BILL NUMBER:S5326

TITLE  OF BILL:  An act to amend the highway law, in relation to expand-
ing the Western New York Southtowns scenic byway

PURPOSE:

To expand the Western New York Southtowns scenic byway in the county  of
Cattaraugus.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section  1.  Amends paragraph j-10 of subdivision 1 of Section 349-dd of
the Highway Law to include  the  "Western  New  York  Southtowns  Scenic
Byway"  expansion  as  a  component  of the New York State Scenic Byways
System, and designates these portions of the highways as an extension to
the "Western New York Southtowns Scenic Byway".

Section 2. Provides that this act shall take effect immediately.

EXISTING LAW:

Section 349-dd, subdivision 1, of the Highway Law enumerates the  compo-
nents of the New York State Scenic Byways System.

JUSTIFICATION:
              

On  May 1, 2015, the New York State Scenic Byways Advisory Board, acting
upon the nomination of the Board of Directors of the  Western  New  York
Southtowns  Scenic  Byway, recommend the inclusion of the herein defined
expanded route in the New York State Scenic Byways System. To be formal-
ly designated and thus included in the  New  York  State  Scenic  Byways
System, legislation is needed.

The 37-mile extension of the existing corridor loop includes portions of
United  States  Route  219, New York State Route 240, and New York State
Route 242. The expanded route is almost entirely in Cattaraugus  County,
within  the  Town of Ashford, the Town of Ellicottville, and the Village
of Ellicottville. This provides for the connection of the expanded route
to the already  State-designated  Western  New  York  Southtowns  Scenic
Byway.

The  Legislature established the Scenic Byways Program in the Department
of Transportation in 1992 to create a statewide system of scenic  byways
and  to  coordinate the activities of state agencies, local governments,
and not-for-profit organizations  into  one  comprehensive  program  The
Scenic Byways Advisory Board, responsible for carrying out the intent of
the  legislation that created the program, has adopted rigorous criteria
to ensure communities seeking scenic byways designation  for  a  highway
are  committed to the scenic, historic, natural, recreational, cultural,
and archeological resources associated with the proposed byway.

The communities located along the proposed expanded route of the Western
New York Southtowns Scenic Byway have completed all the necessary  steps
to meet the New York State Scenic Byways Advisory Board's criteria. This
includes  identifying  significant  features  and  resources  along  the
expanded  corridor,  and  preparing an amendment to the Western New York
Southtowns Scenic Byway's initial Corridor Management  Plan  dated  from
2008.  This  expansion  unites  Erie  County,  particularly  the Town of
Orchard Park, the Town of Aurora,  the  Town  of  Boston,  the  Town  of
Colden, the Town of Concord, the Village of Orchard Park, the Village of
East  Aurora,  and  the Village of Springville, with Cattaraugus County,
particularly the Town of Ashford, the Town  of  Ellicottville,  and  the
Village  of  Ellicottville,  in  a combined effort to achieve the vision
described in the Original and Amended Corridor Management Plan.

The Western New York Southtowns Scenic Byway, through a series of public
meetings, defined a vision for the scenic byway corridor  that  provides
for  the  conservation  and  enhancement  of  the  underlying  intrinsic
resources, while fostering the promotion of tourism and economic  devel-
opment.  To  achieve their vision they have successfully developed publ-
ic-private partnerships of citizens, businesses, and public officials.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

Amendment to Senate Bill 7210/Assembly Bill 10304 of 2008,  establishing
the Western New York Southtowns Scenic Byway.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Fiscal  impact  to  the  State  is limited to the installation of Scenic
Byway route marker signs, in accordance with  accepted  state  practice,
along  the  37-mile  corridor extension. The designation would allow for
the added municipalities along the  designated  byway  extension  to  be
eligible  for  federal funding under the National Scenic Byways Program,
Transportation Enhancements  Program,  and  Transportation  Alternatives
Program.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately