Michigan State University Extension
Tourism Educational Materials - 33520714
06/06/02
Scenic Byways, Trails, And Corridors And Their Impacts
List of files and visuals associated with this text.
Source: Great Lakes Sea Grant Network
Authors: Bielen, Mary; Kreag, Glenn; Kuehn, Diane; Riggs,
Nancy; Ververs, Douglas
Year: 1995
A fact sheet produced by the Great Lakes Sea Grant
Network, Coastal Land Use Committee
by
Mary Bielen, Ohio Sea Grant
Glenn Kreag,, Minnesota Sea Grant
Diane Kuehn, New York Sea Grant
Nancy Riggs, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Douglas Ververs, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego
County, New York
INTRODUCTION
Scenic byways, trails, and corridors simplify travel
routes for visitors and can help communities direct
visitors to important attractions and areas. They can
benefit communities by increasing the real property value
of the lands adjacent to them, by multiplying visitor
expenditures, and by providing a mechanism for educating
both visitors and residents about the natural, historic,
and cultural resources and attractions found along them.
Major coastal Great Lakes scenic byways such as the
international Great Lakes Circle Tour and New York's and
Pennsylvania's Seaway Trail have tremendous impacts on the
areas they traverse. New York's 454-mile portion of the
Seaway Trail alone receives approximately 20,000 visitor
inquiries for information every year.
Scenic byways are road or highway systems that connect
various communities and natural, historic, and Cultural
attractions and resources. They are often designated by a
government agency. The Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA), which administers the National Scenic Byway
Program, recognizes three main types of scenic byways:
All-American Roads (the premier national scenic byways),
National Scenic Byways, and State Scenic Byways. Trails
differ from scenic byways in that they can be comprised of
various roads and paths, including abandoned railroad beds
and hiking paths. National Recreation Trails are
designated by the United States Department of the
Interior's National Park Service. Prior to recent FHWA
legislation, many scenic byways received this designation.
Scenic corridors consist of travel routes such as
waterways or trails, and the lands surrounding them.
This fact sheet describes the impacts of scenic byways,
trails, and corridors through the use of case studies from
the Great Lakes Region. Socioeconomic information such as
visitor expenditures and educational impacts are given
where possible. Additional data collection is needed to
fully demonstrate the vital impacts generated by scenic
byways, trails, and corridors.
SCENIC BYWAYS
Case Study: The Indiana Toll Road
Highlighting the historic and natural attractions of small
towns and larger cities in seven counties along the
Indiana Toll Road in northern Indiana, the 180-90 Tourism
Corridor was developed to increase employment and economic
development of the tourism industry. More than 36 million
vehicles travel the Toll Road annually. Tourism-related
spending in the Corridor is more than $700 million,
accounting for 18% of total state tourism dollars and
providing 18,300 direct impact jobs, according to a recent
Indiana Department of Commerce report.
The 180-90 Corridor Commission, a partnership of the
counties, the Indiana Toll Road, the Indiana Department of
Commerce, and participating businesses, was organized in
1992. The Commission staffs two visitor information
centers in service plaza restaurants. Three business
marketing packages include video display, information
board advertising, and brochure distribution. An annual
180-90 travel guide is published, with the most recent
edition entitled Beaches and Back Roads, Back Home Again
in Northern Indiana.
The corridor includes Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and
Indiana Dunes State Park on Lake Michigan, Notre Dame
University, and hiking and skiing trails. Elkhart and
LaGrange counties include a 90-mile loop of state and
county roads offering unique gift and antique shops along
with a glimpse of yesteryear as horse-drawn buggies
emphasize Mennonite and Amish heritage.
Commission business partners report increases in the
number of customers, and two adjacent counties will join
the Corridor Commission next year. Regional projects
include marketing ventures initiated by the 180-90
Commission executive director. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
and the Commission have cooperatively sponsored marketing
workshops.
SCENIC TRAIL SYSTEMS
Case Study #1: The Northwest Ohio
Greenway System
This 180-mile trail system, in various stages of
development, will link 14 cities and 6 park districts
located in the northernmost counties of Ohio. When
completed, the trail will connect Lorain County (near
Cleveland) to the Ohio-Indiana border.
