By Morgan Amiaga, Scenic America intern From my personal pursuit of an undergraduate degree in Maryland and a law degree in Washington, D.C., I can attest to many common misconceptions about my home state of New Jersey. Some think of New Jersey as an industrial wasteland — overpopulated, polluted, and overbuilt. Or, those born after…

Join Scenic America staff, Board of Directors, affiliates from around the country and local stakeholders to learn how scenic beauty supports economic development, livability and tourism. The symposium is being hosted by our newest affiliate, Scenic Walton. Representatives from many of our 51 state and local affiliates are traveling to Miramar Beach to learn from…

Scenic America is thrilled to announce that on September 22, 2019, President Trump signed into law the “Reviving America’s Scenic Byways Act of 2019.” The new law requires the Secretary of Transportation to start the application process for new byways within 90 days and to designate a round of new National Scenic Byways within one…

When John Cay moved to Charleston, S.C. with his bride Billings about a dozen years ago, one of the first things he noticed were the overhead powerlines running past their house on King Street. Cay, a native of Savannah, Ga., couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Right in the heart of the historic district were…

It is the practice of several states, with acquiescence of of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), to permit outdoor advertising companies to cut, kill and remove publicly owned trees for the benefit of billboard visibility. A bill in the last Congress, H.R 5156, the “Protect Public Trees Act of 2018,” sponsored by Rep. Ted Poe…

The recent 2018 Scenic America affiliates conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, was a terrific success.  The event helped mark the launch of our new Scenic Utah affiliate. Scenic America Chairman Ryke Longest has penned a retrospective of conference events.  Click here to read. Conference presentations will soon be available on the same page.

By Makenna Sievertson, Scenic America intern There was a time when Lori Wray could never have imagined herself in front of a podium, preparing to speak to public officials about her fervent disapproval of newly proposed sign ordinances. As a journalism graduate from California State University, Long Beach, Wray was much more comfortable conducting interviews…

Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee has unveiled a new initiative to beautify the state’s gateways with enhancements including murals, landscaping and graffiti abatement efforts along Interstate roads. The first mural has already been completed on the southern abutment of the Wampanoag Overpass Bridge on I-195 in East Providence. The mural, depicting sailboats in a Narragansett…

The City of Houston has been presented with Scenic America’s inaugural Clear Vision award for its success in combatting visual pollution through its decades-long effort to reduce the number of billboards blighting the city’s visual environment. Houston Mayor Annise Parker accepting Scenic America’s Clear Vision award Houston Mayor Annise Parker accepted award at a reception…

By Makenna Sievertson, Scenic America intern Patrick Frank was driving near his Los Angeles-area home when he began to notice a particularly alarming number of billboards. He had always disliked billboards, especially digital ones, but something about this moment was different. “I’ll become an anti-billboard activist once I retire,” he thought to himself. However, his…