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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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      <title>Cemetery Mapping for Indigenous and Enslaved People's Remains</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2422892</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research is vital to acknowledging, protecting and preserving the burial sites of indigenous and enslaved peoples as well as other cultural and historically significant communities (such as historic African American communities). Understanding the location and mapping these sites will allow the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to plan and design projects that mitigate or eliminate impacts to these important cultural resources. This will allow NCDOT to engage with local communities associated with burial sites in advance and develop projects that avoid burial site impacts and strengthen community relations. A reduction of unanticipated burial sites not only serves to protect these sites, it also saves the NCDOT from lengthy and costly delays associated with discovering a burial site during construction.

This project has a high level of urgency, as local communities and archaeology experts are concerned that rapid development and increased storm events will impact these sites if they are not documented soon. Having a comprehensive geospatial data set that includes site locations, cultural significance, and allows for sites to be easily added to the dataset is vital to ensuring the burial sites of indigenous and enslaved peoples are acknowledged and protected. This project will expand upon existing NCDOT and Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA) mapping and datasets by providing a methodology to capture the cultural and historical significance of burial sites, use-community driven approaches to identifying new sites, employ a field verification process, and highlight opportunities to embed these approaches into existing NCDOT project planning and development processes.​

Beyond expanding a mapping dataset for cemeteries and burial sites, the project team will develop a community engagement methodology to allow community members to participate in the identification of unmapped burial sites and inform the historical and cultural significance of sites. Using a county-level project study area (to be established through conversations with the NCDOT steering committee and research team) this project will yield a proof of concept and a community participation roadmap for engaging communities around the state in an effort to map previously unmapped cemetery and burial sites, with a focus on indigenous and enslaved peoples and culturally historic community cemeteries.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Aug 2024 07:50:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2422892</guid>
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      <title>Draft Report for Geoarchaeological Survey Methods for Enhanced Decision Making in the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Project Development Process</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2325964</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Office of Statewide Planning & Research, Research Section contracted Gray & Pape, Inc., to conduct research to provide a comparison of geophysical survey methods, instruments, equipment, and associated software to determine what instrument or combination of instruments works best in different scenarios. The goal of the research is to provide the recommendations necessary for the Office of Environmental Services (OES) to establish a geophysical survey program. Gray & Pape, Inc., conducted a literature review, and the results provide two main conclusions: 1) the rate of success of a geophysical survey increases as more technologies are used; and 2) the more diverse the types of geophysical equipment used on a particular project, the more likely it is that the geophysical surveys will yield quality data that can be used to help guide future decisions. Gray & Pape, Inc., recommends that the ODOT’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center (UAS) operate the geophysical survey program under a cooperative agreement with OES, and with the support of archaeologists from that office. Leveraging in-house capabilities will make the geophysical program operational, sustainable, and successful; save labor and expense costs under this research project that can be allocated for more investment into reconfiguring and upgrading in-house instruments; and purchase new instruments, software, and licensing, which will ultimately provide a higher return on investment and a more operationally sound, sustainable, and successful program than thought possible as this research project was originally conceived—to build the geophysical survey program capacity within OES alone.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jan 2024 13:14:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2325964</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Reconnaissance and Salvage of Archaeological Sites on Idaho Highways for the Period July 1, 1962 to December 31, 1963</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2012626</link>
      <description><![CDATA[State and Federal Laws have provisions to protect historical or prehistoric ruins or any object of antiquity. The Idaho Department of Highways contracted with Idaho State University Museum to make a reconnaissance beginning July 1, 1962 of all rights of way, borrow and aggregate deposits during the preliminary engineering phase of highway design and construction of highway projects. The first 18 months work resulted in reconnaissance of 559 miles of right of way and 246 borrow and aggregate deposits. Reconnaissance operations cost $28,823.55. The salary of the Highway Archaeologist is shared equally by Idaho State University and the Idaho Department of Highways with the Department paying all other expenses involved within the provisions of Bureau of Public Roads Policy and Procedure Memorandum 20-7. Salvage was required on two projects: F-3112(11) Midvale to Cambridge and I-15-3(11)187, Pleasant Valley to 3 miles south of Monida. Salvage of six sites on these projects cost the Department a total of $13,412.99. Separate agreements are written with Idaho State University for salvage. These salvage costs are in addition to the reconnaissance expenditures. Pending at this time is a salvage operation on Interstate 15 near the Malad Summit and 10 sites between Slate Creek and Whitebird. It appears the highway alignment cannot miss the Malad Summit site. However, several adjustments in alignment are possible between Slate Creek and Whitebird and some of the 10 sites may be avoided at a more economical cost than salvaging. Procedures and methods of administration have been developed which appear to satisfy Idaho State University, the Department and the Bureau of Public Roads. Since operations are now routine, the Location Section of the Surveys and Plans Division are undertaking administrative control.