2003 Environmental Excellence Awards

Oregon Forest Highway Enhancement Program

Federal, State, and County partners in Oregon took the initiative to voluntarily establish the Oregon Forest Highway Enhancement Program by annually setting aside up to 10% of the authorized Oregon Forest Highway funds. This dedicated, stable funding source is used to plan, develop, design, and implement Forest Highway enhancement projects such as improved signing, interpretive sites, trailheads, and roadside facilities to accommodate the increasing volume of recreational highway users. In the past, these small-scale improvements generally did not compete well with the major safety and reconstruction needs on higher volume roads. This program has been especially responsive to enhancement needs along Oregon's numerous Scenic Byways, which are usually part of the Forest Highway program. A simple Memorandum of Understanding was developed by the partner-agencies to guide and streamline this program. The projects are rated by partner-agency members according to established criteria, which emphasize planning, national significance, and visitor needs. Since 1993, this program has successfully implemented many critically needed improvements on Oregon's Scenic Byways and Forest Highways.