Q: What’s the pay structure of the TPA to buy in?

A: There is no fee for participation in the Corridor Planning Process; the Corridor Management Plan (CMP) will recommend the structure and funding for maintaining the designated byway and implementing the CMP. There is a fee for URCNYS membership.

Q: How will the corridor work with sites located off the corridor?

A: The CMP Steering Committee will determine how far contributing sites can be from the main route. The CMP will recommend strategies for counties to promote sites beyond the designated distance.

Q: Does this need a bill to be designated?

A: Yes. An elected official must create legislation for this byway to be officially designated by the NY Department of Transportation. The goal is for the bill to be introduced in the January 2026 session.

Q: Has the exact route been published?

A: A 500-mile route has been proposed. To be confirmed, it needs letters of resolution from each of the 21 jurisdictions it passes through.

Q: How do TPAs quantify the historical accuracy of included assets?

A: An Advisory Council comprised of historians, Harriet Tubman relatives and Freedom Seeker descendants, and other recognized experts are establishing guidelines for inclusion, interpretation, and documentation of historical accuracy.

Q: What is the state’s role?

A: The New York Department of Transportation oversees the byway program, including designation. Other state agencies are involved in the corridor’s preservation, development, funding, management, and marketing.

Q: Does it matter if our sites are museums or plaques?

A: Contributing assets include historic sites, museums, official markers, natural areas, rivers, transportation, tour programs, and other places that tell the story(s) associated with Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, Abolitionists, and Freedom Seekers in New York.

Q: How do we tap into local historians?

A: The Advisory Council will help identify local experts and historians to assist in identifying and interpreting contributing stories.