If you are not one of the several hundred thousand people headed into Atlanta for the annual American pop culture explosion during the Labor Day weekend, perhaps you might be looking for something a little slower paced.
Or at least 55 miles per hour. A recent announcement from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) was a reminder of the Scenic Byways program, a community-driven program that aims to highlight the state’s most notable roadways.
Paul Tanner is the State Transportation Planning Administrator for GDOT the overseer of the Scenic Byways program. Tanner recently wrote a piece for GDOT that promoted the Scenic Byways and, not only is it a good suggestion for a get-away, it’s a reminder of the incredible diversity of Georgia’s people and landscape.
“Georgia is a state with remarkable historic, scenic and cultural features, and a diverse geography,” said Tanner. “Drive a scenic byway and you can meander through small communities with businesses selling fresh produce or boiled peanuts, cruise down the coastal marshlands and breathe in the tang of salt in the air, or ascend to the tops of the breathtaking Appalachian Mountains. I encourage you to stop and explore—or even just drive past—to appreciate the beauty along the byway.”
The Scenic Byways touch every corner of the state and range in distance from 82 miles in the Historic Piedmont to 17 miles in the Altamaha, the byways highlight not only the scenic nature of the state but also much of the history both before and after it became official.
That 82 miles of Historic Piedmont passes through Putnam and Hancock counties, through Eatonton, Sparta and the little community of Jewell in Warren County. Historic features of the road include the Rock Hawk effigy, built thousands of years ago by Native Americans, and the Glen Mary Plantation, one of several antebellum plantations along the route.
The Scenic Byways program is ultimately another piece of the rural development puzzle that is ongoing in every government building in the state. Each byway comes with a “Corridor Management Plan” (CMP) that is a guide for the future promotion, preservation and enhancement of the byway. These plans are the result of collaboration between local governments, community organizations and residents of the communities along the byway. These goals may include the promotion of tourism, protection of historic and natural resources, or preservation of scenic views.
These 15 Scenic Byways are not set in stone. Any person or group can work to sponsor a scenic byway. The sponsor is the catalyst for the designation but the process requires several steps before GDOT will approve. GDOT even has a convenient guide for those who may be considering the designation process.
To learn much more about all the Scenic Byways, and to plan out your own route, see here: http://www.dot.ga.gov/DS/Travel/Scenic
That site has links to all the most popular features of each byway, as well as maps and the Corridor Management Plans. The CMP may be unnecessary for a Labor Day weekend excursion but you can never have too much information.
