America’s Scenic Byways

Since 1991 the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Scenic Byways Program has designated specific roads that lead to archaeological, historical, cultural, natural, recreational, or scenic locations. The DOT has so far designated 125 such roads in 44 states. All of the scenic byways encourage travelers to gain greater appreciation of the land and its local trees, plants, and wildlife. Because scenic byways often call attention to nature, they seem to be a perfect place to adopt ecolandscaping. But heavily traveled roads have also caused harm to biodiversity by breaking up habitats, blocking migration routes, and killing wildlife in road accidents. Current and future scenic byways hold an important opportunity to establish ecologically friendly methods to construct and maintain popular roads.

Scenic byways range in rustic quality from the Beartooth Highway that meanders through Montana’s mountains and forests to Delaware’s Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway that travels past large estates and magnificent botanical gardens. Regardless of the terrain that a scenic byway traverses, the program ensures that all portions of the highway minimize the presence of billboards, telecommunications towers, fast food restaurants, or other clutter. One goal of the scenic byways program involves saving open space, and keeping human activities away from the roads helps preserve open space. In many instances, scenic byways probably provide some people with a look at nature that they would otherwise miss entirely in their urban lifestyle.