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Home Working
with Section 106 ACHP
Case Digest Summer
2002 Kentucky and Indiana: Development
of Transportation Enhancements
Kentucky
and Indiana: Development of Tranportation Enhancements
Agency: Federal Highway
Administration
Proposed
highway improvements to ease congestion between Kentucky and Indiana
have met with opposition by local preservation groups concerned with
the projects effects on historic properties. The project has
the potential to substantially affect a number of important properties
and districts, including the historic Swartz Farm and the Country
Estates of River Road Historic District. |
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has proposed alternatives for
transportation enhancements between Kentucky and Indiana to help alleviate
traffic congestion.
These alternatives include reconfiguration of the Kennedy Interchange
that connects three interstate highways in downtown Louisville; the replacement
of the existing Downtown Bridge over the Ohio River between Louisville,
Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana; and the construction of a new bridge
across the Ohio River that connects Clark County, Indiana, and Jefferson
County, Kentucky.
Preservation groups are concerned about sites such as the West Main Street
Historic District, Country Estates of River Road Historic District, the
Old Jeffersonville Historic District, the Butchertown Historic District,
and the Swartz Farm.
West Main Street Historic District with Louisville
Slugger statue in background, Louisville, KY
(staff photo)
Indian tribes have raised concerns about the limited information that
has been gathered about Kentuckys archeological resources, and the
potential for deeply buried archeological resources in the proposed construction
areas in both Kentucky and Indiana.
In 2001, FHWA met with the projects consulting partiesnearly
30 in allincluding city and State agencies and preservation and
tribal groups. They discussed concerns about the agencys role in
the Section 106 review process, the involvement of tribes, the project
schedule and area of potential effect, the scope and consistency of identification,
and the need for additional studies and documentation.
Some also questioned the need for a new bridge, suggesting that improvements
to the Kennedy Interchange and the Downtown Bridge would be sufficient
to correct traffic congestion.
FHWA consulted with participating tribes to determine the treatment of
properties of religious or cultural significance to the tribes, and to
discuss their concerns with the agencys plans for phased identification
and assessment of effects for archeological sites.
Based on consultation, FHWA issued a draft Assessment of Effects report.
It issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement in November 2001, with
no preferred alternative. FHWA met with the consulting parties in 2002
to resolve remaining identification issues.
Following consultation, FHWA invited the consulting parties to submit
written comments on the Assessment of Effects report, as well as another
FHWA report on the projects indirect and cumulative effects.
The Kentucky and Indiana governors will make their recommendations on
a preferred alternative for the project in July 2002, and FHWA should
make a decision soon thereafter.
Staff contact: Laura
Henley Dean
Posted
August 8, 2002
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