell phone use, too. Secretary LaHood recently blogged about the students at the University of Central Florida and their Put Down UR Cell Fone campaign. This student-led campaign to discourage texting and talking while driving encourages students to sign petitions that reinforce driver responsibility. AT&T has a very specific and more direct approach. The company asks cell phone users to read out loud the last text received. Then consider how important that information was to receive or respond to; was it worth the risk of a serious accident or worse? It's a lesson that makes a point for all drivers. AT&T's resources and tools can be found at www.att.com/gen/press-room? pid=2964. Technology Applications And Driving Using cell phones and texting while driving are a mix of society's dependence on technology and advancements in technology applications in all aspects of our lives. And with America's love of our cars, automobile manufacturers see opportunities to help consumers stay connected while driving. Some of these advancements have been met with criticism from Secretary LaHood, who argues that these are deadly distractions. He contends that even hands-free adaptors are just as dangerous as holding cell phones while driving, because drivers are distracted when their minds aren't focused on driving. Currently, General Motors is testing plans to include a Facebook application to its OnStar programming, allowing drivers to listen to posts and verbally update their status. Ford's in-vehicle communication system, called Sync, will soon allow drivers to Twitter, but Ford doesn't have current plans for subscribers to change their status on Facebook. Chrysler encourages drivers to use hands-free systems, and has sponsored a Car and Driver magazine cell phone application called TXT U L8r that automatically responds to incoming texts alerting others that the driver is unavailable. Subaru has a different take on cell phone use and driving. Its new ad has brought compliments from Secretary LaHood. The ad features a father giving driving advice to his daughter. He tells her to "call me but not when you are driving." The ad can be viewed on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qf8OGLqE1s. Driving America's Byways What are some ways that the byway community can help to reduce distractions for byway visitors? Share your ideas on the discussion forum or post them on our Facebook page. Resources And Links: US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood has a mission to reduce distracted driving and improve safety on America's roads. You can find his personal opinions mixed with transportation news in his award-winning blog: http://fastlane.dot.gov/. Take Oprah's No Phone Zone pledge, found at www.oprah.com/questionaire/ipledge.html?id=4 and watch videos from Oprah's show of personal testimonials of the impacts of distracted driving. The US Department of Transportation National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has a comprehensive website on distracted driving that offers tools, resources and information on distracted driving, and recently hosted a second Distracted Driving Summit to create awareness of distracted driving issues. Check out www.distraction.gov/. For detailed statistics and analysis on Distracted Driving 2009, download the US DOT National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Traffic Safety Facts Research Note, September 2010 at www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811379.pdf. The Governors Highway Safety Association has released Curbing Distracted Driving: 2010 Survey of State Safety Programs. Download the 60-page report here: www.ghsa.org/html/publications/survey/pdf/2010_distraction.pdf. 10 Tips For Managing Driver Distractions From The Governors Highway Safety Association 1. Turn it off. Turn your phone off or switch to silent mode before you get in the car. 2. Spread the word. Set up a special message to tell callers that you are driving and you'll get back to them as soon as possible, or sign up for a service that offers this. 3. Pull over. If you need to make a call, pull over to a safe area first. 4. Use your passengers. Ask a passenger to make the call for you. 5. X the Text. Don't ever text and drive, surf the Web or read your e-mail while driving. It is dangerous and against the law in most States. 6. Know the law. Familiarize yourself with State and local laws before you get in the car. Some States and localities prohibit the use of hand-held cell phones. GHSA offers a handy chart of State laws on its website: www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html. 7. Prepare. Review maps and directions before you start to drive. If you need help when you are on the road, ask a passenger to help or pull over to a safe location to review the map/directions again. 8. Secure your pets. Pets can be a big distraction in the car. Always secure your pets properly before you start to drive. 