NEWS RELEASE

Mayor Jennifer P. Dougherty

For details contact:

Edward Gorski
Chief of Comprehensive Planning
WINCHESTER HALL
12 E. Church St.
Frederick, MD 21701
Phone: (301) 600-1142
Fax: (301) 600-2054
E-mail: egorski@fredco-md.net

COUNTY PLANNERS, TOURISM COUNCIL AND STATE HIGHWAY JOIN IN U.S. 15 BYWAY
MANAGEMENT EFFORT

Connecting the rich legacy of civil war heritage is the goal of a
collaborative planning effort now underway for U.S Route 15 in Frederick
County. The County has joined forces with the Maryland State Highway
Administration and the Tourism Council of Frederick County to develop a plan
aimed at encouraging some of the many visitors that use US 15 when traveling
to Gettysburg, Manassas or Harper's Ferry to stop in the small towns and
historic sites along the way in Frederick County.

The purpose of the byway management plan is to help the County promote the
rich legacy of Civil War heritage found throughout the region and to
implement strategies for sustainable tourism development.

An Advisory Committee has been formed to assist in the development of the
management plan. The members of the US 15 Scenic Byway Advisory Committee
represent the many different viewpoints of individuals with an interest in
the route: people who live or work along US 15, those that are responsible
for its management, and those with extensive knowledge of the history of the
route or with extensive knowledge of the civil war events.

The public is invited to a Byway Planning Public Information Meeting on
February 27th at Thomas Johnson High School, 1501 North Market Street,
Frederick, Maryland from 7:00-9:00 pm. Citizens may also stop in at the
high school from 4:00-6:00 p.m. to talk with members of the study team
individually.

At the end of the year long byway management planning process, citizens and
communities along US Route 15 will decide whether to pursue designation as a
"National Scenic Byway" as part of the Federal Highway Administration's
National Scenic Byway Program.

The designation provides additional opportunities for heritage-based tourism
development including additional funding opportunities for preservation and
enhancement projects. The Historic National Road (MD 144 and portions of
U.S. 40 and U.S. 40A in Frederick County) was recently designated as an
All-American Road as part of the same program.

The US 15 Scenic Byway Advisory Committee will meet a total of eight times
over the next year at different locations throughout the corridor. In
addition, there will be two public meetings. The first will provide more
information about the effort and review the plan's vision, goals and
objectives. The second meeting will be to review the plan's recommended
strategies for preserving and enhancing US Route 15 as the main access route
to Frederick County's rich Civil War legacy.

If the group recommends pursuing designation as a National Scenic Byway, and
the Frederick County Board of Commissioners concurs, a permanent group will
be identified to implement the plan.

Frederick County is also involved in the Civil War Heritage Area project, a
regional initiative involving leaders in Carroll, Frederick, and Washington
Counties in an effort to certify a Civil War Heritage Area through the
Maryland Heritage Areas program. Boosting the number of overnight stays and
encouraging heritage travelers to explore the area will help both the local
and State economy. Certified heritage areas are eligible for financial
support in the form of loans and tax credits for preservation activities.

In addition, the red, white, and blue Civil War Trails signs now appearing
in the County are part of an ongoing effort by the Maryland Office of
Tourism Development to improve the visibility and access to the region's
Civil War related historic sites.

For further information about the US 15 Scenic Byway planning effort or
Advisory Committee meetings that are open to the public, contact Ed Gorski,
Project Manager from Frederick County, at 301-600-1142, or
egorski@fredco-md.net, or Jim Klein, consultant team leader, Lardner/Klein
Landscape Architects, P.C., 703-739-0972, or jim.klein@lardnerklein.com.

Directions To Our School

From the North:
Route 15 South to the Motter Avenue Exit. Turn right at exit. Turn left on
second traffic signal at the Thomas Johnson sign.

From the South:
Route 270 North to Route 15 North to the Motter Avenue Exit. Turn left at
exit. Turn left at first traffic signal at the Thomas Johnson sign.

From the East:
Route 70 West to Route 15 North to the Motter Avenue Exit. Turn left at
exit. Turn left at first traffic signal.

From the West:
Route 70 East to Route 15 North to the Motter Avenue Exit. Turn left at
exit. Turn left at first traffic signal at the Thomas Johnson sign.