[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 68 (Tuesday, June 6, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S4560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DELAWARE RT. 52--KENNETT PIKE, NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY DESIGNATION

 Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, I rise today to offer my continued 
endorsement for the Federal Highway Administration's National Scenic 
Byways Program, and to express my support for the Kennett Pike 
Preservation Committee's efforts to seek both state and federal scenic 
byways designation for Route 52, the Kennett Pike, in New Castle 
County, Delaware.
  The National Scenic Byways Program recognizes roadways that exhibit 
outstanding examples of scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, 
archeological or natural qualities along their routes. The Kennett Pike 
boasts a number of cultural, scenic, historic and recreational values 
that I believe make it an excellent candidate for federal designation 
as a national scenic byway.
  Originally constructed in the 1700's and named Doe Run, the Kennett 
Pike maintains much of its original character, despite more than 200 
years of steady development in the area. During the Revolutionary War, 
General George Washington and his troops were thought to have marched 
along the road, and, during the Civil War, soldiers settled at Camp 
Brandywine, now the location of an intersection on the Pike.
  Along its route, not only will you find world renown tourist 
attractions, including Winterthur Museum, Hagley Museum and Longwood 
Gardens, but also historic villages, numerous inns, farms, parks and 
mills. Within the Kennett Pike Corridor, over 30 sites are already 
listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with many more 
sites in the corridor also eligible for the historic designation.
  In addition to its historic and cultural relevance, the Kennett Pike 
has been designated a greenway by the State of Delaware. A ride along 
the Pike reveals a beautiful landscape of rolling hills, forests and a 
state park. The Kennett Pike is truly a gem among the ever increasingly 
populated suburban landscape of the middle Atlantic region.
  In the Fall of 1999, the State of Delaware received a grant from the 
Federal Highway Administration, in the amount of $140,000, to establish 
a state scenic byways program. A roadway can only be nominated for a 
national scenic byway designation after it has been designated on the 
state level.
  It is my hope that the State will act quickly and implement its 
scenic byways program, so I can continue my efforts to see that Route 
52, the Kennett Pike, is designated the first national scenic byway in 
the State of Delaware.

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