America's Byways® Resource Center

Planning

Articles

CMPs: A Corridor Management Plan is...

Why Prepare a Corridor Management Plan?
Why prepare a corridor management plan (CMP)? Well, the plan is a prerequisite for national designation. Four of 41 roads nominated for designation in 2000 were not considered because they did not have a complete corridor management plan. A few people may view the plan as just another box to check when preparing a byway’s nomination. To others, the corridor management plan is:

• The vision for the byway and the surrounding area as formed collectively by communities along the byway
• An inventory of the characteristics, features and resources associated with the byway’s intrinsic qualities
• Documentation of the significance of the byway’s intrinsic qualities
• A summary of how the intrinsic qualities will be interpreted in order to stir the interest and imagination of visitors
• Summation of the goals and strategies for promoting the byway, enhancing and preserving the intrinsic qualities, and ensuring the continuity of the visitor’s experience

FHWA’s Interim Policy states that the corridor management plan for a National Scenic Byway must include 14 items, plus 3 more if the plan is for an All-American Road.

The corridor management plan must include at least the following:

1. A map identifying the corridor boundaries and the location of intrinsic qualities and different land uses within the corridor.
2. An assessment of such intrinsic qualities and of their context.
3. A strategy for maintaining and enhancing those intrinsic qualities. The level of protection for different parts of a National Scenic Byway or All-American Road can vary, with the highest level of protection afforded those parts which most reflect their intrinsic values. All nationally recognized scenic byways should, however, be maintained with particularly high standards, not only for travelers’ safety and comfort, but also for preserving the highest levels of visual integrity and attractiveness.
4. A schedule and a listing of all agency, group and individual responsibilities in the implementation of the corridor management plan, and a description of enforcement and review mechanisms, including a schedule for the continuing review of how well those responsibilities are being met.
5. A strategy describing how existing development might be enhanced and new development might be accommodated while still preserving the intrinsic qualities of the corridor. This can be done through design review, and such land management techniques as zoning, easements and economic incentives.
6. A plan to ensure ongoing public participation in the implementation of corridor management objectives.
7. A general review of the road’s safety and accident record to identify any correctable faults in highway design, maintenance or operation.
8. A plan to accommodate commerce while maintaining a safe and efficient level of highway service, including convenient user facilities.
9. A demonstration that intrusions of the visitor experience have been minimized to the extent feasible, and a plan for making improvements to enhance that experience.
10. A demonstration of compliance with all existing local, State and Federal laws on the control of outdoor advertising.
11. A signage plan that demonstrated how the State will ensure and make the number and placement of signs more supportive of the visitor experience.
12. A narrative describing how the National Scenic Byway will be positioned for marketing.
13. A discussion of design standards relating to any proposed modification of the roadway. This discussion should include an evaluation of how the proposed changes may affect the intrinsic qualities of the byway corridor
14. A description of plans to interpret the significant resources of the scenic byway

In addition to the information identified above, corridor management plans for All-American Roads must include:

1. A narrative on how the All-American road would be promoted, interpreted and marketed in order to attract travelers, especially those from other countries. The agencies responsible for these activities should be identified.
2. A plan to encourage the accommodation of increased tourism, if this is projected. Some demonstration that the roadway, lodging and dining facilities, roadside rest areas, and other tourist necessitates will be adequate for the number of visitors induced by the byway’s designation as an All-American Road.
3. A plan for addressing multi-lingual information needs.

Further, there must be a demonstration of the extent to which enforcement mechanisms are being implemented in accordance with the corridor management plan.

It also is important to note what the corridor management plans is not. It is not a FHWA plan or document. And, it does not supersede State or local land use and transportation plans and requirements. The corridor management plan should complement other plans for the area. Byway representatives should look to local land use and transportation plans and initiative as means for helping achieve the goals and objectives for the byway.

Development of your byway’s corridor management plan is as much about the process as it is the product. Ruth Hawkins (Crowley’s Ridge, National Scenic Byway) said, “We prepared our corridor management plan at the local level. We did not use an outside consultant. It was important that we did it ourselves. We involved all of the communities along the byway. We formed a common vision. We got buy-in, support and ownership for the byway. It has made our byway origination stronger and Crowley’s Ridge a better byway.”

Can You Rely on Existing Plans and Documents Rather than Prepare a Stand Alone Corridor Management Plan?
Yes. FHWA has accepted existing plans and documents in lieu of a separate corridor management plan for a byway. You will need to ensure that these plans and documents include information required for the corridor management plan. When preparing your nomination, you will be asked to identify the principle page in your document that discusses each item required by FHWA’s Interim Policy. Some points may warrant special attention, such as plans to ensure ongoing public participation in the implementation of corridor management objectives. Community involvement in other plans and documents for the areas may not necessarily translate into community support for the byway or its nomination for national designation. Community support is essential for a byway’s nomination for national designation.

What If You Just Are Starting to Work on Your Byway’s Corridor Management Plan?
Most of your work on the corridor management plan should be well behind you. We’re hesitant to say it’s too late to start, but it may be.

Is there strong, wide support for the byway among communities along the byway? Is there a core group of people who are sharing the work for guiding the byway, carrying out projects and other activities, and helping prepare the nomination for possible national designation? If the answer to these questions is “yes,” then you should be in good shape for finishing the plan and preparing your byway’s nomination for possible national designation by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

View This Document (PDF, .txt)