Frequently Asked Questions

What is a byway?

A byway is a transportation route which is adjacent to or travels through an area that has particular intrinsic scenic, historic, natural, cultural, recreational or archeological qualities. It is a road corridor that offers an alternative travel to our major highways, while telling a story about Delaware's heritage, recreational activities or beauty. It is a route that is managed in order to protect its special intrinsic qualities and to encourage appreciation and/or development of tourism and recreational resources.

Who designates a roadway as a Delaware Byway?

Designation is made by Delaware's Secretary of Transportation based on submission of the nomination application, joint review by the Evaluation Committee of state agency representatives, review by DelDOT's Director of Planning and then review and recommendation for approval by the Advisory Board.

What are the benefits of getting a designation?

A designation provides official recognition of the special nature of a roadway corridor. This designation will heighten awareness and recognition of the community seeking the designation and help to boost community pride.

Additional community benefits may include:

• Increased business, tax revenue, and jobs from tourist dollars
• Federal and state funding for planning and implementing a corridor plan
• Protection for a resource that may become threatened
• Improved maintenance for your road
• Access to resources and expert assistance in managing the corridor
• Identification on state highway maps, leading to more tourism opportunities for the area
• Assistance from state offices of economic development and tourism

What is a Corridor Management Plan?

A Corridor Management Plan (CMP) is a written document in which the byway sponsor lays out the vision, goals and responsibilities for conserving and enhancing the corridor's most valuable qualities and describes how this will benefit economic development through tourism and recreational opportunities. The CMP presents a strategy for balancing concern for the intrinsic resources with the visitor's opportunity to experience the byway. It explains how the participants are involved in and responsible for implementing the CMP. Each byway is required to complete a CMP within 5 years of designation.

Who can nominate a Byway for designation?

The Delaware Byways Program is closed currently to new nomination applications. Current DelDOT Byway management resources are unable to support the addition of newly designated Byways. The six Byways currently in the collection comprehensively capture the essence of Delaware’s attributes. These six Byways provide full coverage in each County and across Delaware.