Transportation Planning
Route 112 Scenic Byway
Scenic Route 112 as it winds through the town of Colrain.
Project Overview
The National Scenic Byway Program is a federal transportation program that provides funding for eligible scenic byway projects. In order for a scenic byway to be eligible to receive funding, the road must be officially designated as a scenic byway and a corridor management plan must be completed. The Route 112 Scenic Byway is one of three State designated scenic byways in Franklin County. It was officially designated in 2004. The Route 112 Scenic Byway travels through the towns of Colrain, Buckland and Ashfield in Franklin County and the towns of Goshen, Cummington, Worthington and Huntington in Hampshire County. It travels through historic town centers, working farms, scenic rivers, and majestic forests with beautiful mountains providing a backdrop. The corridor is rich in natural, cultural, and historic resources. In addition, the Byway intersects with the Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway and the Jacob’s Ladder Trail two other designated scenic byways. Route 112 is a particularly beautiful auto-touring route during the fall foliage season. The funding to complete a corridor management plan for the Route 112 Scenic Byway has been secured and work will commence in 2006.
Current Activities
The work to complete a corridor management plan for the Route 112 Scenic Byway will commence in 2006. The study area for the study includes a one half mile buffer strip along each side of the road within the towns of Colrain, Buckland, Ashfield, Goshen, Cummington, Worthington and Huntington. The total mileage for the corridor is approximately 51. The overall purpose of the project is to recognize, interpret, preserve, and promote the unique scenic, cultural, archeological, natural, and recreational resources. In addition, the more specific purposes of this project are to: identify and develop strategies to preserve the unique scenic, natural, and cultural resources along the Byway; expand economic opportunities related to agricultural, heritage, and recreational tourism along the Byway; plan for a Byway roadside educational program promoting the history of the land along the Route 112 corridor; develop a land protection program for scenic and historic landscapes along the Byway; and develop a recreational program which identifies and establishes linkages to the Mohawk Trail and Jacob’s Ladder Trail Scenic Byways, hiking trails, state forests, river access points and other cultural and recreational features along the byway. The project includes an active public participation process.
Future Plans
The FRCOG will work to secure funding for projects that are identified and prioritized in the Route 112 Corridor Management Plan
Links
Federal Scenic Byway Program website (http://www.byways.org/)