CHAPTER 132
IOWA SCENIC BYWAY PROGRAM
761—132.1(306D) Purpose, overview and information.
	132.1(1) Purpose. The purpose of the Iowa scenic byway program is to designate qualifying Iowa roads as scenic byways.
	132.1(2) Overview. Under the Iowa scenic byway program, proposed routes are identified via an application process. The department inventories and evaluates the proposed routes. The advisory council selects the routes to be designated. The department provides identifying signs for the designated routes.
	132.1(3) Information and forms. Information, instructions and application forms may be obtained from the Office of Location and Environment, Iowa Department of Transportation, 800 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50010.
761—132.2(306D) Definition.
“Advisory council” means the scenic byway advisory council. This group is responsible for selecting routes for scenic byway designation. It is comprised of representatives from the department of transportation, the department of economic development, the department of cultural affairs, and the department of natural resources.
761—132.3(306D) Designations.
	132.3(1) A scenic byway shall have one of the following three designations:
	a. 	Naturally scenic. This is a route that has naturally scenic features along its length.
	b. 	Scenic and heritage. This is a route that has a combination of naturally scenic features and heritage features along its length.
	c. 	Heritage. This is either a route that has historic significance or one that connects areas or sites of historic significance along its length.
	132.3(2) Reserved.
761—132.4(306D) General requirements.
	132.4(1) Primary roads, secondary roads and city streets are eligible for designation as scenic byways.
	132.4(2) A scenic byway should be continuous and at least 20 miles in length. Scenic or heritage features in one form or another should exist along the entire route.
	132.4(3) Each city and county through which a route passes must approve the scenic byway designation.
	132.4(4) Signs designating scenic byways shall be paid for and furnished by the department. Each roadway jurisdiction is responsible for installing scenic byway signs on roads under its jurisdiction in accordance with a signing plan provided by the department.
761—132.5(306D) Application and approval process.
	132.5(1) Program cycle. The scenic byway program shall operate on a two-year cycle, with the following steps and timetable:

Step	Timetable	
Deadline for submission of applications	October 1 of even-numbered years	
Field inventories of proposed routes	April to October of odd-numbered years	
Evaluation and rating of proposed routes	November to February following field inventories	
Designation and signing of routes	March to August of even-numbered years	
Subrules 132.5(2) to 132.5(7) further explain each step of the program cycle.
	132.5(2) Application. Application to designate a route as a scenic byway shall be on a form provided by the department and shall be submitted to the office of location and environment by the application deadline. The application must be accompanied by a document indicating approval of the designation from the city council of each city and the board of supervisors of each county through which the proposed route passes.
	132.5(3) Initial review. Applications shall be reviewed by the advisory council to acquaint the council members with the proposed routes, to allow the members time to provide any information from their areas of expertise regarding the routes, and to provide guidance to the program.
	132.5(4) Field inventory. The department shall conduct a field inventory of proposed routes. The department shall collect the following information for each proposed route:
	a. 	Types of views along the route, including panoramas, scenes and focal points. Several elements or items related to material or color are also pinpointed.
	b. 	Quality of the various views along the route, from outstanding to poor or distracting.
	c. 	How long one sees a particular view or element.
	d. 	Relative ease of seeing the various views and elements as the road is driven.
	e. 	Visual character of the roadway alignment.
	f. 	Types of scenic areas or historic sites along the route.
	g. 	Variety of views as the route is driven.
	132.5(5) Evaluation and rating. The department shall compile and evaluate the field inventory data for each proposed route, calculate an overall quality rating for each proposed route, and prepare a written report documenting these findings. A potential quality rating ranges from “excellent” to “very poor.” The midpoint is “average.”
	132.5(6) Selection. The advisory council shall review the evaluations and ratings and select the routes to be designated based on this information and any other information the council may have obtained regarding the routes. For a route to be designated, it must have an overall quality rating that is above “average.” Also, at least 50 percent of the length of the route must be rated above “average.”
	132.5(7) Signing. The department shall provide the necessary state scenic byway signs and accompanying posts and hardware for the newly designated scenic byways.
761—132.6(306D) Reevaluation. Every four years from the date of designation, the department shall inventory and evaluate the scenic byway to determine its continued eligibility in the program. The department reserves the right to remove a route from the scenic byway program if the route no longer meets the designating criteria.
761—132.7(306D) Promotional and tourism efforts. The department is not responsible for promotional and tourism efforts for scenic byways.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 306D.
[Filed 8/26/98, Notice 7/1/98—published 9/23/98, effective 10/28/98]
[Filed 5/8/01, Notice 2/7/01—published 5/30/01, effective 7/4/01]
[Filed 8/7/02, Notice 6/26/02—published 9/4/02, effective 10/9/02]