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 14 Sep 2022 11:49:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2012626</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Statewide Geographic Information System (GIS) as a Predictive Tool for Locating Deeply Buried Archeological Deposits in Nebraska: Phase II</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1976702</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project developed a geographic information system (GIS) to assist with the identification of deeply buried archeological sites in alluvial settings across Nebraska with the exception of the Sandhills region. Soil survey data, previous geoarcheological investigations, landform position, and other information was used to rank the potential of any stream valley setting as low, low-moderate, moderate-high, or high potential to contain buried soils (paleosols). While the presence of buried soils does not necessarily translate to presence of buried archeological sites, the potential for such sites is far greater in paleosols. The GIS can be used by Nebraska Department of Transportation and other agencies with statutory historic preservation obligations, to identify tracts on proposed construction projects that might require deep mechanical testing (backhoe or coring) in search of buried archeological properties.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 27 Jun 2022 17:16:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1976702</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Geoarchaeological Survey Methods for Enhanced Decision-Making in ODOT's Project Development Process (PDP)</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1752405</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Geophysical survey methods such as ground penetrating radar, magnetic gradient (magnetometer), and electrical resistivity are the three most commonly used types of geophysical survey equipment that archaeologists use to investigate areas less invasively and less labor-intensively. Geophysical surveys are often cheaper, faster, and less destructive than standard archaeological surveying techniques (i.e. surface collecting and shovel testing).

The goal of this project is to become independent in conducting non-invasive geophysical surveys. This research project will include a comparison of three methods of geophysical survey equipment and associated software to determine what instrument or combination of instruments works best in different scenarios. ODOT currently hires consultants on a project-by-project basis to conduct geophysical surveys when needed. Over the past several years, ODOT and the Ohio History Connection (OHC) have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on contracts to conduct these surveys. Being able to conduct these surveys in-house will save money on projects, expedite project reviews, and better manage impacts to resources. Furthermore, by having the equipment and trained staff readily available, ODOT and OHC will be able to conduct these types of investigations more frequently and fully realize the benefits of this technology.            ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2020 09:27:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1752405</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Environmental Variables: MnModel Phase 4</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727636</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Archaeological predictive modeling assumes a relationship between archeological site locations and a suite of environmental ‘predictor’ variables. These variables are chosen subjectively by the modelers because they are assumed to have some bearing on why prehistoric peoples chose to live or spend time in specific locations. The choice of variables is limited by available environmental data. This document defines and evaluates the environmental variables used as predictors for the MnModel Phase 4 archaeological site and survey locational models. Specific instructions for deriving these variables are documented in the MnModel Phase 4 Tools Handbook (Brown et al. 2019).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:32:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727636</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Archaeological Predictive Modeling Guide: MnModel Phase 4</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727635</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This User’s Guide is written for non-statisticians and presents workflow procedures and R Scripts for MnModel Phase 4 archaeological predictive modeling (Hobbs 2019b). Procedures for developing the MnModel Phase 4 Historic Vegetation Model are documented separately (Landrum and Hobbs 2019). Appendix A of this Guide provides higher-level instructions for download and installation of R and RStudio. These are the steps that are performed once per computer. Appendix B of the Guide covers preparation of archaeological data for sampling and implementing ArcGIS Python sampling tools. Appendix C of the Guide catalogs the tools developed for this project and describes their use. The main sections of this document cover executing statistical modeling and predictions in RStudio, exporting the results to ArcGIS, and classifying and evaluating the models. These steps are repeated for each modeling region.