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must-drive motorways from Acadia National Park to the Columbia Gorge
Story and Photography by Dave G. Houser
What do the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Las Vegas Strip have in common? Obviously, not much at all, but one important thing they do share is a listing among the most preeminent thorough- fares: All-American Roads. While dissim- ilar in nearly every respect, the bucolic parkway and glitzy strip possess some common characteristics that elevate them to elite status among the 150 National Scenic Byways. A National Scenic Byway is a road rec- ognized by the United States Department of Transportation for having at least one of six intrinsic qualities: archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic. The byway program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1991 to preserve the nation’s most distinc-
tive but often less-traveled roads and to promote tourism and economic develop- ment. The most unique and outstanding of the byways, which must meet two or more of the essential qualities, are des- ignated All-American Roads. There are currently 31 of them, scattered across 28 states from coast to coast. “All-American Roads are simply the best of the best among the remarkable system of Scenic Byways,” says Neil Gaffney, public affairs specialist with the Federal Highway Administration. “They lead to the heart and soul of this great country of ours and they are all accessible by RV, plus most of them offer camping facilities where you can tie up your rig and stay awhile,” he adds. Whatever it is you and your travel
mates might be seeking—historical or cultural enlightenment, outdoor recre- ation or simply viewing spectacular land- scapes—these All-American Roads will meet your expectations and more. Except in some northern climes, most are open year-round, and, as Gaffney points out, all can be traversed in an RV. In case you’re wondering how 5 miles of glitzy neon could qualify as an All- American Road, we’ll get to that later. In fact, we’re going to take you for a spin down Las Vegas Boulevard, the Blue Ridge Parkway and six other All- American Roads to learn how and why these most iconic of motorways gained their lofty status. We’ll begin with four routes in the East and then make our way West.
12 COAST TO COAST spring 2014
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