National Conference Highlights Historic Roads Month

Sept. 6, 2018 - Investing in Our Future by Preserving Our Past


FORT COLLINS—The leading international conference dedicated to identifying, preserving and managing historic roads is coming to Colorado next week.

Preserving the Historic Road (PTHR) conference runs from Thursday, Sept. 13, through Sunday, Sept. 16 at the Elizabeth Hotel in Fort Collins. It will feature a number of expert speakers, including several from CDOT. It also includes tours along some of the state's scenic and historic roads, special events and field sessions.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper also has proclaimed September as Historic Roads Month in Colorado, coinciding with the PTHR conference. In addition to citing the conference, the proclamation recognizes a number of other sites and locations that enrich the state's heritage:

  • National Register of Historic Places
    61 bridges and 20 roads or highways, including Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park
  • Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways
    Eleven of 26 are designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation as America's Byways, giving Colorado more national designations than any other state.
  • U.S. National Historic Trails
    Three pass through Colorado: Old Spanish National Historic Trail, Pony Express National Historic Trail, and Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

In 2017, Colorado attracted 84.7 million U.S.-based travelers, plus nearly 1 million international visitors, who collectively spent $20.9 billion and generated over $1.2 billion in state and local tax revenue. Every $1 million spent on historic preservation in Colorado generates more than $1 million in additional spending, 14 new jobs, and increases household incomes by $636,700 across the state.