DOVER-FOXCROFT – It won’t be long before Piscataquis County visitors and residents can take a ride and learn about the region’s cultural and historical attributes without leaving their cars.

The Penquis Leadership Institute Class of 2006 is working on an audio driving tour that will feature information on the historical, cultural, natural and recreational places of interest in nearly every community in the county.

When done, “Villages of Piscataquis County” will cover 134 miles and 15 villages, highlighting about 30 sites in about four hours’ driving time.

Each site will have an interpretive sign like the one erected recently at Low’s Bridge in Guilford, which describes the landmark and its location within the tour on a map.

“One of the driving forces is to get people from just going to Mount Katahdin or to Moosehead Lake and get them off the main road so they can spend time in the local communities,” said George Barton, the group’s spokesman.

Each year, a group of participants enrolled in the institute works to find innovative yet practical solutions to problems in the county.

Designed to promote long-term commitment to economic development by broadening the local leadership base, the institute is sponsored by the Penquis Higher Education Center, Piscataquis County Chamber of Commerce and the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council.

About 10 of the members the 2006 class, which graduated from the institute earlier this year, are working to complete the project.

Volunteers are meeting with people in local communities to gather information, old photographs and the local perspective on what makes each community unique, Barton said..

“The project just grew beyond the time limits of the leadership institute, Barton said. As such, the project now has been moved under the tutelage of the Cultural Heritage Eco-Tourism Committee of the PCEDC.

“We’re excited about it and pumped-up that we have the first [sign] in place,” Barton said.

An audio compact disc and travel guide will be part of the tour package, Barton said.

The group plans to have the compact discs available at local chambers of commerce, tourism-related businesses, and in state tourism offices. The group also plans to promote the driving tour on a local Web site where the information can be downloaded, he said.

“We’re finding excellent support,” Barton said. The Maine Community Foundation provided the seed money for the project, he said. He said the group continues to look for business support, grants and corporate sponsorships to complete the audio tour.

“By being a grass-roots organization we can keep the cost to bare bones,” Barton said. “We’re trying to put out a high-quality product at a low cost by using volunteer researching, community input and local resources.”