Nebraska Lincoln Highway Scenic and Historic Byway Corridor Management Plan 1 | P a g e Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4 History ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Creating the Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Plan Organization ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 2 - Corridor Conditions .................................................................................................................... 8 Map ........................................................................................................................................................... 8 Byway Story............................................................................................................................................... 8 Corridor Vision ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Intrinsic Quality Inventory ...................................................................................................................... 12 Interpretive Planning .............................................................................................................................. 91 Historical Markers ............................................................................................................................... 91 Lincoln Highway Interpretive Panels................................................................................................. 118 Publications and Marketing .............................................................................................................. 119 Visitor Centers ................................................................................................................................... 119 Interpretive Planning ........................................................................................................................ 121 Protection Techniques .......................................................................................................................... 122 Land Use and Development .................................................................................................................. 122 Minimizing Intrusions ........................................................................................................................... 123 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................ 123 Mitigation .......................................................................................................................................... 124 Signage/Wayfinding .............................................................................................................................. 125 Chapter 3 - Byway Management .............................................................................................................. 126 Byway Leaders ...................................................................................................................................... 127 Major Accomplishments ....................................................................................................................... 127 Chapter 4 - Promotion .............................................................................................................................. 128 Target Markets ...................................................................................................................................... 128 Past and current promotional activities ............................................................................................... 129 Future planned activities ...................................................................................................................... 130 Chapter 5 - Five-year Goals ....................................................................................................................... 131 Intrinsic Quality Protection, Maintenance, and Enhancement ............................................................ 131 Interpretive Planning and Promotion ................................................................................................... 131 2 | P a g e Community Support and Public Participation....................................................................................... 131 Organization and Management ............................................................................................................ 132 Transportation Planning and Safety ..................................................................................................... 132 Chapter 6 - Community Participation Plan ............................................................................................... 133 Organizations and local government .................................................................................................... 133 Festivals and Events .............................................................................................................................. 134 Chapter 7 - Safety/Accommodating multi-modal ..................................................................................... 136 Chapter 8 - Transportation Planning......................................................................................................... 137 Chapter 9 - Outdoor Advertising ............................................................................................................... 138 Nebraska Sign Regulations .................................................................................................................... 138 Appendix – Corridor Map…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….141 3 | P a g e Chapter 1 Introduction The Lincoln Highway across America is one of the most important and historic transportation corridors in American history. It is the hope of the current Board of Directors of the Nebraska Lincoln Highway Scenic and Historic Byway that this Corridor Management Plan (CMP) will be used as a roadmap for the organization for the ongoing management of the Byway and will be a catalyst for designation as a National Scenic Byway. A drive along the Nebraska Lincoln Highway Scenic and Historic Byway is a drive on the most historic transportation corridor in America. One that began with the Native Americans, grew into the main corridor for America’s nation-building era of the great westward migration, and finally came to maturity with the Union Pacific Railroad and America’s first transcontinental highway – the Lincoln Highway. History The Great Platte River Road was a major overland travel corridor originally used by Native Americans approximately following the course of the Platte River in present-day Nebraska. It was shared by several popular emigrant trails during the 19th century, including the Trapper's Trail, the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, the California Trail, the Pony Express route, and the military road connecting Fort Leavenworth and Fort Laramie. It was used by an estimated 250,000 travelers during its peak years of 1841 to 1866. In 1912, the Nation's highways were just emerging from the "Dark Ages" of road building in the second half of the 19th Century. Railroads dominated interstate transportation of people and goods. Carl G. Fisher was an early automobile enthusiast who had been a racer, the manufacturer of Prest-O-Lite compressed carbide-gas headlights used on most early motorcars, and the builder of the Indianapolis Speedway. He believed that, "The automobile won't get anywhere until it has good roads to run on." In 1912 and 1913 he brought together a group of automobile enthusiasts and industry officials and established the Lincoln Highway Association (LHA) "to procure the establishment of a continuous improved highway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, open to lawful traffic of all description without toll charges." Fisher’s goal was to make the Lincoln Highway an object lesson that would "stimulate as nothing else could the building of enduring highways everywhere that will not only be a credit to the American people but that will also mean much to American agriculture and American commerce." In its time, the Lincoln Highway would become the Nation's premier highway. After completing the “trail blazer” tour across America, the LHA announced the route on September 14, 1913. Central City Nebraska became the first community in America to ratify the Lincoln Highway Proclamation on October 8, 1913. The LHA officially dedicated the route of the Lincoln Highway on October 31, 1913. Bonfires and fireworks marked ceremonies in hundreds 4 | P a g e of cities in the 13 states along the line. Concerts and parades took place. In at least two locations, the streets were swept and washed so dances could be held on the highway. During the early years, a trip from the Atlantic to the Pacific on the Lincoln Highway was, according to the LHA's 1916 Official Road Guide, "something of a sporting proposition." The LHA estimated the trip would take 20 to 30 days, but