Preserving the cultural and visual character of the Blue Ridge Parkway's historic designed motor road landscape

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for making decisions about highway safety barrier construction along the historic Blue Ridge Parkway. This methodology takes into account: The visual and historic character of the Parkway’s roadside landscape, The ability of a particular roadside location to visually absorb a new or modified safety feature, The degree to which the historic landscape would be affected by proposed projects. The process begins with a safety screening to determine if placement of a new or modified safety feature is needed. If so, a second step evaluates the proposed feature to determine the effect it would have on the Parkway’s historic roadway landscape (The Jaeger Company 2008).

Parent Publication

• Visual resource stewardship conference proceedings: landscape and seascape management in a time of change

Citation

Johnson, Gary W. 2018. Preserving the cultural and visual character of the Blue Ridge Parkway's historic designed motor road landscape. In: Gobster, Paul H.; Smardon, Richard C., eds. Visual resource stewardship conference proceedings: landscape and seascape management in a time of change; 2017 November 7-9; Lemont, IL. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-183. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-P-183-VCS-1.