By John Tredrea, Special Writer
STOCKTON — Those of us who are fortunate enough to live near the Delaware River know how special it and the area around it are.
Soon, visitors to the area, as well as local residents interested in getting to know the area better, will have access to a written guide that will help them enjoy the sights, and delve into the historic importance of the Delaware River Valley between Frenchtown and Trenton.
The plan is for the guide to be released this October, said Edie Sharp, of the Delaware Scenic Byway Committee.
”The Delaware River Scenic Byway on Route 29 is part of the National Scenic Byway system. Originally designated as a Scenic Byway by New Jersey in 1996, it offers spectacular views of the Delaware River while traveling from Trenton through the historic riverside towns of Titusville, Lambertville, Stockton and Raven Rock, ending at Frenchtown. Route 29 is located on the east side of the Delaware River, parallel to the Delaware and Raritan feeder canal for most of its length,” according to the Delaware River Scenic Byway website.
Sites of interest along the byway include, the website says: Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum, Howell Living History Farm, The Old Barracks Museum, and Washington Crossing State Park.
Ms. Sharp said representatives of area chambers of commerce, business associations, historic sites societies and conservation groups met with area artists and recreational business owners on June 26 to plan the guide.
”The Delaware River Scenic Byway Guide is being published to expand exposure of the Delaware River Scenic Byway and encourage visitors to stay within the byway for an extended period of time, whether it is a full day or a full week,” she said.
”The guide will feature historic sites along with cultural, artistic and community events by season.
Those events are expected to include, among many others: the reenactment of Gen. George Washington’s Christmas crossing of the river, near Titusville; and Lambertville’s Shad and Winter festivals.
In addition, the guide will include the Delaware River Scenic Byway map, printed in June with a grant from the National Park Service, as well as a portion of the map for the Delaware River Water Trail, which runs along the Delaware River Scenic Byway,” said Ms. Sharp,
”While many of the byway’s visitor destinations have developed site-specific brochures, websites and outreach campaigns, no effort exists that cohesively links these resources for the visiting public,” Ms. Sharp said.
”The Byway Guide will ‘connect the dots’ for travelers along the nationally designated Delaware River Scenic Byway (Route 29) and present an array of itineraries designed to encourage extended byway visits.”
An early October target date has been set for the guide’s release.
Commercial listings will be included in the guide in the following categories: lodging, dining, recreational activities, art galleries, antiques, and entertainment.
Plans are to distribute an annual DRSB Guide throughout the year from October 2012 to October 2013 at various sites along the Delaware River from Trenton to Frenchtown.
Digital versions of the guide and listings also will be available on the National Byway website, the National Park Service website and the New Jersey State Park’s website with links to each byway’s featured site and the guide’s commercial listings.
Commercial listings for Pennsylvania businesses at connecting bridge communities (such as Washington Crossing, New Hope and Centre Bridge) will be included in the guide.
Businesses interested in a commercial listing in the Byway Guide should email [email protected].
Commercial listings are $50 and will be color-coded to designate the location of the business on the Byway. Deadline for commercial listings is Aug. 17.
”The Delaware River Scenic Byway (DRSB) guide offers area organizations and businesses tremendous coverage for a modest fee,” Ms. Sharp said.
”The guide intends to boost the area’s economy in a manner that embraces its intrinsic qualities, thus promoting sustainable economic growth for the entire Delaware River region,” she added.
The DRSB is New Jersey’s first State Scenic Byway from Trenton to Frenchtown. In October 2009, the DRSB received National Byway designation through the efforts of the DRSB Management Committee, Ms. Sharp said.
She added that, in November 2011, work began on a three-year National Scenic Byway Management grant to develop and foster cooperative opportunities to grow and sustain the byway.
An approved DRSB logo and sign has been designed and will be installed by the NJ Department of Transportation.
A Byway management committee works through three sub-committees, Byway Improvement, Byway Protection and Byway Promotion. The guide is a project of the Promotion committee, which is planning a September “kick off” event for the DRS Byway annual guide.
All interested in increasing public awareness, Byway projects or participating in state and national Byway initiatives are welcome to participate in the DRSB Management Committee by emailing [email protected] or calling 609-397-3586.

