ENHANCING, PRESERVING AND FOSTERING FOR 25 YEARS
ABOUT
UNDERSTANDING THE VISION
The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway highlights what is already an exceptional feature of the region’s appeal to residents and visitors alike — the highway itself. The most significant and attractive aspects of the byway continue to be its spectacular scenic vistas, public river access points, and the uniqueness of the communities along the byway. The byway continues to be enhanced through recreational opportunities and ongoing promotion which helps bring stability to the economic climate. This will enable communities to retain their character and quality of life while reaping the economic benefits of tourism promotion, and will further opportunities for residents to earn a living wage. The byway’s communities are comprised of vibrant, revitalized Main Streets and passionate residents. The visitor experience is heightened through convenient and attractive facilities like turn-offs and overlooks, restroom and picnic areas. The byway itself is safe for autos and bicycles but also remains open to commercial traffic which is vital to the area. The area along the byway is seeing an increase in year-round visitors because of the abundant lodging, dining and recreational choices available and the hospitality of the area’s residents.
A BRIEF HISTORY
In 1920, a road construction project along the New York side of the Delaware River was initiated to link the many settlements along the river. This same road, Route 97, now defines the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway as recognized by New York State. The scenic byway boundary is a linear corridor along Route 97 in Orange, Sullivan and Delaware Counties that encompasses the Upper Delaware River and its river communities. The byway corridor extends along 71.35 miles between and including the city of Port Jervis and the village of Hancock (but does not include the towns of Fremont or Hancock).
Orange County – The byway begins in the City of Port Jervis near the I-84 exit ramp at the southeastern city boundary on Route 6 (East Main Street) to the Sullivan County line for 6.8 miles.
Sullivan County – Route 97 from the Orange County line to Delaware County line for 49.30 miles*(See note below).
Delaware County – Route 97 from the Sullivan County line through the Village of Hancock and under Route17 to the entrance ramp to the north of Route 17 for 15.25 miles.
Governor George Pataki officially designated the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway as a component of the New York State Scenic Byways System on August 6, 2002. The legislation's approval came after a grassroots process which began in February 2000 when individuals representing communities along Route 97 formed a committee in partnership with non-profit organizations and governmental agencies in the Upper Delaware River Valley to work on an application to the state.
The vision of the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway is to “highlight what is already an exceptional feature of the region's appeal to residents and visitors alike — the highway itself. The most significant and attractive aspects of the byway will continue to be its spectacular highway vistas, access to the Delaware River and its resources, and the uniqueness of the communities along the byway.”
The final approved byway plan included two phases. The first phase (now completed) begins in Port Jervis and ends at the Town of Fremont line. The byway then picks up again in the Village of Hancock. The second phase (incomplete) is meant to allow the Town of Hancock and the Town of Fremont to continue discussions as to whether they wanted to be included in the scenic byway. If either town chooses to become part of the byway it will be able to join when it wishes.
OUR TEAM
The organization meets every fourth Monday at 7 p.m. at the Upper Delaware Council office, 211 Bridge St., Narrowsburg.
All meetings are open to the public.
Richard Lowe III
Larry Richardson
Rosie DeCristofaro
Mark McLaren
Josh Felderstein
Cass Collins
Mike Edison
Lacey Gutekunst Madden
Susan Fraysse Russ
n/a
Bill Dudko
Virginia Dudko
Teresa Spradling
Mayor Dominic Cicalese
Heather Jacksy
Justin Rocque
Our Partners
These are just a few of the incredible sponsors who we have partnered with us on this journey.
September 2002
A traveling dedication ceremony takes place September 21, 2002 with 11 community stops from Port Jervis to Hancock, ribbon-cuttings, entertainment, and the distribution of a historic souvenir booklet.
February 2003
Eight thousand byway seasonal rack cards are produced in February 2003 for distribution.
April 2003
The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway achieves incorporation as a 501(c)(3) organization April 1, 2003. A volunteer committee of representatives appointed by their member municipalities (Village of Hancock, Towns of Delaware, Cochecton, Tusten, Highland, Lumberland, and Deerpark, City of Port Jervis, and Sullivan County) administers the byway, as per the organization’s bylaws adopted on June 2, 2003.
November 2003
UDSB, Inc. sponsors a free, one-day business conference, “97 Reasons to Meet on the Byway”, in Callicoon on November 8, 2003. St. Lawrence Seaway Trail Executive Director Teresa Mitchell offers tips of tourism marketing opportunities as the keynote speaker.
July 2004
Route marker highway signs featuring the UDSB logo, installed in collaboration with the New York State Department of Transportation, are dedicated in a July 15, 2004 ceremony attended by numerous dignitaries.
May 2006-2009
UDSB, Inc.begins distributing 100,000 copies of a 20-page, full-color “Meet Us on the Byway” brochure in May 2006, with a second re-print of 100,000 in March 2009. The Rt. 97 travelogue is carried in New York State’s welcome centers, the Palisades Parkway Information Center in New Jersey, and regional businesses.
July 2007
An interactive website at www.UpperDelawareScenicByway.org, created by W Design of Barryville, is launched in July 2007. Unique page visits to date are 119,774. Memberships are available to businesses on the byway’s website under the appropriate directories of traveler amenities. Local history books are available for purchase.
September 2007
The organization debuts a toll-free hotline at 866-511-UDSB (8372), maintained by the Village of Hancock, on Sept. 1, 2007 to accept and fulfill byway brochure requests.
December 2008
The NYS Department of Transportation selects the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway as the host site for a Model Byway Signage Initiative to demonstrate design standards included in the NYS Scenic Byways Signage Manual. Six interpretive panels are produced for Narrowsburg and dedicated in a December 6, 2008 public ceremony.
September 2009
A $15,000 federal grant project is completed in September 2009 to create a GIS-based, copyrighted map for the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway and to produce 125,000 promotional placemats featuring the byway map and contact information that are distributed free of charge to restaurants, fire departments, and civic organizations.
August 2010
Phase one of a $50,000 Rt. 97 Landscape Enhancements Project is completed in August 2010 with selective clearing of five sites along the byway corridor to open up scenic vistas of the Upper Delaware River. Additional beautification work in byway communities resumes in the Spring of 2011.
May 2011
The Federal Highway Administration approves a $15,940 federal grant application for an “Upper Delaware Scenic Byway Invasive Plant Species Educational Campaign and Interpretive Signage Project” which was completed in 2011. Eight 4×2-foot customized, outdoor interpretative panels were designed and installed in each byway community.
December 2011
NYS Senator John J. Bonacic secured a $250,000 member item in the 2007 budget for capital construction of an Upper Delaware Scenic Byway Visitor Center. The UDSB Committee allocates a $25,000 state grant to a Feasibility Study and Design Concept to potentially locate the facility at Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History in Narrowsburg, with the study completed in December 2011.
Summer 2012
A $25,000 state grant in Summer of 2012 subsidizes a Matching Funds Advertising Program with the Sullivan County Visitors Association to place strategic byway print and radio ads
Spring 2013
The UDSB, Inc. wins a 2013 Sullivan County Historic and Cultural Assistance Program matching grant to produce color logo stickers and magnets to increase awareness of the designation and serve as a fundraiser.