Colorado Byways Receive Funding

DENVER – Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways program is receiving more than $1.5 million for 10 projects as part of the 2012 federal funding cycle from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

        The awarded projects in southeast Colorado are:

• Colorado Welcome Center/Trinidad: Consists of structural, functional and aesthetic upgrades to both the interior and exterior of the Welcome Center site – $280,904.
• Santa Fe Trail: provides eight interpretive signs for four newly opened visitor sites, viewing telescopes for two new sites, 12 bike racks for eight Bike the Byways locations – $69,120.
• Santa Fe Trail:  Allows the public to experience the historic Santa Fe Trail firsthand through the four Colorado counties where the trail passes, building upon on-going efforts to increase awareness with trail improvements and additional signage – $39,288. 
• Conservation and Development Planning Along Colorado’s Byways: Consists of (a) establishing economic development plans for three Colorado byways that model how sustainable economic growth contributes to and benefits from natural resource protection; (b) expand conservation efforts on five byways to support public access and commerce; (c) provides new conservation outreach, planning, and implementation resources to eight byways and shares economic modeling and conservation tools with those byways; and (d) develops educational materials, showcasing the relationship between byways, land conservation, and economic development – $462,000. 

As part of the National Scenic Byways Program, the FHWA awarded more than $35 million for 125 projects in 44 states.  In addition to project eligibility, the FHWA selected projects with the most 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.

For additional information about the awarded byways, please visit: http://www.coloradodot.info/news/documents/ScenicByways2012Awards.pdf

        Eleven of Colorado’s 25 byways are designated as America’s Byways®, meaning they are nationally recognized for their outstanding scenic and historic attributes.  Colorado has the most nationally designated byways in the U.S.  Learn more about these scenic and historic road trips that preserve the state’s culture, history and natural wonder by visiting: www.ColoradoByways.org.