Tennessee River Trails — News
Tennessee River Trails Documents
A Profile of the Tennessee River Trails Area
Project Summary 2009 TRTA Interpretive Information Project
Rural Business Enterprise Grant March 2010
Tennessee River Trails Scenic Byway Poster
Learn About Byways
The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has funded 2,832 projects for state and nationally designated byway routes in 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.
www.byways.org
What does the term America's Byways mean?
America's Byways® is the umbrella term used for marketing the collection of distinct and diverse roads designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. There are currently 150 America's Byways in 46 States. This includes 120 National Scenic Byways, 31 All-American Roads, and 20 multi-State Byways. America's Byways® are gateways to adventures where no two experiences are the same. The FHWA invites you to COME CLOSER to America and learn their stories.
www.byways.org
What is the National Scenic Byways Program (NSBP)?
The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The Program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. The program was established in 1991. Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has provided about $388 million in funding for 2,832 State and nationally designated byway projects in 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as America's Byways® -- All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways-based on one or more archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic intrinsic qualities.
www.byways.org
More about National Scenic Byway Grants: Corridor Management Plan
In 2008, GNRC received a grant from TDOT to be on behalf of the TRTA to hire consultants to write a Corridor Management Plan (CMP), that would establish the TRTA as part of the National Scenic Byway System. That CMP is finished and the next step is marketing the region to visitors. The entire grant was $235,000 and the Scenic Byway portion was $187,264. The TRTA match was $46, 817. The work on this grant has been completed and TRTA is I the process of getting the route approved by TDOT for inclusion in the Tennessee Scenic Byway system. The TDOT Commissioner then would nominate the TN River Trail t be part of the National Scenic Byway System. Nominations for this will not occur until 2012. The next step will be a new Scenic Byway grant. This grant for marketing was submitted in 2009 for the TRTA totaling $152,000. This grant is scheduled to begin in fall of 2010. This will include some hospitality training and a production of a CD, which is a self guided tour telling the story of the Byway using “local characters”.