9. Keep the kids safe. Pull over to a safe location to address situations with your children in the car. 10. Focus on the task at hand. Refrain from smoking, eating, drinking, reading and any other activity that takes your mind and eyes off the road. Download a pdf version at http://www.ghsa.org/html/issues/pdf/tips.pdf Visit the website at http://www.statehighwaysafety.org/html/issues/dist_driving_tips.html Facts On Distracted Driving From The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Did You Know? • In 2008, almost 20 percent of all crashes in the year involved some type of distraction. • Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted driver, and more than half a million were injured. • The younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes. • Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) • Using a cell phone while driving, whether it's hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah) Public Awareness Spotlight America's Byways® Partners With Goodyear For National PR Campaign Logo: Goodyear As part of an ongoing national public awareness initiative, America's Byways® has formed a successful partnership with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company that is generating coast-to-coast media coverage. American Recreation Coalition President Derrick Crandall served as America's Byways national spokesperson for an impressive 23 interviews with television and radio stations during a five-hour satellite media tour on September 30. So far, an estimated audience of over 14 million people has been reached through this single campaign effort focusing on a national travel survey and Goodyear's list of Top 50 Comfortable Drives. But that's not all! While Goodyear continues to connect with media outlets to share information about the survey results and the travel opportunities along America's Byways well beyond the fall foliage season, the Resource Center has developed a PR-101 webinar series and tools to help byways leverage this national exposure. Here are some ways your byway can be media ready: • Use the America's Byways brand boilerplate text • Create "boilerplate" text about your byway • Designate media contacts • Provide high-quality photos for all seasons (show roads and people), that are public domain • Work with your State tourism office or local CVB to develop B-roll footage of your byway; consider collecting footage of the different seasons and activities along your byway • Watch for updates from the Resource Center as public awareness opportunities arise. Fast Turnaround Is Important Editors and producers usually have tight deadlines, so they often request very fast responses—or they move on to the next story. Be ready! Find additional tips, press release templates, and the PR-101 webcasts online at www.BywaysResourceCenter.org. Share Results On Facebook Watch for the latest public awareness news on the Resource Center's Facebook page, and be sure to share updates on your own social media sites. Help spread the awareness! Roadside Assistance by Curt Pianalto, Byways Specialist Graphic Identity: Defining Your Byway's Image Sidebar: The term graphic identity is often associated with these word or phrases: • Logo • Graphic Design • Icon • Mark • Brand Image • Symbol As it relates to byways, a graphic identity is a very important tool that allows you to communicate about your byway with your travelers—travelers currently experiencing your byway, travelers who have already experienced your byway, and, maybe most important, travelers who have yet to experience your byway. The term graphic identity refers to a visual illustration that is consistently used in association with the communication of information about a product or service (in this case, a byway). Your graphic identity is a consistently and repeatedly presented image that signals or associates information about the byway to the viewer. An effective graphic identity allows a viewer to "short cut" the processing of information. Once a viewer knows that a graphic identity is associated with or signifies a particular meaning, he or she does not need to relearn that association each time the image is presented with other information—the meaning is associated almost unconsciously and immediately. Think of an image of the United States flag; a stop sign; the can or bottle your favorite soft drink: they each have a meaning that you recognize. Countless other products, services and organizations each use a graphic identity to convey an immediate association of information to the viewer. More specifically, think about your reaction to the following: The Golden Arches®, big black mouse ears, the Swoosh®, or a white stylized apple with a small bite out of the top right side. You likely thought of McDonald's, Disney, Nike and Apple. Each of these corporations has successfully created an instant association in people's minds about their products based on their respective graphic identity. While you may not ever reach the marketing scale of a McDonald's or Disney, your graphic identity is extremely vital in your communication efforts with your target markets. And, an effective graphic identity can create added value in the minds of your visitors and potential visitors. The Graphic Identity Process The creation of an effective graphic identity is not an easy process. Changing your existing graphic identity may be even more difficult. The accompanying article in Vistas from the Great Lakes Seaway Trail (www.seawaytrail.com) provides a case study of one byway that is in the process of changing its graphic identity. In my mind, the Great Lakes Seaway Trail example provides many important learning points, especially these five: 1. Modify Designs For Different Purposes Great Lakes Seaway Trail acknowledged that the logo they had designed for their highway guide signs wasn't necessarily the best design for their merchandise and other uses. This is a wise observation. The use of a logo on a highway sign can only be achieved if it meets your State's standards for road signs (see your State's version of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices). The road management authority for your particular byway, such as the State Department of Transportation, may hold the final say about your byway logo usage. For many byways, there