Colorado Receives Byways Grant

May 5, 2011 - Statewide Transportation Plan - DENVER – Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways program is set to receive $192,160 for the 2010 federal funding cycle from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

The awarded projects include:

■          Trail of the Ancients: Interpretation, Marketing, and Wayfinding

■          Unaweep Tabeguache Byway: Corridor Management Plan

■          Collegiate Peaks Byway: Historic Wayside Signs

For more information and a list of award winners, please see: http://www.bywaysonline.org/news/2011/2965

FHWA was unable to fund many projects at this time. A total of $40,672,500 in discretionary funds was available for grants for the National Scenic Byways Program (NSBP) in Fiscal Year 2010, but FHWA received requests for 287 projects totaling $99,439,645.

The final award encompasses 94 projects in 39 States.  It takes into account not only project eligibility, but FHWA’s emphasis to identify projects of greatest strategic benefit, livability,  priority and the critical need assigned by the state or Indian tribe.  Other administrative criteria also was considered, such as benefits to the byway traveler, readiness to implement, and the ability to leverage private or other public funding within the context of the availability of funding.

Eleven of Colorado’s 25 byways are designated as America’s Byways®, meaning they are nationally recognized for their outstanding scenic and historic attributes.  In fact, Colorado has the most nationally designated byways. Visit www.ColoradoByways.org to learn more about these outstanding scenic and historic road trips that preserve Colorado’s culture, history and natural wonder.