HAZELGREEN - The Missouri Department of Transportation is asking groups with an interest in preserving the Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen for their ideas and possible solutions under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Section 106 requires federal agencies and the recipients of federal funds, such as MoDOT, to consider the effects of projects on properties eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The Gasconade River Bridge, located on the Interstate 44 outer road, is one of those historic properties. Section 106 encourages, but does not mandate, preservation.
Consultation drives the Section 106 process, says Karen Daniels, MoDOT Senior Historic Preservation Specialist.
“The Section 106 process is about seeking, discussing and considering the views of others on how to handle a project’s effect on historic properties,” Daniels said. “Consulting parties should be prepared to discuss concerns, as well as suggest ideas and identify possible solutions.”
Additional information on the Section 106 process can be found on the MoDOT Historic Preservation website: http://www.modot.org/ehp/HistoricPreservation.htm, and on the website of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: http://www.achp.gov/.
Anyone with questions about the Section 106 process can contact Daniels at 573-526-7346 or by e-mail at Karen.Daniels@modot.mo.gov.
Letters explaining the group interest in the project should be sent to the MoDOT Historic Preservation Section, P. O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Letters should be postmarked no later than Feb. 17.
MoDOT closed the Gasconade River Bridge on Dec. 18, 2014, due to considerable deterioration. The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission in July 2016 approved funding in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program to replace the bridge.
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