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An early 20th century cobalt glass medicine bottle found during a WSDOT cultural resources survey.
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The Cultural Resources Program coordinates archaeological and historical work for WSDOT. We help the agency comply with the state and federal laws that apply to sites and historic structures.
For more information about how we comply with laws, regulations, and policies, see our Cultural Resources Compliance page or the Environmental Procedures Manual.
Historians, historic architects, and archaeologists make up the program staff. We work on WSDOT projects, provide training for staff, advise agency decision makers, and attend public and professional conferences.
Consultation with Native American tribes, the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), federal agencies, and the public is part of our job. We also help WSDOT determine a project's effects on historic structures and archaeological sites, and make plans for treating those effects.
Contacts
If you have general questions about the program, see our Frequently Asked Questions page or contact the Cultural Resources Program Manager.
For more information on how WSDOT consults with Native American tribes, contact the Tribal Liaison Office.
For questions about a specific project or region, contact that region's Cultural Resources Specialist (pdf 39 kb).
Statewide Programmatic Agreement
In consultation with Native American tribes, WSDOT signed a Programmatic Agreement (PA) with the Federal Highway Administration, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
The Statewide Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (pdf 333 kb), signed on March 21, 2007, describes how WSDOT and FHWA will consult with tribes and the state on FHWA projects. Under the Agreement, some projects are exempt from further National Historic Preservation Act review.
The Exempted Projects Tracking Sheet (pdf 306 kb) is a list of projects that have met the exemption criteria described in Exhibit B of the PA. This list also includes those projects subject to the Governor’s Executive Order 05-05 (pdf 133 kb). The list is sorted by county and includes the project manager or contact person and their contact information.
Highways & Local Programs projects must comply with the PA, but are tracked separately.
If something is found during work on an exempt project, such as archaeological materials or human remains, WSDOT will start a Section 106 review in accordance with Stipulation VII of the PA.
Section 106 Updates
For updates on WSDOT's Section 106 work, subscribe to our email list serve. We'll use the email list to notify you when a new Exempt Project Tracking Sheet is posted (quarterly), and to keep you updated on staff changes and other big news from our office. Expect about 5-10 emails per year.
Featured Projects
Learn More!
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A WSDOT consulting archaeologist examines sediment layers in a site. |
- Our Historic Bridges page highlights some of Washington's most significant structures.
- Ethnobotany is the study of the relationship between cultures and plants. Our list concentrates on those plants found along the highway right-of-way in the state of Washington.
Unanticipated Discovery
All WSDOT projects that involve ground disturbance should have an unanticipated discovery plan that describes what will be done if archaeological materials or human remains are discovered during construction. Most projects use our template (doc 73 kb).
Cultural Resources Training
Each spring and fall we offer a 3-day Cultural Resources Training in The Dalles, Oregon. The training supports continued recognition of the value of Washington’s heritage and advances programs that promote awareness, preservation and stewardship. It's open to all as space is available, but specifically intended for government agencies (including tribal governments). For more information, read our CRT Brochure (pdf 610 kb).