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    Planning

    Nominating a Pennsylvania Byway

    Considerations For Designation

    The requirements are:

    • Quality requirements include: archaeological, cultural, historical, natural, and recreational. One or all qualities may be chosen. View the  qualities fact sheet for more information.

    • Outdoor advertising restriction requirements, if applicable: Outdoor advertising is prohibited along many nationally designated byways and state-designated byways with the class or road designation. To determine if outdoor advertising must be restricted, visit our Federal Aid Primary / National Highway System County Maps page ​and click on a county to view its corresponding Federal Aid Primary (FAP) or National Highway System (NHS) designation. If the route is outlined in green, it is an FAP road. If is outlined in red, it is an NHS road. In either case, a local ordinance is required from each municipality along the corridor. The ordinance must specify how the placement of new signs, displays, or devices will be prohibited on the byway in conformance with 23 U.S.C. 131(s).

    • Local support requirements: Pennsylvania byways must be nominated by a government entity and all the municipalities and the counties through which the byway passes must pass and/or receive resolutions and letters of support for the designation.

      If using an existing ordinance, a resolution must be adopted reflecting consent to enforce the prohibition set forth for the byway and to not revise the ordinance without PennDOT's prior written approval.  Failure to do so may result in revocation of the designation.  Each PennDOT District has an Outdoor Advertising Coordinator on staff to provide technical assistance to byway sponsors.

    ​Resolutions

    • Local Municipal(ities)
    • Count(ies)​

    Letters of Support

    • Area Legislators
    • Regional planning agenc(ies)
    • Tourism promotion agenc(ies)

    Byway Nominations

    Any government entity can nominate a local, state, or federal roadway or roadway segment for state byway consideration provided the owner of the roadway agrees with the nomination. If the roadway is not a state-maintained highway, the local government or federal agency that owns the highway must first designate the route as a Scenic Byway. Concurrence from PennDOT would designate the route a Pennsylvania Byway.

    Step 1: Expression Of Interest Form And Submittal

    The process begins with the sponsor completing and submitting the PA Byways Interest Form in electronic format to PennDOT.  Prior to submission, it is strongly recommended the interest form be downloaded for use as a worksheet.  To create a copy, select the PRINT button at the bottom of the interest form page.  The interest form will follow the submittal process outlined here at the right:

    Step 2: Application Preparation

    An interest form must first be submitted by the sponsor and reviewed by the Pennsylvania Byways Coordinator.  Based on the information received, the Coordinator determines if the byway interest may advance to the next step:  submitting a Pennsylvania Byways Application.  The application and supporting documentation must be submitted electronically by one local governmental entity.  PennDOT recommends using a copy of the sample application in the guidance manual as a worksheet to help with the preparation and submittal process.  The diagram at the right, outlines the application process and the below information identifies the requirements needed to complete and submit the application.

    Application Requirements

    The application must include:

    • Initiation by: a state application or legislative act (road was originally designated by state legislation)
      • If initiated legislatively, the legislative act number must be included.
    • A proposed byway name.
    • Government and byway leader contact information.
    • Count(ies) by which the proposed byway travels through.
    • The name and location of the road, beginning and ending terminus, and approximate byway length.
    • A list of resources along the route that support the qualit(ies).
    • Any additional resources along the corridor.
    • The corridor boundaries on a county map and the location of the required qualit(ies).
    • A strategy for maintaining and enhancing the qualit(ies) for which the byway will be designated.
    • A description of how the byway will complement other regional economic development strategies or long range plan(s) and how it relates to the county(ies) comprehensive plan(s).
    • Resolutions of support from the governing bodies along the proposed byway from the count(ies) and the municipalit(ies).  
      Note: Resolutions must include a statement indicating the municipalit(ies) intent to uphold the designation.
    • Letters of support from:
      • The local Metropolitan Planning Organization and/or the Rural Planning Organization.
      • The local tourism promotion agency(ies).
      • The area legislator for the proposed area municipalit(ies) and count(ies) along the proposed byway.
      • Applicable regional planning agencies (Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Rural Planning Organizations) and tourism promotion agencies.
    • If the Byway is on the Interstate system (the Federal-Aid Primary (FAP) System or the National Highway System (NHS)), the application must specify how the erection of new signs, displays, or devices will be prohibited on the byway in conformance with 23 U.S. Code Section 131(s).
    • Authorized signatory from the nominating agency.