A5097 2R

An Act ²[establishing a tourism attraction trail sign program and a] concerning signs and Internet websites for tourism attractions,² historic ²[site] sites,² and historic ²[district sign program] districts² and supplementing ¹[Title 27 of the Revised Statutes] P.L.1977, c.225 (C.34:1A-45 et seq.)¹.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

²1. a. The Department of Transportation, in coordination with and subject to the approval of the Federal Highway Administration, shall adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedures Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), amendments to the rules governing the procedures and standards for participation in the Tourist Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) Program adding tourism attractions, historic sites, and historic districts as eligible facilities that qualify for participation in the TODS program. The purpose of the rule amendments adopted pursuant to this section shall be to provide awareness of and directional guidance to tourism attractions, historic sites, and historic districts in the State through roadway signs, and support a trail-like path through signage which allows persons to find and visit various indoor and outdoor attractions in an efficient and reasonable manner, and promote these locations within New Jersey.

The rule amendments adopted pursuant to this section shall require, as a condition of eligibility to participate in the TODS program, that tourism attractions, historic sites, and historic districts:

(1) be located within 15 miles of the State highway on which the intersection approach sign is erected;

(2) be open to the general public a minimum of six hours each day and five days per week for at least 20 consecutive weeks in a year;

(3) provide artistic, cultural, historical, or entertainment value to tourists;

(4) be licensed and approved by all appropriate authorities; and

(5) be in compliance with all laws regarding public accommodation.

b. The Department of Transportation, in coordination and subject to the approval of the Federal Highway Administration, shall adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), amendments to the rules governing the procedures and standards for the implementation of the Specific Service Sign (Logo) Program adding tourism attractions, historic sites, and historic districts as eligible attractions for the purpose of applying for the installation of a business logo panel on the blue motorist service signs along designated freeways and interstate highways.

c. As used in this section:

“Historic district” means one or more historic sites and intervening or surrounding property significantly affecting or affected by the quality and character of the historic site or sites.

“Historic site” means any real property, man-made structure, natural object or configuration or any portion or group of the foregoing of historical, archeological, cultural, scenic or architectural significance.²

²2. a. The Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of State, in consultations with Division of Parks and Forestry in the Department of Environmental Protection, the Historic Preservation Office in the Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Historic Trust in the Department of Community Affairs, and the New Jersey Historical Commission, shall develop and maintain an Internet website providing information on tourism attractions, historic sites, and historic districts in the State. The purpose of the Internet website shall be to provide awareness of and directional guidance to tourism attractions, historic sites, and historic districts in the State and to allow persons to find and visit them in an efficient and reasonable manner and to promote these locations within New Jersey.

b. The information on the Internet website shall be searchable and available as a list and as an interactive map. The Internet website shall:

(1) specify the location of each attraction, site, and district, and provide driving directions from the north, south, east, and west, as well as directions by public transit, where applicable;

(2) provide information about whether an attraction, site, and district offers guided tours, the frequency of the tours, and the hours during which the tours are conducted;

(3) display photographs of each attraction, site, and district; and

(4) provide contact information for the owner or operator of each attraction, site, and district, including the telephone number and Internet web address, and any other information provided by that the Director of the Division of Travel and Tourism deems appropriate for inclusion on the Internet website.²

²[ 1. a. The ¹[Department of Transportation] Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of State¹, in consultation with the ¹[Division of Travel and Tourism in the]¹ Department of ¹[State] Transportation¹, shall establish a New Jersey Tourism Attraction Trail Sign Program. The purpose of the program shall be to provide awareness of and directional guidance to tourism attractions in the State through roadway signs, and support a trail-like path through signage which allows persons to find and visit various indoor and outdoor attractions in an efficient and reasonable manner, and promote these locations within New Jersey.

b. In identifying specific tourism attractions to be included on the trail, special consideration shall be given to tourism attractions that are in close geographic proximity to one another or thematically linked by surrounding arts, cultural, historical, entertainment, or other tourism destinations or exhibits of interest to tourists. The locations selected as part of the trail shall be geographically representative of the entire State.