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:32:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727635</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>MnModel Phase 4: Project Summary and Statewide Results</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727634</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) budgets over one million dollars annually for the identification and evaluation of historic and archaeological resources (historic properties) that are threatened by transportation related undertakings. Since 1997, MnDOT has been using its statewide archaeological predictive model, MnModel, to determine the most probable locations for archaeological resources and guide archaeological surveys conducted to meet the requirements set forth in Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended. The MnModel project began in 1995 and completed three phases by 1998, culminating in the release of Phase 3 models (Hobbs 2003; Hudak et al. 2002). These models were used by MnDOT cultural resource professionals for more than twenty years. Although Phase 3 models performed well, the goal was always to improve the archaeological and environmental data, refine the modeling procedures, and improve model performance. Phase 4 of MnModel was undertaken to improve the accuracy of the predictive models used by MnDOT. Improvements are based on the acquisition and development of better Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data since the completion of Phase 3 models in 1998. The majority of the effort in Phase 4 was devoted to data development. Good models cannot be built from poor data. Improved statistical procedures that have become available only in the last ten years also contributed to the success of the Phase 4 models. This document includes methods, model performance, and potential for improving models.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:32:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727634</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Historic Vegetation Model for Minnesota: MnModel Phase 4</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727638</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Minnesota is fortunate to have detailed descriptions of its landscape and vegetation immediately prior to extensive Euro-American settlement. These are contained in the records of the General Land Office’s Public Lands Survey. These records were used to develop an historic vegetation model for Minnesota using statistical modeling. The resultant high-resolution historic vegetation map in geographic information system (GIS) format was used as input to the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT) MnModel Phase 4 archaeaological predictive models (Hobbs 2019). The purpose of MnModel Phase 4 was to update the archaeological predictive model developed twenty years previously using better data. These better data included more, and more accurately mapped, archaeological site and survey locations, higher resolution terrain, soils and geomorphic data, and a model of historic and prehistoric surface hydrography (Hobbs 2019; Hobbs and Brown 2019). Vegetation variables are important predictor variables for archaeological predictive models. Vegetation diversity is an important indicator of nearby available resources. Vegetation types may indicate which specific resources are present locally. In Phase 3 of MnModel, the variable ‘vegetation diversity within one kilometer’ figured into ten of 22 models (Hobbs et al. 2002). Consequently, MnDOT needed something better than the previous model, the Marschner map, to represent historic vegetation distributions for Phase 4. The new vegetation layer needed to be higher resolution, to better represent the scale of vegetation patterning in the landscape, and to better ‘fit’ into the terrain (i.e. lakes and wetlands needed to be within their basins).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:32:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727638</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Historic/Prehistoric Hydrographic Model for Minnesota: MnModel Phase 4</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727637</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Modern surface hydrography does not adequately reflect the location of surface water during the early Historic (1650 CE – 1837 CE) and Prehistoric (12,000 BCE – 1650 CE) Periods. In the past 100-150 years humans have altered the surface water of Minnesota dramatically by damming and diverting streams, draining wetlands, and creating artificial lakes. Since the location of natural water is an important factor for predicting the location of archaeological sites, researchers needed to create a model of where water was likely to have been prior to these disturbances. This model is the MnModel Phase 4 Historic/Prehistoric Hydrographic Model. The first MnModel hydrographic modeling procedures were developed in 2008 (Stark et al. 2008) utilizing modern hydrographic data, digital soils data, and geomorphic data to model locations of historic and prehistoric surface water.  Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) updated the hydrographic model in 2018 to take advantage of the newly digitized data from the Public Land Survey maps, more comprehensive digital soils data (gSSURGO), statewide geomorphic data from the MnModel Phase 4 Landscape Model, and wetland distributions as modeled by the MnModel Phase 4 Historic Vegetation Model. The updated procedures produce two models, one for historic hydrography and one for prehistoric hydrography. The historic hydrographic model approximates surface water features (lakes, rivers, varied types of wetlands, and floodplains) at the time of the Public Land Survey. The prehistoric hydrographic model approximates surface water features over a time period exceeding thirteen thousand years, using historic hydrographic data, soils data, geomorphic data, and modern hydrographic data to identify areas that provide evidence of having been lakes, wetlands, shores, and floodplains at some time in the more distant past.