SCENIC ROADS AND PARKWAYS 215 



Gap National Historical Parks through West Virginia, Virginia, and 

 Kentucky; and the extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway, 190 miles 

 from Beech Gap, N.Q, to Kennesaw Mountain National Battle- 

 field Park north of Atlanta, Ga. Legislation authorizing establish- 

 ment of both Parkways is now before the Congress. 



We expect to complete joint studies this summer on two other 

 national parkway proposals. One is the Washington Country 

 Parkway in Virginia, a 550-mile loop from Mount Vernon through 

 tidewater Virginia to Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Jamestown, 

 thence to the Skyline Drive and on to Harpers Ferry, returning 

 to Washington along the Potomac River. Part of this loop is already 

 completed in the form of existing national parkways and scenic 

 highways with great historic interest. The other is the Cumber- 

 land Parkway, which would connect the Great Smoky Mountains, 

 Cumberland Gap, Mammoth Cave, and the Natchez Trace Park- 

 way, 350 miles through Tennessee and Kentucky. 



Other studies will be programed as the over-all scenic roads and 

 parkways program progresses. 



4. Continue to collaborate with the Bureau of Public Roads 

 on advisory services to the 10 Mississippi River Valley States on 

 the Great River Road. This road embodies national parkway 

 principles and objectives such as wide rights-of-way, scenic ease- 

 ments, access control, and provision of recreational features en 

 route. 



I would like to compliment the States of Minnesota and Wis- 

 consin on their legislation and subsequent action in acquiring addi- 

 tional lands, scenic easements, and access control on their portions 

 of the Great River Road. Minnesota is the first State to make 

 use of the section 319 authorization for this purpose. Wiscon- 

 sin, thanks to the fine efforts of my fellow panelist, Senator Gay- 

 lord Nelson, has extended scenic easement purchases statewide, 

 thereby guaranteeing the preservation of scenic beauty along many 

 miles of its highways. At the same time, this protection brings 

 the promise of future visitors and their vacation dollars to repay 

 the cost many times over. 



5. Work closely with Dr. David R. Levin and the Recrea- 

 tion Advisory Council agencies in developing a sound national 

 program for scenic roads and parkways. 



One of the most important parts of such a program is to nail 

 down, as soon as possible, the scenic corridor needed for the im- 