A person may apply to the ¹[Department of Transportation] Division of Travel and Tourism¹ to have trail signs installed to identify and direct persons to tourism attractions throughout the State.

c. The New Jersey State Council on the Arts in the Department of State shall establish a visual arts competition for aesthetically pleasing, original art to be displayed on the trail signage. The council shall establish the terms of the competition, including the rules of the competition and submission requirements. The council shall select the artwork to be displayed, which at a minimum shall be:

(1) submitted in accordance with the rules of the competition, established pursuant to this subsection;

(2) reflective of the intent of this section; and

(3) reproducible on roadway signage.

The council shall publicize the competition in such a manner so as to attract artwork submissions, and to that end the council may expend any funds as may be appropriated or otherwise made available for that purpose. The final selection of artwork shall be selected by the council and reported to the ¹[Department of Transportation] Division of Travel and Tourism¹.

d. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, and consistent with federal law, the Department of Transportation shall install an approved trail sign as soon as practicable.

The Department of Transportation shall produce, install, and maintain the trail signs. The Department of Transportation may place trail signs on all eligible roads, including State roads.

The ¹[Department of Transportation] Division of Travel and Tourism¹ shall be responsible for any cost associated with the sign programs established in this section.

The signs shall be produced, located, installed, and maintained in accordance with the standards and guidance of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices issued by the Federal Highway Administration.]²

²[ 2. a. The ¹[Department of Transportation] Division of Travel and Tourism¹, in consultation with the Division of Parks and Forestry in the Department of Environmental Protection, the Historic Preservation Office in the Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Historic Trust in the Department of Community Affairs, the ¹[Division of Travel and Tourism in the]¹ Department of ¹[State] Transportation¹, and the New Jersey Historical Commission, shall develop a common design for roadway signs that indicate a historic site or historic district. The signs shall include, but not be limited to, an identifiably historic theme and a color code to indicate what war or historic time-period relates to the site or district.

b. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, and consistent with federal law, the Department of Transportation shall install an approved sign as soon as practicable.

The Department of Transportation shall produce, install, and maintain the signs. The Department of Transportation may place signs on all eligible roads, including State roads.

c. As used in this section:

“Historic district” means one or more historic sites and intervening or surrounding property significantly affecting or affected by the quality and character of the historic site or sites.

²[ 3. a. The ¹[Department of Transportation] Division of Travel and Tourism¹ shall be responsible for any cost associated with the sign programs established in sections 1 and 2 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill). The ¹[department] division¹ shall be authorized to raise funds, through direct solicitation or other fundraising events, alone or with other groups, and may accept monetary donations, gifts, grants, and bequests from individuals, corporations, foundations, governmental agencies, public and private organizations, and institutions, to defray the ¹[department's] division’s¹ administrative expenses and for the purposes of producing, installing, and maintaining the signs.

b. The Department of the Treasury shall establish a dedicated, non-lapsing fund to be known as the ¹[Department of Transportation] Division of Travel and Tourism¹ Sign Programs Fund. The fund shall have two subaccounts. One subaccount shall hold the deposits of donations, gifts, grants, and bequests received for the program established pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill) and one subaccount shall hold the deposits of donations, gifts, grants, and bequests received for the program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , .c (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill).

The Department of the Treasury shall deposit and maintain the donations, gifts, grants, and bequests received pursuant to subsection a. of this section in each appropriate subaccount.

c. The money in each subaccount shall be appropriated annually to the ¹[Department of Transportation] Department of State¹ for the sole purpose of sections 1 and 2 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), respectively. The subaccounts shall be credited with any interest income that may be earned on the investment of moneys in the fund. Any funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year shall be carried forward into subsequent fiscal years and appropriated solely for the purposes of sections 1 and 2.]²

²[4.] 3.² This act shall take effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.