(225 ILCS 440/14.02)

Sec. 14.02. Scenic byways; nomination.

(a) The Department shall limit its nominations for national designation of scenic byways to roads or highways that:

(1) possess any of 6 intrinsic qualities as specified by the United States Department of Transportation, including scenic beauty, natural quality, historic quality, cultural quality, archeological quality, or recreational quality;

(2) accommodate 2-wheel drive automobiles and, wherever feasible, bicycle and pedestrian travel;

(3) are the subject of a complete corridor management plan consistent with requirements of the United States Department of Transportation and developed with community involvement, which provides for the conservation and enhancement of the byway's intrinsic qualities as well as promotion of tourism and economic development;

(4) are the subject of written notice of pending nomination given by a unit of local government of appropriate jurisdiction to businesses and property owners to be directly affected by national designation, which notice shall include the opportunity to submit written comments to the local government; and

(5) do not include sections of primary or Interstate highways that, at the time of nomination, traverse business areas, unless the Department determines that any such section possesses one or more intrinsic qualities in such exceptional measure as to merit nomination for national designation.

(b) Before forwarding a nomination to the United States Department of Transportation, the Department may request the appropriate unit of local government to conduct a public hearing if it is determined that sufficient numbers of property owners and businesses may be affected adversely by national designation.

(c) The Department may request the United States Department of Transportation to de-designate all or part of a scenic byway (i) if it is determined that the intrinsic qualities that led to designation no longer exist, (ii) if the approved corridor management plan is not being implemented in accordance with its provisions, or (iii) in the event of termination of the national scenic byways program or the absence of Congressional authorization for funding of that program. Before making such request, the Department or the appropriate unit of local government petitioning for de-designation shall hold a public hearing for the purpose of obtaining public comment on the proposed de-designation.

(Source: P.A. 89-605, eff. 8-2-96.)