may be more than one authority to consider for approvals. A logo designed for a highway guide sign should be created solely for that purpose. This usually means that it should: • Appear relatively simple, without a lot of detail • Use contrasting colors • Incorporate bold line-work • Be easily recognizable from a distance Overall, this means that it should be useful for drivers and passengers who may be driving at higher speeds. Drivers and passengers often have one second or less to see a sign and comprehend its meaning. They are not going to see details that you may want in your logo. Enter the approach taken by the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. Take a look at the newly designed highway guide sign logo on the right. It's simple, conveys one thought and uses bold colors, yet captures the overall essence of the byway. Note that it does not try to capture every single detail of the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. I will be curious to see the new designs for Great Lakes Seaway Trail merchandise. 2. Expect A Major Time Investment If you think you're going to design a logo that meets your organization's objectives with a quick turnaround, think again. An effective graphic design that has the consensus of all pertinent people and organizations typically requires many versions, comments and revisions before final approval. 3. Prepare For Emotional Attachment People become emotionally attached to logo and graphic identity designs for their byways. This is even truer when proposing a change to a long-recognized logo. You must assume that someone will not like the new design. Plan for this by allowing many opportunities for comment. 4. Strive For Distinctive, Recognizable And Translatable Images Images should be distinctive, recognizable and translatable. The image should always support the byway's essential character or intrinsic resource. Avoid trendy or over-stylized appearances, colors, fonts, etc. Graphics should be clean, simple and fun. Take another look at the new Great Lakes Seaway Trail road sign identity. Does this image meet those standards? I think it does. 5. Use An Expert This is a difficult process. Not only does it require strong creative graphic design skills, it requires an understanding of marketing principles, facilitation skills and people skills. An experienced designer can help move the process forward with the kind of results you hope to achieve. We plan to provide more discussion on this topic in the upcoming months, covering the Wayshowing Reference Manual, learning webinars, and a follow-up article from the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. Designing a graphic identity can be a very exciting but frustrating process. However, implementing a solid graphic identity is vitally important in your marketing efforts. Roadside Assistance is a regular column designed to provide working tools that byway groups can use to solve problems and be more effective. Send topic ideas to center@byways.org. Our Byways Specialists are here to assist you. Find the Resource Center contact for your State on the Resource Center website at www.bywaysresourcecenter.org/about/people/States. Call us toll-free at 866-974-6403, or contact your Byways Specialist directly: Rob Balmes: rbalmes@byways.org Wayne Gannaway: wgannaway@byways.org Duane Lula: dlula@byways.org Curt Pianalto: cpianalto@byways.org Building On Big Ideas Save the date! National Scenic Byways Conference Minneapolis, Minnesota • August 21-24, 2011 New learning opportunities will focus on emerging and timely byway topics in the four core learning areas of Finances, Visitor Experience, Corridor Management and Byway Organization. For your budgeting purposes, we recommend estimating lodging at $120/night, plus tax, for 4 nights, and a full conference registration fee of $450. An early bird rate and deadline will be announced in 2011. Join Us As A Sponsor OR Exhibitor! Hundreds of members of the America's Byways community will gather for this exceptional learning and networking event. Find details about sponsor benefits and exhibitor opportunities at www.bywaysresourcecenter.org/events/conferences. Please watch for updates at www.bywaysresourcecenter.org. 2011 Scenic Byway Awards Submit your application for this prestigious award today. See details and forms online at www.bywaysresourcecenter.org/events/conferences Revitalizing The Great Lakes Seaway Trail Brand by Teresa Mitchell, President and CEO, Great Lakes Seaway Trail Seaway Trail And Organization Background The Seaway Trail concept developed in the late 1970s with mutual benefits to tourists and local residents and businesses as a pre-selected linear, shoreline route providing an easy-to-follow system. The route connected the metropolitan area with the countryside. The initial route paralled the St. Lawrence River/Seaway and a portion of Eastern Lake Ontario; over time, the byway was extended west, adding Rochester, Niagara Falls and Buffalo, and Pennsylvania's Lake Erie shoreline. The National Park Service designated the route a National Recreation Trail in 1983; it became a first-round National Scenic Byway, qualifying in all six intrinsic resource categories, in 1996. The route is also a NY and PA Bicycle Route. The AAA calls it a "quintessential American road trip." A nonprofit organization was formed in 1978 to develop, manage and market the scenic route, via public and private sector cooperation. From the beginning, inventory analysis, planning, informational and directional signage, awareness, marketing and hospitality training were the activities of the Corporation board, members