The Northwest Ohio Greenway Coalition has been the driving
force behind this proposed multi-use trail to be
constructed largely on abandoned railroad right-of-ways.
This coalition of county park districts, metropolitan park
districts, and regional planning agencies has been
building regional support for the project during the past
10 years. The entire trail is being developed in segments
that are "adopted" by a park district, community, or not-
for-profit organization who will oversee development of
its portion of the trail system.
One 47-mile section, known as the North Coast Inland
Trail, will begin construction in 1994 on the . abandoned
Conrail and Penn Central railroad right-of-way. The former
railroad through the area was the last link to be
completed in a direct New York-to-Chicago railroad route,
which enhances the historical significance of the trail.
When completed, the trail will provide an alternative
transportation and recreational route for hikers, joggers,
walkers, bicyclists, skaters, skiers, and bird watchers.
It will be accessible to mobility-impaired red people. The
trail will also serve as an environmental classroom. The
many trees and shrubs planted along the length of the
trail will provide cover for wildlife in the area.
Figure 1. Map Showing Minnesota's North Shore State Trail
(Vis. 1)
Case Study #2:Minnesota's North Shore
State Trail
Minnesota has more than 12,500 miles of trails designated
for snowmobiling, many of which are funded by the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Grants-In-
Aid (GIA) program. The development of Minnesota's North
Shore State Trail was authorized in 1975 by the state
legislature. Project planning was completed by the DNR in
1981. In 1984, a 152-mile portion of the planned 235-mile
trail between Duluth and Grand Marais was completed,
Figure 1(Vis. 1).
The trail is set several miles inland from the shoreline
in the Sawtooth mountains, a range of coastal bluffs that
span the length of the North Shore, and, for much of its
length, provides a wilderness experience. Although
designed for snowmobilers, the trail is used by hikers,
backpackers, horseback riders, hunters, dog sledders,
skiers, and mountain bikers. . Use by all-terrain vehicles
(ATVs) is prohibited. Warm weather use is limited by
marshy areas and some unbridged waterways.
Seven parking areas, 14 shelters with pit toilets and
campsites and nearly 40 bridges are located along the
trail. Spurs connect the trail with coastal communities
and other trails, allowing snowmobilers to travel
throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. A link
between Grand Marais and the Grand Portage Indian
Reservation is planned for completion by the DNR in 1995.
A Canadian trail that will meet the North Shore Trail at
the international border is, being constructed.
Although there is no formal data on use of the North Shore
Trail, informal tallying of use by trail groomers has been
done since the winter of 1986-87. From these data, the DNR
estimates that trail use by snowmobilers; increased 900%
between the winters of 1986-87 and 1992-93. Based on total
use estimates from groomer tallies and data from a 1989
economic impact study, total expenditures by snowmobilers
using the trail were estimated to be $2,117,400. Day use
accounts for 20% of this estimate, while multi-day trips
represent 80%.
Snowmobiling contributed an estimated $300 million to
Minnesota's economy in 1985. The state currently estimates
that snowmobile use contributes more than $2 million in
fuel taxes (Minnesota DNR, 1986). Snowmobile license data
indicate that the number of registered snowmobiles
increased 28.1 % from 1987 to 1994. Northeastern
Minnesota, with only 7.5% of the state's population, has
12.4% of registered snowmobiles (Powers, 1989).
Besides these recreational uses, the trail is now host to
two major events: the International 500 Snowmobile Race
and the 500-mile John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon.
RIVER AND CANAL CORRIDORS
Case Study #1: The Illinois & Michigan Canal
National Heritage Corridor
The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor,
the nation's first national heritage corridor, was
developed to preserve historic and cultural , features.
Just as the Illinois & Michigan Canal itself was a link to
economic and cultural benefits, the Corridor produces
economic benefits of $25 million annually from regional,
tourism-related activities.
