7 days ago
I-5 bridge replacement program unveils plan to minimize impact on historic sites
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program is asking for help in ensuring the project reduces its impact on historic sites in the Portland and Vancouver areas.
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires agencies to assess whether federally-funded projects could harm cultural resources and, if so, determine how to minimize that harm. As a result, the team behind ongoing efforts to replace the Interstate 5 Bridge is on its Draft Programmatic Agreement.
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The proposed agreement reveals how leaders would address the program's potential 'adverse effects' to historic places, such as physical damage, removal from their original location or alterations to the features that make the sites historic.
IBRP has identified more than 10 places that could face adverse effects of construction.
According to the program's , the Harbor Shops along 11915 N Center Ave. and Jantzen Beach Water Tank at N Center St and N Jantzen Ave. are the two Portland sites that could be completely demolished under the program. In Washington, around one-third of an acre of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and nearly one-quarter of an acre of the Vancouver Barracks Historic District would be demolished.
Program leaders have selected different 'treatment measures' for the identified areas, but some — like the Northbound lanes of the I-5 bridge — will have their historic materials salvaged for future use.
'Preference will be given first to the public ownership and reuse of these materials within public spaces or structures in or adjacent to the [Area of Potential Effect] and second, to public ownership and reuse of these materials within public spaces or structures outside the APE,' the drafted Programmatic Agreement reads.
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The program will also consider offering materials to the general public if public agencies don't express interest in using them.
Community members have until June 8 to weigh in on the PA proposal. They can submit their feedback through the online form or by emailing culturalresources@
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