and, later, the staff. Focal points and attraction clusters became a critical mass around which the comprehensive byway, byway organization and member businesses' marketing and theme-based travel strategies are built. The concept was adapted from a summary by Seaway Trail, Inc., founder and visionary Vincent J. Dee, Ph. D., and current Seaway Trail, Inc., President & CEO Teresa Mitchell. Why Create A New Look? From 1978 to 2010, the only Seaway Trail look, or image, evolved around a highway sign: a unique bold graphic that was easy to spot every six miles on a system now 518 miles in length. This look was repeated on all printed brochures, guidebooks and eventually online over a period of 32 years. The original look included waves, as the road follows the shoreline, and two footprints representing the goal to get out of the car, enjoy the byway's natural and manmade resources, and spend money. The logo was often a topic of discussion over the years - was it ahead of its time with the two walking feet, grass green "eco" color and waves all included? Or was it confusing the consumer, as the feet perhaps implied a walking route rather than a driving route? In the end, the new look keeps land and water elements, and replaces the feet with a winding road - a byway swoosh. The logo design uses standard transportation sign blue and green colors representing where water and land meet. The most exciting enhancement is the addition of the words "Great Lakes" to the "Seaway Trail" name, helping travelers geographically place the byway in the globally unique region of the U.S. that is the world's single largest source of freshwater. The new name also better represents the byway as a two-State (New York and Pennsylvania) entity that spans not only New York's stretch of the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Lake Erie, but extends along Lake Erie through Pennsylvania to the Pennsylvania-Ohio border. The brand name has also officially changed to Great Lakes Seaway Trail, quite a mouthful and no easy abbreviation. The Branding Process In 2008 Seaway Trail, Inc., created its "Revitalizing the Seaway Trail Brand" project proposal. The concept of revitalizing allowed us to move into the future, with the support of Charles Krupke, current Chairman of the Board. The need for change was indicated by the following: • At board and committee meetings, comments included a State legislator saying that the old image does not include my region; your name says "Seaway" not "Great Lakes." • In 2000, when Seaway Trail, Inc., opened a storefront and staff listened to domestic and international tourists ask repeatedly: "Is this where the walking trail starts?" • When Seaway Trail, Inc., applied for All-American Road designation from FHWA, it was turned down as "Great Lakes" was not prominent. • In marketing to a larger or international audience, the name "Great Lakes Seaway Trail" would make the byway more "placeable" and easier to find. The steering committee team included a strong combination of long-time supporters and new board members and staff, both senior and young. A great deal of foundational reading and research took place. One board member for whom the Seaway Trail byway already had a natural synergy with his organization's coastal science and tourism work took a critical leadership role in supporting staff for more than two year's time. He also shared his experience with participating in a national brand strategy development project with Sea Grant. Thanks go to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority for allowing Seaway Trail, Inc., which interacts across an 11-county, two-state region, to engage with its rebranding process for a similar large-size region of a major city plus 16 counties. The committee developed an RFP and contracted with a firm to evaluate who we were and are and what current and potential audiences, including our members, think of us. Did they recognize/embrace our intrinsic resource positioning efforts? A series of surveys involved a lengthy and expensive, but critical, process of questions, analysis and evaluation regarding development of not just a new look but the revitalization of the comprehensive Seaway Trail byway brand package with a clear understanding of who uses it and how it can be used. Seaway Trail, Inc., hired a college student to collect primary response data on an exciting and interactive summer 2009 Experience the Journey survey tour. The tour stopped at key events and destination points on the byway, including festivals, farm market, mall, boat tour, historic site, shoreline communities, visitor centers, and the Seaway Trail Discovery Center and headquarters in Sackets Harbor, New York. Participants could spin a wheel for Seaway Trail products (this concept resurfaced on the brand rollout tour, using the new logo-branded products as prizes). The collected survey data provided insight into byway travelers' points of origin and current and future travel interests. The proprietary final documents include Interim, Chatmine, Fundraising, Experience the Journey Intercept Tour, Journey Magazine Survey, Member Survey, Next Steps, and Final Analysis reports. Image: The new logo is featured on the website (www.seawaytrail.com). The old logo is referenced in an announcement about the new signage - making the transition from old to new easy, clear and as seamless as possible. Seaway Trail Board members held a two-day retreat to develop updated mission and vision statements, brand platform, values, character and promise statements. The process was funded in part by a FHWA Scenic Byway grant that was written