November 9, 2016

Gregory G. Nadeau
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S. E.
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Administrator Nadeau:
I want to personally thank you for your longstanding partnership with New York and your
time and attention to issues affecting our State. The New York State Department of
Transportation (NYSDOT) welcomes and appreciates the ongoing conversation with the
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regarding allowable State activities in support
of tourism. As we discussed, we look forward to our upcoming meeting to address any
pending issues.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomos successful I Love NY signage and Taste NY welcome
center initiatives demonstrate how effectively the marketing of historically and culturally
significant sites, locations and events; and local agricultural products can fuel tourism
and encourage the patronization of local business throughout the Empire State. In 2015,
New Yorks tourism industry generated $102 billion in total economic impact and created
close to 1 million jobs.
New York State recognizes the disagreement with FHWAs interpretation of permissible
signage and rest area activities in support of promoting tourism. New York contends
that changes to 23 U.S.C 111 made in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st
Century Act (P.L. 112-141), specifically authorize the use of other media to promote
tourism in the State. The Department will be providing comments to the Docket
(FHWA-2016-0021) detailing the States position.
Specific to the I Love NY signs, New York believes that the State followed the standard
specifications in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUCTD). These signs
are a central component of the States wide-reaching branded marketing campaign
designed to support and enhance New Yorks multi-billion dollar tourism industry. The
welcome center TASTE NY initiative is a strong complement in support of the promotion
of tourism. Taste NY is solely intended to promote agritourism and provide
unprecedented opportunities for motorists to experience and exposure for local
agricultural producers.

50 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12232 www.dot.ny.gov

The roadside welcome centers complement and do not compete with full scale service
venders or local businesses. To date, approximately 1,100 local companies have
participated in Taste NY, linking their products and the States growing food and
beverage market to consumers from across the globe. The welcome centers are a
celebration of tourism, promoting destinations through apps, maps and localized
material promoting area attractions, with a particular emphasis on agritourism and New
Yorks agriculture industry.
In addition, these state-of-the-art welcome center facilities provide safe and
environmentally friendly amenities for travelers, including issuing licenses, permits and
registrations for motor vehicles, boats, and outdoor activities, such as hunting, fishing,
and camping. The welcome centers are also specifically designed as a safe refuge for
travelers and residents during catastrophic events and can serve as a satellite facility for
the New York State Police and other law enforcement entities.
We look forward to meeting with you and your team to address any outstanding issues
regarding these initiatives as well as to detail the strong benefits to the traveling public
that the Department serves.
Sincerely,

Matthew J. Driscoll
Commissioner