| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Laura Bullock (540-387-5493) laura.bullock@VirginiaDOT.org |
SAL-180 March 25, 2004 |
HISTORIC DESIGNATION REQUIRES CHANGE TO I-73 CORRIDOR ‘Southeast Roanoke Neighborhood’ Designated Historic District
An approximately 12-mile section of the Interstate 73 corridor in Roanoke, Roanoke County and northern Franklin County must be changed to avoid a neighborhood in Roanoke that has been determined to be historic. No other section of the 70-mile I-73 corridor selected by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in June of 2001 will be affected by the change.
In the fall of 2002, the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places determined that the “Southeast Roanoke Neighborhood” in Roanoke is historic. As a result of this designation, the Federal Highway Administration has informed the Virginia Department of Transportation that another section of the I-73 route through Roanoke must be chosen to avoid the historically important neighborhood. Federal regulations prohibit the development of federally funded projects through historic sites if feasible alternatives exist.
The district is bordered by Elm Avenue to the north and the old American Viscose plant to the south. From its most western limit, near the old Heironimus warehouse on Albemarle Avenue, it extends east to 9th Street, Penmar Avenue, the middle of the 1300 block of Pechin Avenue, and the middle of the 1100 blocks of Morehead and Morgan avenues.
A feasible alternative for I-73 is using existing Route 220 from Elm Avenue continuing south into the Clearbrook area of Roanoke County and then veering southeast of Buck Mountain along Route 657 into Franklin County where it would rejoin the selected corridor. This route was previously presented to the public for review as an alternative during I-73 public hearings held by VDOT in December 2000. The alternative includes the crossing of the Blue Ridge Parkway most preferred by the National Park Service.
During the next few weeks, members of the I-73 Location Study Team will be in the field updating and collecting additional environmental data along the section now under consideration for I-73. Later this spring, VDOT and FHWA will hold a public meeting to give citizens information on why a portion of the corridor must change and to share the additional environmental data that is being collected.
During the summer, VDOT expects to present a recommendation to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the panel that decides where new roads will be located in Virginia. The transportation board will be asked to consider selecting the Route 220 section of the corridor to avoid the historic neighborhood.
Following board action, a Final Environmental Impact Statement will be completed and forwarded to FHWA for its approval. FHWA then will issue a Record of Decision (ROD). Once a ROD is issued and funds become available, the project can move into design.
The federal historic designation of the southeast Roanoke neighborhood came after a Draft Environmental Impact Statement was completed by VDOT for FHWA as part of the I-73 Location Study. The DEIS documented historic sites and cultural resources throughout the I-73 corridor. At the time, officials with Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources, FHWA and VDOT did not consider the Roanoke neighborhood historically significant. A group of citizens, Virginians for Appropriate Roads, challenged the opinion, and the issue was presented to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places for a final determination.
In the fall of 2002, the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places determined that the “Southeast Roanoke Neighborhood” in Roanoke is historic. As a result of this designation, the Federal Highway Administration has informed the Virginia Department of Transportation that another section of the I-73 route through Roanoke must be chosen to avoid the historically important neighborhood. Federal regulations prohibit the development of federally funded projects through historic sites if feasible alternatives exist.
The district is bordered by Elm Avenue to the north and the old American Viscose plant to the south. From its most western limit, near the old Heironimus warehouse on Albemarle Avenue, it extends east to 9th Street, Penmar Avenue, the middle of the 1300 block of Pechin Avenue, and the middle of the 1100 blocks of Morehead and Morgan avenues.
A feasible alternative for I-73 is using existing Route 220 from Elm Avenue continuing south into the Clearbrook area of Roanoke County and then veering southeast of Buck Mountain along Route 657 into Franklin County where it would rejoin the selected corridor. This route was previously presented to the public for review as an alternative during I-73 public hearings held by VDOT in December 2000. The alternative includes the crossing of the Blue Ridge Parkway most preferred by the National Park Service.
During the next few weeks, members of the I-73 Location Study Team will be in the field updating and collecting additional environmental data along the section now under consideration for I-73. Later this spring, VDOT and FHWA will hold a public meeting to give citizens information on why a portion of the corridor must change and to share the additional environmental data that is being collected.
During the summer, VDOT expects to present a recommendation to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the panel that decides where new roads will be located in Virginia. The transportation board will be asked to consider selecting the Route 220 section of the corridor to avoid the historic neighborhood.
Following board action, a Final Environmental Impact Statement will be completed and forwarded to FHWA for its approval. FHWA then will issue a Record of Decision (ROD). Once a ROD is issued and funds become available, the project can move into design.
The federal historic designation of the southeast Roanoke neighborhood came after a Draft Environmental Impact Statement was completed by VDOT for FHWA as part of the I-73 Location Study. The DEIS documented historic sites and cultural resources throughout the I-73 corridor. At the time, officials with Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources, FHWA and VDOT did not consider the Roanoke neighborhood historically significant. A group of citizens, Virginians for Appropriate Roads, challenged the opinion, and the issue was presented to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places for a final determination.
Page last modified: March 25, 2004
