[Federal Register: July 23, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 142)]
[Notices]
[Page 42893-42894]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23jy08-92]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
America's Byways Public Awareness Initiative
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice; Request for Statement of Interest.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), cooperatively with
the America's Byways Resource Center (ABRC) in Duluth, Minnesota,
invites statements of interest about participating in a domestic,
multi-year America's Byways[reg] Partnership Marketing Campaign. As
part of this marketing campaign, the ABRC would like to partner with
interested parties to establish a national Public Awareness Initiative
to elevate the awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the
America's Byways collection. This initiative offers an ideal
environment for national partners with brand profiles consistent with
the National Scenic Byways Program to spotlight their products while
raising the awareness of America's Byways. This notice seeks Statements
of Interest from parties, such as corporations, associations, nonprofit
organizations, and public authorities, who are interested in working
with ABRC and FHWA in the Partnership Marketing Campaign.
DATES: Statements of interest should be received on or before September
22, 2008. However, statements received after this date may still be
considered depending on available resources.
ADDRESSES: Mail or hand deliver statements of interest to the America's
Byways Resource Center, 394 Lake Avenue South, Suite 600, Duluth, MN
55802, or submit via e-mail to partnerships@byways.org or fax to (218)
625-3333.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henry Hanka, (218) 625-3306, Special
Projects Manager, America's Byways Resource Center, 394 Lake Avenue
South, Suite 600, Duluth, MN 55802, or Gary Jensen, (202) 366-2048,
Office of Planning, Environment & Realty, HEP-2, Federal Highway
Administration, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue,
SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access: An electronic copy of this document may be
downloaded by accessing the Office of the Federal Register's home page
at http://www.archives.gov and from the Government Printing Office's
Web page at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara.
Background: The National Scenic Byways Program was established
under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, and
was reauthorized and amended most recently in 2005 under the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy
for Users (SAFETEA-LU). It is codified at Title 23, United States Code,
section 162. Under the program, the Secretary of Transportation
recognizes certain roads as National Scenic Byways or All-American
Roads based on their intrinsic qualities--archaeological, cultural,
historic, natural, recreational, and scenic qualities. There are 126
such designated byways in 44 States which the FHWA promotes
collectively as America's Byways[reg]. It is a program that recognizes
and supports outstanding roads while providing resources to help manage
the intrinsic qualities within the broader byway corridor. The vision
of the FHWA's National Scenic Byways Program is to create a distinctive
collection of American roads, their stories and treasured places. The
program's mission is to provide resources to the byway community in
creating a unique travel experience and enhanced local quality of life
through efforts to preserve, protect, interpret, and promote the
intrinsic qualities of designated byways.
Partnership Marketing Campaign: In 2005, Congress authorized ABRC
to carry out public awareness activities for America's Byways. As a
result, the ABRC developed a Partnership Marketing Campaign. Under this
Campaign, the ABRC intends to partner
[[Page 42894]]
with interested parties to establish the strategic and creative
framework for a national communications effort. The core objectives of
this campaign are as follows:
Increase awareness for America's Byways at the community,
regional and national level among the general public and special
interest groups.
Build a greater understanding and appreciation for the
America's Byways experience.
Increase visitation and usage across the America's Byways
Collection.
Generate economic impact for the individual byway
communities.
The Campaign is designed to combine the shared commitment of the
FHWA and ABRC with the expertise and resources of a broader range of
public and private partners to integrate resources, execute a more
extensive communications effort, and enter more markets with greater
exposure. As part of this partnership, private and public sector
partners may have opportunities to position their brands and products
with the America's Byways[reg] brand in a joint marketing and
communication environment. Such partners could include, but are not
limited to, entities in the following areas: Automotive; hospitality/
hotels/rental cars; food service; retail; and outdoor recreation.
Partner benefits may also include exposure through strategic
partnerships that may reach a broader audience, while promoting
protection and sustainability of the environment; and being seen as a
leader in a national domestic tourism campaign.
The FHWA and ABRC are considering various options for this
initiative, but consistent with the direction from Longwoods Travel
USA[reg] research, would look to start with national partners whose
businesses especially link with the tourism categories of Touring/
Special Events and Outdoor Adventure. See: http://
www.bywaysresourcecenter.org/resources/specialprojects/
partnershipmarketing. Longwoods Travel USA[reg] concludes that these
segments represent over 51 percent of trips by car, RV or motorcycle
overnight travelers. The research also showed that the potential for
new byway customers is great, with the number one item of importance in
attracting new visitors is that more information and publicity is
needed.
Statements of Interest: This notice seeks interest from parties,
such as corporations, associations, nonprofit organizations, and public
authorities, who can, together with FHWA and ABRC, promote America's
Byways. Statements of interest should include a basic business profile
of the interested party, products offered, and a brief summary of
current national communications and marketing scope. Based on responses
to this notice and other information, the FHWA and the ABRC will work
with selected interested parties to integrate their ideas into the
national marketing strategy. The statements of interest will be used by
FHWA and ABRC to evaluate which potential partners can assist us in
attracting new visitors and gain more publicity consistent with our
research. There is a level of uncertainty associated with planning
against an unknown investment of funding and resources from potential
partners. The FHWA and the ABRC are considering various options for
this initiative, but would look to start with national partners whose
businesses especially complement the America's Byways tourism
categories of Touring/Special Events and Outdoor Adventure.
Upon receipt of a statement of interest, the ABRC, in cooperation
with FHWA, will confirm receipt of the statements of interest. Those
parties determined by the ABRC, in cooperation with FHWA, to have the
greatest potential to assist us in attracting new visitors and gain
more publicity for America's Byways will then be contacted to discuss
further their level of interest, available resources, existing and
future communications efforts, and to discuss next steps.
Issued on: July 15, 2008.
James D. Ray,
Acting Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. E8-16886 Filed 7-22-08; 8:45 am]
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