The Byways Economic Impact Tool is a Microsoft Excel-based software program with a user-friendly interface that allows even novice computer users to generate economic impact figures for their regions. Using information such as visitor counts and visitor spending, the tool walks users through a process of inputting available information about their region to generate estimated impacts about byways’ effects on investment, jobs, earnings, tax revenues and other measures.
The Byways Economic Impact Tool was developed by America’s Byways Resource Center, a program established by Congress in 1999. The Center commissioned the development of an Economic Impact Tool that allows local byway staff and/or volunteers to measure the impacts of byways and byway-related activities in their communities. NADO took on ownership of the tool in mid-2012.
Five case studies of how byways have used the tool and what they found are available:
- Blue Ridge Parkway (PDF)
- Cherokee Hills National Scenic Byway (PDF)
- Journey through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway (PDF)
- Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway (PDF)
- Woodward Avenue All-American Road (PDF)
The tool comes with a thorough instruction manual and is distributed by CD-ROM. For more information or to order a copy, email transportation@nado.org (transportation null@null nado NULL.org).
Note that while the Byways Economic Impact Tool itself is free, it requires economic multipliers specific to the area of analysis. Economic multipliers may be ordered from the Bureau of Economic Analsyis, which charges a fee to cover their costs of developing the multiplier for your region of interest. More information from BEA is here (http://www NULL.bea NULL.gov/regional/pdf/overview/Regional_RIMS NULL.pdf)(PDF).