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:32:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1727637</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>No Rest for the Dead: Lack of an Archaeological Survey Halts a Major Rail Project</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1693768</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Honolulu Rail Transit is an upcoming urban rail transit system that is currently under construction on the island of Oahu. Since being approved by the Honolulu City Council in 2005, the project has received great criticism for various reasons. For example, many people were displeased with the council’s decision to increase taxes in order to fund the project. To make matters worse, a concern brought to light by Native Hawaiian activist Paulette Kaleikini in 2011 claimed that state and city officials wrongfully allowed construction to commence despite the fact that the project lacked an archaeological inventory survey of the entire 32 km (20-mi) transit route. However, the circuit court determined that the phased approach to the archaeological inventory survey for the project did not violate any laws, and judgment was granted in favor of the city and state. Kaleikini appealed the verdict, resulting in an overturn of four of the six counts, as the supreme court decided that the city and state incorrectly interpreted relevant statutes and administrative rules. As a result, Kaleikini stopped the $8.2 billion rail project in its tracks as construction was halted pending approval of a completed archaeological inventory survey. The purpose of this study was to bring the case into chronological order to be able to follow the arguments and appeals. The study consolidates all pertinent matters into a comprehensive paper and aims to clearly bring across the pitfalls that similar projects should avoid.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2020 11:28:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1693768</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Historic Context for the DuPont Highway U.S. Route 113, Kent and Sussex County, Delaware</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1634322</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This document presents the Historic Context for the DuPont Highway, U.S. Route 113 situated in Kent and Sussex Counties, Delaware. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Delaware Department of Transportation (The Department) have committed to undertaking indepth study and analysis associated with the planned upgrading of U.S. Route 113 from Milford south to the Maryland state line. Rummel, Klepper & Kahl (RK&K) has been retained by prime consultant Whitman Requardt & Associates (WRA) to prepare all necessary environmental documents for the project, and John Milner Associates, Inc. (JMA) was retained by RK&K to prepare the cultural resources documentation as part of the environmental documentation process. Tasks associated with this documentation include historic context development, documentation of existing cultural resources within the study areas, identification of potential historic properties, and sensitivity modeling for potential archeological resources.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jul 2019 10:32:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1634322</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Iowa Highway Archaeology Annual Report 1978-1979</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1579130</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This annual report consists of three parts, as follows:  (1) Results of Primary Roads Cultural Resource Surveys - July 1, 1978 - June 38, 1979; (2) Results of Secondary Roads Cultural Resource Surveys - July 1, 1978 - June 30, 1979; and (3) Results of Urban Systems Cultural Resource Surveys - July 1, 1978 - June 30, 1979.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 Jan 2019 17:49:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1579130</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Systematic Approach to Identifying Deeply Buried Archeological Deposits</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1508337</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project is designed to assist cultural resource specialists involved in Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) project planning and development. The goal was to develop Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers that spatially delineate different landform-sediment assemblages (LSAs) and depict the associated geologic potential for buried cultural deposits in select watersheds in Nebraska. The Nebraska Buried Sites GIS resource will allow planners and cultural resource specialists to determine whether future project areas are likely to be free of deeply buried sites or whether subsurface exploration is necessary.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Apr 2018 16:44:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1508337</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>An Analysis of the Influence of Flight Parameters in the Generation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Orthomosaicks to Survey Archaeological Areas</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1435795</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This article describes the configuration and technical specifications of a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using a red–green–blue (RGB) sensor for the acquisition of images needed for the production of orthomosaics to be used in archaeological applications. Several flight missions were programmed as follows: flight altitudes at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 m above ground level; two forward and side overlap settings (80%–50% and 70%–40%); and the use, or lack thereof, of ground control points. These settings were chosen to analyze their influence on the spatial quality of orthomosaicked images processed by Inpho UASMaster (Trimble, CA, USA). Changes in illumination over the study area, its impact on flight duration, and how it relates to these settings is also considered. The combined effect of these parameters on spatial quality is presented as well, defining a ratio between ground sample distance of UAV images and expected root mean square of a UAV orthomosaick. The results indicate that a balance between all the proposed parameters is useful for optimizing mission planning and image processing, altitude above ground level (AGL) being main parameter because of its influence on root mean square error (RMSE).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov 2016 20:39:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1435795</guid>
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