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i Introduction on Purpose and Summary of Content The Guidelines for Design and Management of Historic Roads have been developed to address a specific type of historic property - historic roads. They are intended to demonstrate how the inherent flexibility in the current policies, manuals, criteria, rules, standards, and data sets that underlie the transportation planning and project development process can be used to preserve historic roads and roads in historic districts and settings. The guidance outlines some of the approaches encouraging use of flexibility and how to apply it to develop balanced solutions tailored to all types of projects, from new construction to addressing site specific safety problems. Achieving balanced designs where history matters does not require different or âspecialâ criteria or policies; the ways to do so efficiently are already in place. It is the practice itself that benefits from recognizing and using available means to craft outcomes that respect and preserve historic significance without compromising safety and operations. This guidance is specific to historic roads and roads in historic settings because they are frequently part of transportation projects, but it is in no way exclusive to them. The approaches described herein are systemic and can be applied to any project involving historic properties or other cultural or environmental considerations. The guidelines are neither a typology nor a checklist of prescribed solutions. Rather, they are founded on an iterative process by which transportation agencies work collaboratively with multiple perspectives to address safety, mobility, and historic preservation of distinguishing characteristics equally. Best practices for preserving historic roads demonstrate that successful designs that solve the transportation problem and favor preservation are generally founded on four strategies associated with the current project delivery process (include historic preservation from the outset of project planning; understand and use inherent flexibility; use what makes a road historic a meaningful measure; and use what underlies the 13 controlling design criteria to develop balanced solutions). Each of the four strategies is developed in succeeding chapters. This approach provides the opportunity to address what needs to be preserved and why it is important from the outset of planning and project development when that information can have the greatest effect on the outcome. The guidelines were prepared through the collaboration of experienced roadway engineers and managers working with historians well versed in researching and assessing transportation resources. Both are experienced with developing nationally applicable guidance or policy related to road design. The guidance was crafted not for a specific audience but rather to provide the types of information that will assist the full range of professionals currently involved in transportation planning and project development (1) to understand what underlies the policies and practices of other perspectives, (2) to become familiar with existing flexibility, and then (3) to use it to develop balanced solutions for historic roads. It is anticipated that the guidelines will be used in a variety of ways, depending on the experience level and specific goal or goals of the user. For instance, a historic preservationist just starting with a state historic preservation office
ii or consultancy may find the information on what underlies the 13 controlling design criteria most useful while the experienced highway design engineer will appreciate understanding how some historic roads are defined. Other historians and preservationists well versed in the process may find the suggestions on how to solve specific transportation problems, like narrow width or limited sight distances, more useful. How distinguishing characteristics for specific historic roads are determined may prove useful to all perspectives as can how to use that data to support balanced designs. Each perspective may also benefit from a "refresherâ on their own perspective as well as how policies and practices have evolved to support using professional judgment and inherent flexibility to support preservation and conservation of historic roads and historic district settings.
