On 2/24/2011 6:44 PM, Charlotte Wolter wrote:
These two are probably the best known of such roads, but there are others.
--In the 1920s, the Lincoln Highway was established across the United
States to promote auto travel (it seems to have succeeded). Portions
were financed by oil companies. The route was refined several times over
the years, but it is still marked in many places. The route follows
everything from interstates to dirt roads (at a few places out west). It
even has a Web site.
--Of course there's Route 66.
These are different. They were pieced together from existing roads,
and still serve as local roads, so classifications can be assigned
in the same way as we do for other roads (possibly involving chicken
entrails). On the other hand, the BRP and NTP are solely intended
for scenic driving (with the possible exception of some parts of the
BRP that provide access to isolated (?) secondary routes).
> --There's also the beautiful George Washington Parkway, which leads from
> Washington, D.C., to Mount Vernon. It also was constructed like the Blue
> Ridge and is lined with park land. Its route changes from interstate to
> parkway to residential road at the end.
This is more like the BRP and NTP, but it was likely designed as a
dual-purpose scenic road and commuter route. Even if its initial
purpose was entirely scenic, today it is a major commuter route, so
it can be classified normally.
I wonder if we are making a distinction that's not important. I think
it is much more important to identify historical or scenic routes
clearly than to highlight the distinction of being constructed just
for sightseeing.
Many U.S. highway maps do identify "scenic" routes, usually with a
line of dots beside the route. That's very useful. Some identify
historical routes, like Route 66, with shields, also useful.
By the way, isn't the Natchez Trace now also a major route of travel?
Charlotte Wolter
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