CRITERIA FOR PRESERVATION AND ADAPTIVE USE OF HISTORIC HIGHWAY STRUCTURES: A TRIAL RATING SYSTEM FOR TRUSS BRIDGES

Metal truss bridges are uniquely indigenous products of American engineering and construction technology, and in recent years their historic significance has been increasingly recognized along with that of other early engineering structures. Some trusses that warrant inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places require renovation or replacement to meet modern traffic demands. Conflicting requirements of federal preservation and highway safety legislation demand that standards be developed to permit, early in the replacement planning process, objective identification of those trusses that warrant retention because of historic significance. Based upon a statewide survey of metal truss bridges in Virginia, an objective numerical rating system for historic significance has been developed that considers characteristics in three categories: documentation (age and builder), technology, and environmental factors. This system was applied to 58 bridges selected from approximately 500 surveyed statewide.

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• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/18803
• Corporate Authors:

  Virginia Highway and Transportation Research Council

  Charlottesville, VA  United States 

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Newlon Jr, H
• Publication Date: 1978-1

Media Info

• Features: Appendices;
• Pagination: 32 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Environmental impacts; Highway safety; Historic preservation; Identification systems; Performance; Ratings; Standards; Technology; Traffic loads; Truss bridges
• Uncontrolled Terms: Identification
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Environment; Freight Transportation; Highways; History; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00319779
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-80-S01017 Intrm Rpt., FCP 40S0-116
• Contract Numbers: 1388
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 12 1981 12:00AM