(1) The department may accept donations, bequests, gifts, grants, appropriations of federal money, in-kind contributions and things of value from any source, public or private, including individuals, organizations and federal, state and local governmental bodies, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the Mississippi Scenic Byways Program. All such money so received by the department shall be deposited into a special fund that is created in the State Treasury to be designated as the “Scenic Byways Development and Maintenance Fund.” Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any investment earnings or interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.

(2) Monies in the Scenic Byways Development and Maintenance Fund may be expended, upon legislative appropriation, for the following purposes:

(a) To plan, design and develop the Mississippi Scenic Byways Program;

(b) To develop and implement a corridor management plan for the purposes of maintaining the intrinsic qualities of scenic byways and providing accommodation of increased tourism and development of related amenities;

(c) To make safety improvements to Mississippi scenic byways, a National Scenic Byway or an All-American Road to the extent that the improvements are necessary to accommodate increased traffic and changes in the types of vehicles using the highway, road or street as a result of the designation;

(d) To construct along scenic byways facilities for use by pedestrians and bicyclists, rest areas, turnouts, highway shoulder improvements, passing lanes, overlooks and interpretive facilities;

(e) To make improvements to scenic byways that will enhance access to recreation areas, including water-related recreations;

(f) To protect the intrinsic qualities of areas adjacent to scenic byways;

(g) To develop and provide tourist information to the public, including interpretive information about scenic byways;

(h) To develop and implement scenic byway marketing programs; and

(i) To match monies made available from the federal government for the establishment and maintenance of the Scenic Byways Program.