The canal opened in 1848, providing Illinois farmers
access to new markets and signaling a major change in
commerce routes. Although railroads offered faster and
cheaper transportation by 1854, the canal contributed
significantly to the industrial development and growth of
Chicago. Although the hand dug canal no longer exists in
some areas, the 120-mile Corridor links today's
generations to American culture of the 1800s.
When the state and federal governments began selling
portions of the canal, and a canal section from Chicago to
Summit was paved to make way for the Stevenson Expressway,
a group of people became concerned. Later known as Friends
of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, the group worked closely
with industry, government, and private citizens. The
Chicago Tribune brought the issue to the public in a
Pulitzer Prize-nominated story by John Husar.
In 1984 Congress created a 19-member commission to oversee
the Corridor as a part of the National Park Service. The
Corridor runs from Chicago to Peru, in western Illinois.
Six visitor centers, 11 state parks, and 22,000 acres of
land administered by the Cook County Preserve District are
included.
Industry retains a significant presence in the Corridor,
providing a striking contrast to natural areas. The
Corridor includes Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area,
one of the largest remaining sections of the tall grass
prairie that greeted the first European settlers, and is
part of the Mississippi Flyway. Some of the state's most
diversely forested areas are in the Corridor and include
both upland and bottom land forests.
Individual urban and rural Corridor communities retain
their distinct identities, and much of the land is in
private ownership. The Heritage Corridor Visitors' Bureau
works in partnership with the National Park Service,
Illinois Department of Conservation, Cook County Forest
Preserve District, and other agencies.
Case Study #2: New York's Oswego River
The Oswego River, a 25-mile-long branch of the New York
State Canal System, connects the Erie Canal with Lake
Ontario in central New York State. The river connects the
cities of Oswego (at the northern terminus of the river)
and Fulton, and the village of Phoenix (at the southern
terminus). Although the Oswego Canal is no longer used
extensively for commercial boating purposes, recreational
boating on the river has become popular in recent years.
In 1991, the New York State legislature announced its
intent of enacting legislation designed to promote the
rejuvenation and development of the state-owned properties
along the entire canal system, including the Oswego Canal.
In response to this, the Oswego County Department of
Promotion and Tourism, with technical assistance from New
York Sea Grant, decided to promote the river corridor's
natural, historic, industrial, and recreational resources
by producing an interpretive guide for boaters. The
project was initiated in the fall of 1991, and more than
50 businesses, industries, organizations, and agencies
were contacted for information over the next six months.
In September 1992, 10,000 copies of the 40-page
publication, Oswego River Canalling: a Boater's Guide to
the History, Facilities, and Resources of the Oswego
River, were published. Within four months of its release,
the supply of copies was so diminished that the decision
was made to reprint the guide. In April 1993, 15,000
copies of the guide were reprinted. Approximately 20,000
copies of the guide have been distributed throughout the
northeastern United States and Canada so far.
The guide has contributed to the increased use of the
Oswego River locks by boaters. Prior to 1993, use of the
canal by boaters had been on a decline. In 1990, 23,753
recreational boats traveled through the seven locks on the
Oswego Canal. This declined 18.7% to 19,311 boats by 1992.
In 1993 (the first year that the guide was used for an
entire season), the number of boats traveling through the
locks increased slightly to 19,706. (NOTE: these data
indicate canal use trends only, since a single boat is
counted in the data each time it travels through a lock.)
Other users of the guide include canal boat touring
companies for their narrated tours. The guide has also
been used as an educational tool in many of the school
districts throughout Central New York. Because of the
success of the guide, several tourism promotion agencies
in New York have considered producing similar interpretive
guides for their sections of the canal system. Oswego
County Promotion and Tourism is currently creating a
similar touring guide for the Salmon River Corridor.
