Strategic Plan for the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Commission It is with great pleasure and pride that the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway Commissioners present our Strategic Plan to support the next three years of the program’s vision. The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways program isn’t just a list of roads connecting one place to another. The 26 Byways have been carefully selected by the Commissioners to awe, instruct, delight, inform, physically challenge, soothe, and bolster the physical and spiritual health of the thousands of travelers who traverse Colorado’s chosen trails. There isn’t one formula that defines a Colorado Byway, but when you are driving, cycling, or walking on one of these routes you feel a “wow” factor that can’t be denied. Whether you are an outdoor recreationist, history buff, nature lover, tourist, or conservationist, you will recog- nize the work of devoted locals who share their bounty with you through resource stewardship. And that devotion is paid back to the local businesses, non-profits, and local citizens through renewed pride in their resources, community coalescence, and economic development. For the immediate future, the Commissioners want to chart innovative ways to support and guide Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways. Please join us in celebrating past accomplish- ments and envisioning new journeys. Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Commission—January 2017 Silver Thread THE COLORADO SCENIC AND HISTORIC BYWAYS COMMISSION Rep. K.C. Becker, Chair: Representing the Robert John Mutaw: Rep. History Colorado Colorado General Assembly Jack Placchi: Rep. U.S. Bureau of Land Kelly Barbello: Rep. Colorado Tourism Management 2016 Commission Charlotte Iva Bumgarner: Rep. Eastern Plains Leah Anne Quesenberry: Rep. U.S. Bureau of Byway Organizations Land Management 2015 Commission Amanda Hill: Rep. At-Large 2016 Commission Christopher F. Sporl: Rep. U.S. Forest Service Georgianna J. Contiguglia: Rep. At-Large Roger Ben Wilson: At-Large 2015 Commission Amanda Barker: Land Trusts and Open Space Shannon Gifford: Rep. Transportation 2016 Commission Commission Gregory E. Yankee: Land Trusts and Open Space Margaret Hunt: Rep. Colorado Creative Industries 2015 Commission EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS: Cynthia Dell Nieb: Rep. Director, History Gary Alan Thorson: Rep. Executive Director, Colorado State Historical Fund Department of Natural Resources Debra Perkins-Smith: Rep. Executive Director, Department of Transportation This route allows travelers to roam through wonderfully isolated swatches of the San Juan Mountains and includes both historic main streets and top-of-pass scenic © Michael Underwood overlooks. It stretches from South Fork to Blue Mesa Reservoir and Lake City. With Special Thanks To STATE OF COLORADO: Irv Halter, Executive Director and Lee Merkel, Southeastern Regional Manager, Completed an ADA-accessible interpretive site at North Clear Creek Falls and Colorado Department of Local Affairs; Amanda Hill, GOCO (Great Outdoors Colorado); Jeff Sudmeier, other sites along I-49 to explain to visitors the significance of the route. Multimodal Planning Branch, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT); Betsy Jacobsen, Bike/ Pedestrian/Byways Section Manager, CDOT; Gail Hoffman, Statewide Planning, CDOT; John Ricks, formerly Associate Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT); Jody Kennedy, Public Involvement Planning Specialist, Colorado Parks & Wildlife; and Lauren Truitt, West Elk Loop Partnership Coordinator, Colorado Parks & Wildlife. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR: Jack Placchi, Bureau of Land Management U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION: Aaron Bustow, Colorado Division Office; and Gary A. Jensen, National Scenic Byways Program THE ORGANIZERS AND STAKEHOLDERS OF COLORADO’S SCENIC AND HISTORIC BYWAYS: Alpine Loop BLM Backcountry Byway; Collegiate Peaks Scenic and Historic Byway; Colorado River Headwaters Byway;* Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway (includes CO and UT);* Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway;* Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway;* Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway;* Guanella Pass Byway; Highway of Legends Byway; Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway;* Los Caminos Antiguos Byway; Mount Evans Byway; Pawnee Pioneer Trails; San Juan Skyway;* Santa Fe Trail (includes CO and NM);* Silver Thread; Top of the Rockies;* Tracks Across Borders (includes CO and NM); Trail of the Ancients (includes CO and UT);* and Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Road* (*Also one of Colorado’s eleven America’s Byways). AND WITH THANKS TO THE MANY CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS PLAN, INCLUDING (but not