LAS VEGAS STRIP GLITTERS ITS WAY TO OFFICIAL SCENIC BYWAY DESIGNATION.

Byline: Gary Dretzka Chicago Tribune

No one will confuse the Las Vegas Strip with the Trans-Canada Highway along Lake Superior or Route 1 through Big Sur. Among other things, it's only two miles long, has palm trees growing in the middle of it and is so bright, it can be seen from the space shuttle at night.

Still, this garish and often gridlocked boulevard now shares with those roads the distinction of being recognized for its aesthetic significance.

Last month, a Nevada state commission designated the Strip as an official scenic byway, "a destination in and of itself." In adding it to a list of seven other picturesque highways, the panel cited the street's storied history and uniqueness.

It may be the only place on the planet where motorists can witness a raging nautical battle, or erupting volcano, while waiting for a light to turn green.

High-brow arbiters of taste scoff at the mere thought of using Las Vegas and beauty in the same sentence. But not everyone is so critical of kitsch culture.

Los Angeles' well-regarded Museum of Neon Art has just expanded into a permanent downtown home. And-beyond its obvious appeal to casual tourists, yahoos of every stripe, conventioneers and gamblers - Las Vegas has begun attracting serious students of post-modern architecture, as well.

On what other two-mile stretch of road can one encounter a statue of Julius Caesar, a massive reclining lion, a fully manned frigate and pirate ship, a pyramid and sphinx, a medieval castle, a roller-coaster in the sky, a giant neon clown and 99-cent shrimp cocktails?

Like children at Disneyland, the pilgrims who come here from around the globe gawk in hypnotic amazement at the towering marquees that fill the desert night with a carefully choreographed light show.

Still, the question remains, why designate the Strip a scenic byway? How can anyone equate this manmade panorama with a mountain vista or gorgeous desert sunset?

"Our commission's motto is 'Discover both sides of Nevada' " responds state tourism official Ken Evans. "We know the designation is a strange thing, but there's no other road like the Strip."

If visitors are stimulated by the charms of the Strip, he argues, they might elect to return to the Silver State to sample designated scenic byways leading to Lake Tahoe, the Humboldt National Forest or nearby Valley of Fire. Fans of "The X-Files" can try state route 375, which recently was named an official "Extraterrestrial Highway" because of the many UFO sightings near the Nellis Air Force Base.

During a recent assignment in Las Vegas, journalistic curiosity about the program prompted me to make a personal inspection of the Strip, from start to finish.

After hailing a cab under the flaming buds of pink and orange neon that line the facade of the Flamingo Hilton, I set out to be culturally stimulated.

Just south of the pyramid-shaped Luxor - at the venerable Hacienda hotel - Cabbie Yosi Efat turned onto the boulevard, and the Strip opened itself like an overflowing box of jewels. Here, we began our trek north to Sahara Road, where the new Stratosphere Tower stands like a sentry.

Savoring the treasures of the Strip is a slightly different artistic endeavor than, say, strolling through the Art Institute. For one thing, while enjoying the Renoirs and Monets in the Impressionist galleries, one rarely encounters showgirls in full plumage perched on a vintage Cadillac convertible.

Yet, there they were - chilled to the bone on this cool desert night - posing for a movie camera while being escorted by a motorcycle cop.

Any trip along the Strip will require juxtaposing a mind-numbing array of historical epochs and pop-culture icons.

Ancient Egypt gives way to the Knights of the Round Table at the Excalibur. Roman centurions rule the street at Caesars Palace, before retreating before unruly Caribbean pirates harbored at Treasure Island. The Wizard of Oz is at the helm of the MGM Grand, while P.T. Barnum clearly inspired Circus Circus.

Further down the Strip - beyond massive portraits of Siegfried & Roy and Michael Crawford - even the fast-food restaurants and gas stations are tricked out to resemble casinos.

"There are so many lights, many people don't even notice," says Efat.

Perhaps this explains why Nevada's Scenic Byways Committee is considering seeking federal recognition for the state program. Tax dollars could provide funds for informational signs and beautification projects, here and along other state roads.

The Strip was scheduled to be officially dedicated as a scenic byway last Thursday, but already officials in other states are monitoring Nevada's experiment.

As Friedman noted, "There's a place for urban roads in the scenic byway program, whether they're Lake Shore Drive in Chicago or Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue."

My leisurely taxicab tour of the Strip consumed only about 20 minutes of time, but it proved to be an enriching experience for both chauffeur and passenger. While I had immersed myself in officially designated culture and beauty, Efat drove away with $23 that otherwise might have gone into a slot machine.