SPECIAL TOURING EVENTS
Case Study: The Tour DeTug
The Tour DeTug, a summer bicycle race, was developed to
increase summer recreation opportunities in the western
Tug Hill region, a plateau in central New York State. It
was organized in 1988 by the Osceola Tug Hill Cross
Country Ski Center to promote its off-season recreational
opportunities, provide a summer tourism-related economic
multiplier for the Greater Camden Chamber of Commerce, and
develop a regional tourism focus for the summer months on
the Tug Hill Plateau. The event is cosponsored by the
Camden Chamber of Commerce, with technical assistance
provided by the New York State Tug Hill Commission, a
regional agency that provides tourism and recreation
development assistance to communities. It is held on the
last Saturday of August to minimize conflict with the
local fall sportfishing season, and to fill a previously
undeveloped part of the summer season.
The race initially started with a 110-mile course and a
34-mile novice race, and has since expanded to include an
80-mile intermediate road loop and a 30-mile ride for
mountain bikes. The loops cover a total of 180 miles and
cross three counties. A portion of this tour route also
overlaps with a designated bicycle trail off the Seaway
Trail. The loops incorporate a wide diversity of
environmental areas, including the western edge of the Tug
Hill Plateau and the Salmon River Corridor.
Participation has increased from 87 riders in 1988 to 335
and 235 in 1992 and 1993, respectively. The low
participation in 1993 was due to inclement weather on the
day of the race. Riders travel from three states in the
Northeast to participate.
Improvements in the local road systems for bicyclists have
begun as the impact of this event increases. This project
has received excellent support from regional businesses,
including the donations of supplies from local grocers,
complimentary truck use from a local auto dealer, and
volunteer assistance for emergency medical and bicycle
repair support. Additional spin-offs have been the
development of both a spring and fall mountain bike race.
ADDITIONAL PUBLICATIONS
Brown, T. L., C. P. Dawson, and N. A. Connelly. 1991.
Design of a marketing conversion and evaluation system for
Seaway Trail advertising programs. Seaway Trail, Inc.:
Sackets Harbor, NY. 11 pp.
Cutter, T., et al. 1992. Local management of visual
quality along New York's scenic roadway and tourism theme
trails: a manual. St. Lawrence Eastern Ontario Commission:
Watertown, NY. 69 pp.
Dawson, C. P., T. L. Brown, and N. A. Connelly. 1991.
Tourism monitoring system. Seaway Trail, Inc.: Sackets
Harbor, NY. 27 pp.
Kuehn, D. 1993. An interpretive planning guide for
communities along scenic byways. NY Sea Grant and Seaway
Trail, Inc.: Oswego, NY. 90 pp.
Levin, D. R. 1988. Scenic byways. Federal Highway
Administration: Washington, D. C.
Minnesota DNR. 1986. Minnesota snowmobiling: results of
1984-85 snowmobile surveys. Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources. 40 pp.
Murphy, M. J. 1988. New York State touring trails. New
York State Assembly: Albany, NY. 32 pp.
National Park Service. 1990. Economic impacts of
protecting rivers, trails, and greenway corridors. Rivers
and Trails Conservation Assistance Program, National Park
Service: Washington, D. C. 145 pp.
Powers, John 1989. Economic impact of snowmobiling working
paper #2: primary snowmobiler survey. Klaers, Powers and
Associates. 33 pp.
Trapp, S., M. Gross, R. Zimmerman. 1991. Signs, trails,
and wayside exhibits: connecting people and places. UW-SP
Press, University of Wisconsin: Stevens Point, WI. 108 pp.
_________________________
For more information:
Great Lakes Sea Grant Coastal Business and Tourism
Offices:
Illinois-Indiana
University of Illinois
51 Mumford Hall
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-8055
New York
SUNY Oswego
52 Swetman Hall
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 341-3042
Michigan
334 Natural Resources Bldg.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
(517) 353-9568
Ohio
The Ohio State University
1314 Kinnear Rd., Rm. 1541
Columbus, OH 43212-1194
(614) 292-8949
Minnesota
University of Minnesota-Duluth
208 Washburn Hall
Duluth, MN 55812
(218) 726-8714
Wisconsin
UW - Superior Campus
143 Sundquist Hall
Superior, WI 54880-9985
(715) 394-8472
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base TD on 09/30/03.
Data base TD was last revised on 06/06/02.
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
alexande@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
disclaimer for important
information about using our site.
