Byway Buzz Blog - Prairie Rivers of Iowa

Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway: Year in Review

by Janice Gammon | Nov 11, 2014

By John Mazzello, Project Coordinator

With 2014 nearly in the rear-view mirror and 2015 starting to appear in the headlights, now is a good time to take a look back at the Lincoln Highway’s 101st year in Iowa. 2014 saw a deepening of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway’s role in the state.

We launched an exciting new project, the development of a new Corridor Management Plan for the byway, this year. This plan is an important opportunity for the byway to reach out to residents, businesses, and travelers to create a strong strategy to support Iowa’s communities along the Lincoln Highway and preserve the important resources of the byway.

Also in 2014, we moved forward with a unique project to identify locations along the byway with sustainable land management practices, thanks to a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant. This project will allow us to build interpretive signage to highlight these land practices, sharing with byway travelers who we know are highly interested in a healthy environment.

This year also saw the second year of our innovative “Kids on the Byway” program, in which we connect the resources of the byway with students to deepen their understanding of Iowa’s history and natural resources and help to improve their academic performance. We worked with three schools and more than 150 students this year, plus we offered an exciting two weeks of summer camp that took participants to locations across the byway and the state!

There are many exciting developments on the horizon for next year. We’ll be pilot testing a new initiative, “Greening the Lincoln,” which will recognize and highlight businesses that support the byway and engage in sustainable environmental practices. Be on the lookout for more information on this initiative next year.

In 2015, our Corridor Management Plan project will move into a public meeting phase, with gatherings to be scheduled across the state to meet with residents, business owners, and others about the possibilities for the byway in the future. This is sure to be a truly meaningful statewide conversation about the Lincoln Highway, and we invite you to participate in the planning process in your area. You can sign up for our email list to learn about events in your area. Visit www.prrcd.org/cmp and click the “Sign up” button.

We are also currently hiring a new byway coordinator, to begin work in early 2015. As you may know, former Byway Coordinator Angie Hettinger left Prairie Rivers of Iowa in October when she moved to Minnesota. While we were disappointed to see Angie go, we are looking forward to being able to introduce a new coordinator to you soon. We are also glad to announce that we are seeking an intern to assist with Lincoln Highway web and social media marketing, in collaboration with our partner, the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association.

2015 looks to be a banner year for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, and we value your input, engagement, and knowledge. Please sign up for our Corridor Management Plan email list or contact me at jmazzello@prrcd.org to learn more about how you can support the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway.

Lincoln Highway’s Corridor Management Plan

by Janice Gammon | Mar 24, 2014

As you may know, Prairie Rivers of Iowa manages the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, one of 11 byways in Iowa (a byway is a road specially designated by the United States or by the State of Iowa for its distinctive qualities). Part of our work along the byway is telling the story of the people and places of the Lincoln Highway, by working to preserve its history, by promoting local businesses and events, and by working with communities and statewide organizations to recognize its unique character. If you’ve seen us at a motor tour stop, presenting to a community group, or read a Lincoln Highway brochure, you’ve seen some of our work on the byway.

Beginning this spring, we are launching a three-year initiative: creating a new Corridor Management Plan for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. A Corridor Management Plan, or CMP, is a document that both reveals the assets of the Lincoln Highway and creates a plan for preserving and strengthening them within the byway’s corridor, or nearby area.

These assets might include the historical features of the byway, including buildings, Lincoln Highway markers, or segments of roadway. They also might include the significant natural and environmental areas around the roadway, businesses and attractions in byway towns, and community groups that support byway travelers and local residents.

Preserving and strengthening these assets might include developing new plans for interpreting key Lincoln Highway locations for travelers, building up our tools for connecting the Lincoln Highway with Iowa students and teachers, especially focusing on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, planning to enhance the byway traveler’s experience statewide, identifying creative Lincoln Highway projects in communities, and more.

You’ll notice I’ve said “might” several times. The key part about creating a CMP is that it is truly a community-based plan. Later this year, we will be beginning a series of public conversations across the state with people like you, people who care about the Lincoln Highway and its communities. Together, we’ll decide on the important assets for each segment of the Lincoln Highway and the strategies for strengthening those assets. You can learn more about the CMP process on Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s website.

Since this is the beginning of a conversation, let’s start talking. I invite you to sign up for our mailing list so you can learn about the latest CMP news and find out about meetings and presentations in your community. Please also consider contacting me to discuss the CMP in more detail or to learn how you might get more involved, especially as a volunteer or community leader. You can reach me at lincolncmp@prrcd.org or 515-216-4005. Together, we can help build a Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway for the next 100 years!