historic context of maryland highway bridges built between 1948 ...

SECTIONONEIntroductionIntroductionIn 1995, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) joined with the Federal HighwayAdministration (FHWA) and the Maryland Historical Trust (MIHP) to identify the historichighway bridges owned by either the SHA or by Maryland counties and cities. The resultingInteragency Historic Highway Bridge Committee (IHHBC) was comprised of representativesfrom the three agencies. As part of the initiative, 1,072 bridges constructed between 1809 and1947 were inventoried and evaluated for eligibility to be listed in the National Register ofHistoric Places (NRHP). The IHHBC reviewed each inventory form and recommended 472 ofthe 1,072 bridges as eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. The results of the 1995 survey andcontextual research are presented in Historic Highway Bridges in Maryland: 1631 – 1960,Historic Context Report (Paula Spero & Associates and Louis Berger & Associates, 1995). Thereport provided the basis for the NRHP-eligibility evaluation of any bridge built before 1947.In 2003, SHA proposed to undertake Phase II of its Historic Bridge Inventory to survey bridgesbuilt between 1948 and 1960 (Appendix A). According to SHA‘s internal records, the StateRoads Commission (STC) and the counties and Baltimore City constructed 586 highway bridgesduring this period (Appendix B). Thus, a large number of bridges are or will be in need ofevaluation for NRHP-eligibility to fulfill SHA‘s responsibilities under Section 106 of theNational Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended. The existing historic contextwritten in 1995 did not adequately address the technological innovations in bridge design andconstruction characteristics of this period, nor did it provide a comprehensive history of roadbuilding activities in Maryland during this period, and it did not establish criteria for theevaluation of bridges from this period to reflect these innovations.In May 2003, the SHA contracted with URS Corporation (URS) of Gaithersburg, Maryland andFlorence, New Jersey to prepare an update of its historic bridge context and to conduct a surveyof 21 bridges encompassing 12 bridge types built in the state between 1948 and 1960. Theproject had multiple goals: to develop more fully the historic context for bridges from the 1948-1960 period to reflect the technological innovations in bridge design and construction from thisperiod; to establish criteria for the evaluation of the significance and integrity of 1948-1960highway bridges in Maryland for their eligibility for listing in the National Register for HistoricPlaces (NRHP); to document and record 21 highway bridges in Maryland from the 1948-1960period representing 12 different bridge types; and, to apply this criteria in the evaluation of the21 surveyed highway bridges for NRHP-eligibility.The 586 bridges constructed in Maryland between 1948 and 1960 represent 19 different bridgetypes. Of this number, twelve bridge types were surveyed by URS:―K‖ trussConcrete SlabSteel Deck (Warren) TrussMetal Deck Arch (Tied Arch)Double Leaf Bascule TrunnionPrestressed Concrete GirderConcrete Box GirderStringer/Floor Beam SystemSteel BeamConcrete ArchConcrete Rigid FrameConcrete Beam\15-SEP-11\\ 1-1