CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDIES AND HISTORIC PROPERTIES FOR THE PITTSBURGH VERTICAL CLEARANCE PROJECTS
Cultural resources studies and reports of findings are required by the State History Code (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Act No. 1978-273 (as amended as Act No. 1988-72), as codified at Title 37 of the Pennsylvania Code, 37 Pa.C.S. § 101 et seq.) for projects using state funding. To a large extent, State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) follows the National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 process in the review of state actions.
Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Officer (PA SHPO) PROJECT REVIEW FORM, DETERMINATION OF AREA OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS, AND IDENTIFICATION OF PREVIOUSLY RECORDED HISTORIC RESOURCES FOR THE PITTSBURGH VERTICAL CLEARANCE PROJECTS
The purpose of this document is to define the project’s area of potential effect (APE) and identify historic properties located in that APE for submittal to the PA SHPO and PennDOT to satisfy consultation provisions as part of review considerations under Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Act 120 of P.L. 356 (Act 120) amended Section 2002. The document is submitted for the purpose of consultation and compliance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Act No. 1978-273 (as amended as Act No. 1988-72), as codified at Title 37 of the Pennsylvania Code, 37 Pa.C.S. § 101 et seq. (“State History Code”), as applicable. The report satisfies the PA SHPO Project Review Form and Request to Initiate Consultation on State and Federal Undertakings and requirements of the History Code for establishing project APEs and for the preliminary identification historic-age (50-years of age or older) resources. This includes provisions addressing archaeological field investigations on archaeological resources.
View the report : PA SHPO Project Review Form
IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES REPORT FOR THE PITTSBURGH VERTICAL CLEARANCE PROJECTS
The purpose of the Identification of Historic Properties Reports are to present to the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Officer (PA SHPO) the results of the historic resources survey and National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility assessment that was conducted to identify historic properties within each project’s area of potential effects (APE). This report has been prepared in accordance with the Pennsylvania State History Code.
View the report: PITTSBURGH VERTICAL CLEARANCE IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES REPORT
HISTORIC BRIDGE REHABILITATION ANALYSIS REPORT FOR W. NORTH AVENUE BRIDGE, ONE OF THE PITTSBURGH VERTICAL CLEARANCE PROJECTS
The W. North Avenue Bridge is a contributing element of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-eligible Pennsylvania Railroad: Main Line (Pittsburgh to Ohio State Line) railroad corridor historic district (Key No. 112372). The preparation of this Historic Bridge Rehabilitation Analysis (HBRA) is pursuant to PennDOT Publication 689 – Cultural Resources Handbook (March 2013), PennDOT Design Manual Part 1A Transportation Design Manual, and the intent of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act to seek ways to avoid or minimize adverse effects on the railroad corridor historic district. This report examines whether the W. North Avenue Bridge could be made “adequate” through rehabilitation relative to addressing the project’s purpose and needs while meeting the Secretary of the Interior’s (SOI’s) Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
View the report: W. NORTH HISTORIC BRIDGE REHABILITATION ANALYSIS
DETERMINATION OF EFFECTS REPORT FOR THE PITTSBURGH VERTICAL CLEARANCE PROJECTS
This report assesses the potential effects of the Pittsburgh Vertical Clearance Projects upon historic properties identified within the areas of potential effects (APEs) of the five proposed undertakings. A total of ten historic properties were identified within the APEs of the five undertakings. The application of the Definition of Effect and Criteria of Adverse Effect indicates that the proposed project will result in a FINDING OF ADVERSE EFFECT. The proposed undertaking will result in an adverse effect on the Pennsylvania Railroad: Main Line (Pittsburgh to Ohio State Line) Railroad Corridor Historic District because of the proposed demolition and replacement of the W. North Avenue Bridge, a contributing element of the historic district. Coordination with the PA SHPO and consulting parties has occurred throughout the course of the project. Measures to mitigate the adverse effects of this project will be identified in continued consultation with the PA SHPO and the consulting parties. The agreed-upon mitigation measures will be included in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between PennDOT, PA SHPO, and Norfolk Southern.
View the report: DETERMINATION OF EFFECTS REPORT
