DECISION-MAKING TECHNIQUES FOR IDENTIFYING AESTHETICALLY SUPERIOR HIGHWAY ENVIRONMENTS

IMPETUS TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE VISUAL CHARACTER OF EXISTING AND FUTURE HIGHWAYS HAS COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ESTABLISHMENT OF A FRAMEWORK FOR THE COMPLEX PROBLEM OF HIGHWAY BEAUTIFICATION IN WASHINGTON STATE IS EXPLORED. PRIORITY IMPLICATIONS OF THE LEGISLATION ARE DISCUSSED. INITIAL GUIDANCE IN THE FORMULATION OF CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF SCENIC AREAS CAN BE FOUND IN THE LEGISLATIVE ENACTMENTS DEALING WITH THE PROTECTION OF SUCH AREAS. SCENIC EVALUATION CRITERIA ARE DISCUSSED. OPINION ON THE PART OF THE EVALUATOR IS NEEDED WITH RESPECT TO THE FOLLOWING POINTS: (1) IS THE ROUTE SCENIC? (2) DOES THE ROUTE PRESENT A VARIETY OF SCENERY? WITHIN ITSELF? WITH OTHER ROUTES IN THE AREA? AND WITH OTHER ROUTES IN THE STATE? (3) DOES THE ROUTE CONTAIN SCENERY WHICH TYPIFIES THE REGION OR STATE? THIS CHECK LIST APPROACH IS DESIGNED TO STRUCTURE THE EVALUATORS OBSERVATIONS IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY, AND TO STANDARDIZE REPORTING. PUBLIC POLICY AS REFLECTED BY LEGISLATIVE ENACTMENTS MUST SERVE TO PROVIDE THE BROAD CRITERIA WITH REFERENCE TO THE SELECTION OF SCENIC AREAS. ULTIMATELY, HOWEVER, JUDGMENTS MUST BE MADE REGARDING THE RELATIVE SCENIC MERIT OF SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF HIGHWAY.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1967/182/182-002.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper sponsored by Committee on Indirect Effects of Highway Improvements and presented at the 46th Annual Meeting. 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:
  • Norton, Thomas J
• Publication Date: 1967

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 5-8
• Monograph Title: Highways and environmental quality
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 182
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Beautification; Decision making; Evaluation; Highway design; Highways; Innovation; Laws; Location; Strategic planning
• Uncontrolled Terms: Criteria; Highway location
• Old TRIS Terms: Future concepts
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Law;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00204699
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 13 1994 12:00AM