to help best position Seaway Trail in the competitive marketplace of tourism and recreation; without these funds such a thorough job would not have been possible. The new brand positioning and project findings were presented to the membership, which unanimously voted to allow the Seaway Trail Board Executive Committee and staff to adopt and implement the new look. A week-long tour by Seaway Trail, Inc., board leaders and staff in the summer of 2010 carried the new brand look, only-on-the-Seaway-Trail branding opportunities for businesses, and pertinent and proven Seaway Trail byway economic impact data into six communities along the byway. The six sessions revealing the new image also provided news for the media. Where Are We Now? NYS DOT has approved the logo and plans to install the new-look highway signs with the addition of America's Byways identifier signs along the 454-mile system in New York; Penn DOT has approved the name change of the Great Lakes Seaway Trail for the 64 miles in PA. In addition, we've achieved these milestones: * Seaway Trail, Inc., has a corporate logo; this variation of the highway sign will be applied to corporate letterhead and products. * A Brand Use Guidelines document is underway. * The byway has been segmented into five key regions based on its major water identifier connections: 1000 Islands/St. Lawrence River, Eastern Lake Ontario, Western Lake Ontario, Buffalo/Niagara Falls, and Lake Erie. The revitalization of the Seaway Trail brand has begun by adding "Great Lakes" to the name, creating a new highway logo, and refreshing the image and excitement of the resources promoted by this now 32-year-old byway organization. What's Next? When a board member asked, "Would you buy a salt shaker with a highway sign on it?" that's when we knew our merchandising look needed further consideration. The new "Great Lakes Seaway Trail" brand will have a new merchandising look to generate branded product sales. And so, the branding process continues. Calendar Send calendar entries by the 5th of each month to center@byways.org 2011 JANUARY January 19-20 SD Governor's Conference on Tourism Pierre, South Dakota South Dakota Office of Tourism For more information, please visit: www.sdvisit.com/tools/annualconference/index.asp January 21-22 Science, Practice & Art of Restoring Native Ecosystems Conference 2011 East Lansing, Michigan Land Trust Alliance, The Stewardship Network For more information, please visit: www.stewardshipnetwork.org/site/c.hrLOKWPILuF/b.5187337/k.2FA/ 2011_Stewardship_Network_Conference.htm January 23-27 90th TRB Annual Meeting Washington, D.C. Transportation Research Board For more information, please visit: www.trb.org/AnnualMeeting2011/AM2011Registration.aspx FEBRUARY February 3-5 10th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference: Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities Charlotte, North Carolina Local Government Commission For more information, please visit: www.newpartners.org/ February 21-24 National Green Infrastructure Conference 2011 Shepherdstown, West Virginia The Conservation Fund For more information, please visit: www.appl.org February 23-25 AIANTA 12th Annual American Indian American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) Tulalip, Washington For more information, please visit: www.conservationfund.org/GIC2011 MARCH March 1-3 The Empire State Tourism Conference Albany, New York NY State Travel & Vacation Association For more information, please visit: www.nystva.org/empirestatetourism/ APRIL April 5-7 Heritage and Cultural Tourism Conference Sitka, Alaska American Trails For more information, please contact: www.tourismconference.org/registration April 9-12 2011 National Planning Conference Boston, Massachusetts American Planning Association For more information, please visit: www.planning.org/ April 18-20 North Dakota Tourism Conference Fargo, North Dakota North Dakota Department of Tourism For more information, please visit: www.ndtourism.com/industry/2011-nd-tourism-conference/ April 26 Texas Statewide Land Conservation Conference Austin, Texas Texas Land Conservation For more information, please visit: www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=885993 MAY May 14-18 National Scenic and Historic Trails Conference Arlington, Virginia The Partnership for the National Trails System For more information, please contact: www.pnts.org May 19-21 9th Annual PA Land Conservation Conference Harrisburg, Pennsylvania PA Land Trust Association For more information, please visit: www.conserveland.org/conferences/10 May 21-25 International Pow Wow San Francisco, California U. S. Travel Association For more information, please visit: www.ustravel.org/events/international-pow-wow May 23-26 2011 NARRP Conference: Connecting America to Our Great Outdoors National Association of Recreation Resource Planners For more information, please visit: www.narrp.org/clubportal/ClubStatic.cfm?clubID=1431&pubmenuOptID=28658 AUGUST August 21-24 2011 National Scenic Byways Conference Minneapolis, Minnesota America's Byways Resource Center and FHWA-NSBP For more information, please visit: www.bywaysresourcecenter.org Change of Address? Just e-mail your name and new address to center@byways.org to receive Vistas at your new location. Copyright © 2010 America's Byways Resource Center. All Rights Reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy Byway Community (NSBP): www.bywaysonline.org Byway Travelers: www.byways.org America's Byways Resource Center is a division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). 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