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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

LAND USE TREATMENT PLAN AS RELATED TO MAINTENANCE

THERE ARE THREE DEVICES IN USE TODAY BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE THAT MAY BE OF VALUE TO OTHER AGENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE OF ROADS. A NATIONAL PARKWAY HAS AS ITS PRINCIPAL FEATURE A ROAD INTENDED AND DESIGNED FOR NONCOMMERCIAL TRAFFIC, WITH FULL OR PARTIAL CONTROL OF ACCESS, LOCATED WITHIN A PARK OR WITHIN A WIDE RIGHT-OF -WAY OF PARK-LIKE CHARACTER. THESE NATIONAL PARKWAYS ARE UNIQUE IN THAT THEY REQUIRE A RIGHT-OF-WAY AVERAGING FROM 800 TO 1,000 FT IN WIDTH FOR TWO FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSES: TO PROVIDE INSULATION AND PROTECTION FROM THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND NUISANCES THAT OFTEN INFEST AND DESTROY ORDINARY HIGHWAYS, AND TO CONSERVE THE LANDSCAPE AND OTHER VALUES OF THE SCENIC CORRIDOR IN WHICH THE PARKWAY IS LOCATED. THE FIRST OF THESE DEVICES IS A "SCENIC EASEMENT." A RURAL SCENIC EASEMENT IS AN INTEREST IN OR SERVITUDE OVER AGRICULTURAL OR FOREST LAND ADJOINING A PARKWAY UNDER WHICH THE OWNER OF THE LAND CONTINUES TO OWN IT AND USE IT, BUT, FOR AN AGREED UPON FEE, SURRENDERS HIS RIGHT TO CHANGE THE MANNER OF USE OF HIS LAND. A CASE IN POINT IS THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY EXTENDING FOR 477 MI THROUGH THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA. TO THE 800-FT AVERAGE WIDTH OF RIGHTS-OF-WAY HAVE BEEN ADDED 177 SCENIC EASEMENTS TOTALLING 1,468 ACRES. APPROXIMATELY 94 PERCENT OF THIS ACREAGE IS IN GRASSLAND. THE AVERAGE ANNUAL COST PER ACRE PER YEAR FOR MAINTAINING GRASSLAND ON THE PARKWAY IS $4.50; THUS, THE SCENIC EASEMENT DEVICE SAVES THE PARKWAY $6,100 EVERY YEAR. AN URBAN SCENIC EASEMENT COULD BE AN INTEREST IN OR SERVITUDE OVER LAND IN URBAN AREAS, OR FUTURE URBAN AREAS, UNDER WHICH THE OWNER WOULD SURRENDER HIS RIGHT TO USE THE LAND FOR PURPOSES THAT WOULD NOT BE IN KEEPING WITH THE SCENIC OR AESTHETIC CHARACTER OF THE PARKWAY. A SECOND DEVICE IS THE "SPECIAL USE PERMIT." THIS IS A DOCUMENT, OFTEN WITH A PLAN ATTACHED, THAT DESCRIBES THE CONDITIONS PERMITTING AN ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNER TO USE A SPECIFIED PORTION OF THE ROADSIDE RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES IN CONFORMANCE WITH SPECIFIED LANDUSE PRACTICES INTENDED TO MAINTAIN THE VALUES OF THE LAND. AT AN AVERAGE ANNUAL COST PER ACRE OF $4.50, SPECIAL USE PERMITS SAVED THE PARKWAY $19,600 IN ROADSIDE MAINTENANCE COSTS IN 1958. THE THIRD DEVICE IS THE LAND USE PLAN. THIS IS A SET OF DRAWINGS PREPARED BY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS OF THE SERVICE, FOLLOWING THE "AS CONSTRUCTED" PLANS OF THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS IN THOSE INSTANCES WHERE THE BUREAU HAS ACTED AS CONSTRUCTION AGENT FOR THE SERVICE. AS USED ON THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, THESE DRAWINGS SHOW THE ALIGNMENT OF THE ROAD AND THE LOCATION OF ALL ITS IMPROVEMENTS--DITCHES, DRAINAGEWAYS, STRUCTURES, WALLS AND INCIDENTAL ROADS. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO FIGURES AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE CONTENTION, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE BELIEVES THAT LAND USE PLANS FOR THE PARKWAYS HAVE REDUCED MAINTENANCE COSTS, CONTRIBUTED TO BETTER AND FASTER MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS, AND PRODUCED A MORE CONSTANT AND ATTRACTIVE ROADSIDE PICTURE. /AUTHOR/

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  • Supplemental Notes:
    • pp 39-44, 2 FIG, 1 REF. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
  • Authors:
    • Disque, E A
  • Publication Date: 1959

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  • Accession Number: 00205124
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: pp 27-29
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Nov 29 1971 12:00AM