HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

149th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 81

RECOGNIZING DELAWARE'S BYWAYS PROGRAM.

WHEREAS, Delaware Byways Program began in 2000 when the Delaware General Assembly passed Senate Bill 320 authorizing DelDOT to establish what was then known as the Delaware Scenic and Historic Highways Program; and

WHEREAS, certain portions of the State highway system are notable for their scenic, historic, recreational, cultural or archaeological value and worthy of designation as Delaware byways to provide special consideration of the unique features and special role in the highway system; and

WHEREAS, the public interest would be served by the formation of a coordinated scenic highway program to enhance recreational, cultural and archaeological resources, encourage development through tourism, and educate residents and visitors on the history, culture and natural beauty of this State; and

WHEREAS, A ccording to the Delaware State Tourism Office, one of the best ways to experience Delaware’s beauty is taking a road trip along Delaware’s Scenic Drives and Byways for a pleasantly convenient perspective on Delaware’s most beautiful countryside. Delaware’s six officially-designated ‘Byway’ roadway routes – winding through some of Delaware’s most charming small towns and frozen-in-time scenic landscapes – are: Brandywine Valley National Scenic Byway, Red Clay Scenic Byway, Delaware's Bayshore Byway, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway,  Historic Lewes Byway, Gateway to the Bayshore, and Nanticoke Heritage Byway; and

WHEREAS, the Brandywine Valley National Scenic Byway covers the cityscape of Wilmington and the rural countryside, showcasing 300 years of history and encompassing three centuries of American industrial history; and

WHEREAS, the Red Clay Scenic Byway is comprised of 28 secondary roads within the Red Clay Creek watershed, and is the first in the U.S. to be based on the watershed model, strengthening the communities’ ability to protect the water qualify of Red Clay Creek by preserving the land in the watershed; and

WHEREAS, Delaware’s Bayshore Byway is a scenic, two-lane road that follows along the Delaware River and Bay Estuary, offering an intimate experience with the largest preserved coastal marshland on the east coast; and

WHEREAS, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway is a scenic route through beautiful and diverse Delaware countryside, beginning at the terminus of Maryland’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, continuing through Kent county, commemorating Harriet Tubman’s heroic efforts to lead slaves from the South to Freedom and highlighting sites of abolitionist activities and legal actions through which Underground Railroad travelers and conductors moved; and

WHEREAS, the Historic Lewes Byway, Gateway to the Bayshore runs through an almost 400-year history of the First Town in the First State; and

WHEREAS, the Nanticoke Heritage Byway is a 35-mile route across western Sussex County with three small towns, all located on what was once major inland shipping routes; and

WHEREAS, the “Byway Buck” coupon found on DelDOT’s Byways website main page, is a voucher that can be used at small, locally-owned Byway-side shops, restaurants, and attractions for a variety of special offers, experiencing the tax-free shopping and dining – and hometown hospitality – that make the First State one of a kind.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 149th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that we recognize Delaware’s Byways Program as one of the best ways to experience Delaware’s beauty, and we encourage travelers to participate in the Byway Bucks Program.

SYNOPSIS

This Resolution recognizes Delaware's Byways Program as one of the best ways to experience Delaware's beauty.