NYSDOT, NYSDEC And FHWA Announce Cooperative Agreement On Catskill Park Highway Guide Signs

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ALBANY, NY (06/16/2011)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald today joined with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Commissioner Joe Martens and Michael Davies, acting administrator of the New York Division of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), to announce the signing of a cooperative agreement between the agencies to provide a consistent and federally compliant plan for highway signage in New York's Catskill Park and enhance branding of the Park.

The three agencies worked for several months with local communities and key stakeholders to develop the plan and design a Catskill-theme sign panel display. The initiative will bring highway signs in the Catskill Park into compliance with the federal Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), while providing unique thematic elements to the signs to further enhance tourism and economic development in the Park.

"The New York State Department of Transportation is pleased to have been able to lead the effort to develop this agreement, which brought together the need to maintain consistency and compliance in our highway signage with the desire to create a unique, branded image for the Catskill Park," NYSDOT Commissioner McDonald said. "The use of the Catskill theme on our highway signs will enhance the transportation experience in this unique and very special region of New York State."

NYSDEC Commissioner Joe Martens said, "These new signs will enhance the identity of the Catskill Park for the traveling public and create a branding opportunity for the region's tourism efforts. We are pleased to have been a part of a collaborative effort with DOT, the Federal Highway Administration, local communities and organizations in developing signs that will help build awareness and understanding of the Park."

FHWA Acting Division Administrator Davies said, "It has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside our state and local partners to create a solution that benefits the public."

Under the agreement, new Catskill Park sign panel displays will be used in conjunction with standard brown sign panels with white lettering. A sample of the new sign panel appears below and is available in a format for reproduction on the NYSDOT Web site at this link: https://www.nysdot.gov/news/repository/CatskillHighwaySign.jpg.

Highway guide signs throughout the Catskills now display an inconsistent mix of white-on-brown, yellow-on-brown and white-on-green panels. While the familiar white-on-green color scheme is standard for most guide signs in the country, white-on-brown is allowed to be used for guide signs that direct road users to recreational or cultural interest areas. Guide signs include general information and service signs, and destination and distance signs. Regulatory signs, such as speed limit signs, are not included in the new standards.

"I applaud DOT, DEC and the Federal Highway Administration for collaborating on a plan to create recognizable signs for the Catskill Park," New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey said. "The Catskills are an important component of New York's tourism economy, and this initiative will only help visitors find the hidden gems the Catskills have to offer."

Alan White, executive director of the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, said, "This is a landmark event for the Catskill Park. We look forward to seeing the new sign system spread across the highways of the Park, highlighting the recreational assets of the region. Timely implementation will undoubtedly give an economic boost to our communities."

Ulster County Tourism Director Richard J. Remsnyder said, "Ulster County Tourism believes these clear, accurate and helpful signs inside the Catskill Park will aid tourists and encourage repeat visits because there's less chance of getting lost."

Patty Cullen, director of Tourism for Delaware County said, "As travelers move into and out of state park lands, their understanding of the communities will be better shaped. We offer opportunities for recreation and a deeply pristine sense of place, and these signs will help convey that message with more clarity."

Installation of the new signs will be phased in as resources allow and signs are replaced due to deterioration. Some new sign panels already have been installed this spring along State Route 28 in Ulster County.

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