HIGHWAY DESIGN: ITS RELATION TO LANDSCAPE OBJECTIVES
HIGHWAY DESIGN HAS BEEN CONCERNED ESSENTIALLY WITH ENGINEERING OBJECTIVES IN GRADING, PAVING, ALIGNMENT, PROFILE, CROSS SECTION, DRAINABE AND MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS. THESE WERE PREREQUISITES OF GOOD CONSTRUCTION BUT WERE INCOMPLETE IN THEIR RELATION TO THE PROPER BLENDING OF THE CONSTRUCTION INTO THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE. HIGHWAY DESIGN WILL NOT ONLY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF SAFETY AND UTILITY BUT WILL AIM FOR IDEALS IN THE REALM OF LANDSCAPE OBJECTIVES AND INCORPORATE BEAUTY IN THE COMPLETED STRUCTURE. THE LANDSCAPE OBJECTIVES MAY BE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS: (1) THE UTILIZATION OF EXISTING SCENIC ADVANTAGES IN THE DETERMINATION OF A PROPOSED ROUTE INTENDED LARGELY FOR PLEASURE TRAFFIC, (2) THE HARMONIZING OF CONSTRUCTION WITH NATURAL TOPOGRAPHY BY COORDINATING THE WORK OF THE ENGINEER WITH THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT IN ALL STAGES OF RECONNAISSANCE, PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION, (3) THE CONSERVATION OF EXISTING VEGETATION AND TREES AS FAR AS IS CONSISTENT WITH UTILITARIAN REQUIREMENTS, (4) THE PLANTNG OF NEW MATERIAL PRIMARILY AS A CONTRIBUTING AGENT TO CONTROL EROSION AND TO ACCOMPLISH A NATURAL TRANSITION BETWEEN CONSTRUCTION AND NATURE, (5) THE CREATION FO FEATURAL DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS OUTLOOKS, CONCOURSES, PARKING SPACES, PICNIC AREAS, HISTORICAL MARKER SITES AND SIMILAR STRATEGIC AREAS WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN STOP FOR REST AND ENJOYMENT, (6) THE PROMOTION OF LIBERAL RIGHT OF WAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF OLD SCARS ON EXISTING ROADS, THE GREATER EASE OF BLENDING CONSTRUCTION INTO THE NATURAL TOPOGRAPHY ON BOTH OLD AND NEW ROADS AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ROADSIDE IN CASE OF FUTURE WIDENING, (7) THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF SEPARATION OF COMMERCIAL FROM PLEASURE MOTOR TRAFFIC, THUS PERMITTING PARKWAY EMPHASIS AND GREATER LATITUDE IN THE DESIGN OF THE PLEASURE ROUTE, AND (8) THE ATTAINMENT OF ZONING FOR THE BETTER CONTROL, REGULATION AND RESTRICTION OF BILLBOARDS AND COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES ALONG THE HIGHWAY. SUCH OBJECTIVES LOGICALLY GO HAND IN HAND WITH ENGINEERING OBJECTIVES AND WILL REDUCE DRASTIC DEPARTURES FROM THE NATURAL LAY OF THE LAND AND AUTOMATICALLY REDUCE THE PROBLEMS OF EROSION AND OF MAINTENANCE. THE TOTAL OF ALL OBJECTIVES IS A BALANCE OF SAFETY, GOOD CONSTRUCTION, ECONOMICAL MAINTENANCE AND NATURAL BEAUTY. /AUTHOR/
- Record URL:
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Supplemental Notes:
- Vol 17, ParT I, PP 269-278, 1 FIG, 3 PHOT. 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.
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Authors:
- Nichols, A R
- Kipp, O L
- Simonson, W H
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Discussers:
- Lavis, F
- Publication Date: 1938
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Monograph Title: Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board Held at Washington, D.C. November 30, December 1, 2, 3, 1937. Part I
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Serial:
- Highway Research Board Proceedings
- Volume: 17
- Publisher: Highway Research Board
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Conservation; Easements; Erosion control; Highway design; Highways; Landscape design; Location; Parks; Roadside advertising; Roadside improvement; Roadside rest areas; Scenic easements; Scenic highways; Trees; Zoning
- Uncontrolled Terms: Highway location; Relationships; Scenery
- Old TRIS Terms: Wayside parks
- Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Terminals and Facilities;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00203491
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Aug 15 1971 12:00AM