Ohio
Ohio Road, Olinej for Pixabay
Ohio’s Scenic Byways
The Ohio Scenic Byway Program is considered a “grassroots” effort to heighten the awareness of the resources that the state has to offer. The Ohio Department of Transportation established the program in 1998, replacing an older Scenic Highway Program that began in 1962. The program requires byway managers to complete an Annual Activity Survey that tracks the accomplishments of the byway management plan update every five years. This stewardship enhances the enjoyment of roads such as the Amish Country National Scenic Byway, which highlights 76 miles of scenic landscapes in Ohio.
Key Points
- Ohio is home to 28 scenic byways, including six national scenic byways and 22 state scenic byways.
- In 2017, 219 million travelers visited Ohio and spent $4 billion to support 420,000 jobs.
- $4.1 billion was generated in state taxes from 2012-2016, accounting for 11% of the state’s sales tax revenue.
Ohio Byways
Map Key:
- National Scenic Byways
- State Scenic Byways
All-American Roads
State Scenic Byways
Byways Provide Access to Public Lands
South Carolina byways provide access to the state’s most spectacular public lands, including one national park, 74 state parks, 23 state forests, two national historical parks, and three national historic sites.
About the National Scenic Byways Program
The National Scenic Byways Program, established by Congress in 1991, recognizes historic, scenic, and culturally important roads, all of which promote economic development and tourism in communities around the U.S. There are more than 1,200 byways in all 50 states.
All scenic byways exhibit one or more of six core intrinsic qualities — scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archaeological, or natural. For a road to be named a national scenic byway, it must first be designated a state, tribal, or federal agency scenic byway. Once achieving that, a road may apply for national scenic byway designation, but its intrinsic quality must be of regional significance. All-American Roads are the very best of the national scenic byways, demonstrating at least two intrinsic qualities of national significance.