limited to): Barbara Bowman, Durango Area Tourism Office, Colorado Tourism Board, Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau; Rob Draper, National Scenic Byway Foundation; Roxanne Eflin, Colorado Preservation, Inc.; and Wade Sheldon, Trust for Public Land and those responding to the survey. This mountain byway traces some of the state’s lushest river valleys and most scenic and CONSULTANT: A. Elizabeth Watson, AICP; Project Leader; Heritage Strategies, LLC; Chestertown, MD colorful mountain passes, gets within arm’s reach of four diverse wilderness areas and links PRODUCTION: Liz Larter, Art Director; CDOT the mountain towns of Crested Butte, Gunnison, Montrose, Hotchkiss and Carbondale. © Kevin Krill PHOTOS: We are grateful for all contributed photos, acknowledged individually throughout the plan. Grants have completed the Crested Butte to Carbondale Trail Plan and Redstone’s Elk Park, This Strategic Plan is financed in part with a federal grant from the Federal HighwayAdministration, consisting of a kiosk, a universally accessible interpretive river trail, an amphitheater and parking. U.S. Department of Transportation. The contents and opinions expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the granting agency. COLORADOCOLORADO BYBYWAWAYSYS Benefit local communities and the state economy. THE BYWAYS VISION STATEMENT Guiding travelers to experience and be inspired by treasured places ROUTES 26 that comprise Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways. MILES 2,565 CDOT SYSTEM MILES 2,061 OFF-SYSTEM MILES (COUNTY/LOCAL ROADS) 504 VISITORS DRIVING HOURS 142 “Interest in historic places In 2015, more than 66% topped the list of specific draws among COUNTIES 48 of out-of-town visitors Colorado visitors in 2015, followed by an interest in DESIGNATED AS AMERICA’S BYWAYS 11 came to Colorado in cultural activities and attractions.” US NATIONAL FOREST BYWAYS 10 their own car or truck. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT BACK COUNTRY BYWAYS 2 WWW.COLORADO.COM $17.2 BILLION # OF PAGE VIEWS 9,657,538 Total spending by domestic visitors to Colorado PAGE VIEWS OF BYWAYS-RELATED ARTICLES 304,098 Statistics from: Longwoods International, Colorado Travel Year 2015 Report VIRTUAL SCENIC BYWAYS GUIDE www.colorado.com National Scenic Byways Discretionary Grants Program UNIQUE VIEWERS PER MONTH 8,977 DOWNLOADS PER MONTH 128 $4.5 million Total Grants Awarded to CO Byways AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT ON SITE 3min. 30 sec. 1992 – 2012 $22.4 million ITUNES DOWNLOAD APP 1,406 20% Matched Contributions Total Investment = CDOT BYWAYS MAIN WEB PAGE www.codot.gov/travel/scenic-byways $17.9 million Grant Funds+Matched Contributions PAGE VIEWS IN 2016 485,019 UNIQUE VIEWERS PER MONTH IN 2016 27,751 GRANT FUNDING TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Order of the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Commission ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..............................................................................................3 The Commission shall work to increase regional effectiveness and promote awareness of rural tourism, economic 2014 EXECUTIVE ORDER ..........................................................................................6 development, scenic conservation, historic preservation, and recreation and provide a significant catalyst to EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................8 bring together federal, state, local and private entities under one program. 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 12 1.1 Why Byways? .......................................................................................... 13 The Commission shall work with state agencies, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, local Sidebar: Quick Facts from Colorado’s Tourism Statistics ....................................... 15 byways organizations and public and private resources to assist in the development of byways management 1.2 Purpose of Strategic Plan ........................................................................... 16 plans, including interpretation, promotion, and protection of distinctive byways characteristics. Table 1—National Scenic Byway Program Grants in Colorado, 1992—2012 ................... 17 The Commission shall develop and recommend funding sources and assist in coordinating the budget process and 2. PROGRAM BACKGROUND .................................................................................. 18 in the allocation of federal, state, and private funds for the purpose of byway development and management. 2.1 Program Beginnings .................................................................................. 18 2.2 Developing............................................................................................. 18 The Commission shall provide program planning and support to sustain