Two new scenic byways added to system

Two new scenic byways that honor the role of Native Americans in the state’s rich history joined the family of Idaho Scenic Byways last week. The Idaho Transportation Board approved the Wild Horse Trail in the northern panhandle and the Sacajawea Historic Byway near Salmon in eastern Idaho.

The newly designated routes bring to 25 the number of officially designated scenic byways in Idaho.

Both now qualify for federal funds, and the completion of corridor management plans will be encouraged as the first projects, according to Garry Young, ITD’s scenic byways coordinator. Those plans will outline strategies to preserve the routes’ intrinsic qualities and to promote their use by travelers through brochures and new informational signs.

Graphic designers are creating new multicolored 3-foot by 3-foot designator route signs for all of Idaho’s scenic byways. The signs are placed every five to 10 miles along the scenic byway.

Designers also are creating 4-foot by 8-foot entry signs (above and below) for installation at the start of each scenic byway to identify key attributes motorists will discover along the way.

The larger signs include photos, original art and maps in a fresh new look that started appearing late last year. Illustrations are provided by Mountain Post Digital Imaging of Kuna.

Signs Inc. of Boise applies the digital imaging to the reflective surface; the remainder of the sign construction process takes place at the ITD sign shop. The signs then are installed by sign crews in each district.

For descriptions of the two new byways, check the following:

•Sacajawea Historic Byway

•Wild Horse Trail Scenic Byway