Cultural Resources Program

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has a long history in cultural resource management and protection. From the creation of roads and bridges which harmonized with the landscape at our inception, to highway beautification programs that included “Beaver Boards” which highlighted our cultural heritage, to our regulatory role responding to laws from the 1960s, we understand the intimate connection between human pathways and heritage.  We consist of a qualified staff of professionals who meet Secretary of the Interior's (SOI) Standards for Archaeology and Historic Preservation.

We assist the Federal Highway Adminstration (FHWA) in following the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Section 106) and the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (Section 4(f)). We maintain a Section 106 Programmatic Agreement with FHWA, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which outlines how we handle both complicated cultural resource interaction and innocuous projects which have limited, if any, effects to historic resources.  Our Cultural Resources Staff review all Section 106 documentation, work directly with the FHWA and SHPO offices, develop Section 4(f) documentation, and conduct all Tribal Consultation. Oregon is a state rich in cultural heritage – our program seeks to strike that balance between a growing transportation framework with protection of Oregon’s significant cultural resources.

Data Recovery in Region 4

​Dogbane Outreach Project in Region 2

Inadvertant Discovery in Jacksonville in Region 3 ​

Archaeological resources have been associated with transportation projects in Oregon as far back as the 1910s and 20s. Such resources vary greatly in their nature, content, context, extent, and are non-renewable finite resources. Over 30,000 sites have been recorded in Oregon to date with less than 10% of the state actually surveyed. Each resource and circumstance must be evaluated individually, and appropriate procedures and steps are developed on a case by case basis.

This program is administered by Carolyn Holthoff, ODOT Cultural Resources Manager in the Geo-Environmental Section. While some fieldwork is conducted in house, most is performed through interagency agreements and private contracts.  Our team is nationally recognized program.  We also have conducted several educational events such as the Ashland Mock Dig and the Elk Trail Elementary School Mock Dig.

Covered Bridge - Portland, Oregon	​ Vista House at Crown Point - Columbia River Highway	​  Twin Tunnel Area - Columbia River Highway

 

Historic Resources

Descriptions of the various laws and regulations which protect Oregon´s historic resources.  As our cities grow and change through the years, the protection of our cultural resources becomes more and more important. For our consultants, links are provided to documents which you will need to comply with the above regulations.

The ODOT Cultural Resources Program, in coordination with the Bridge Preservation Program, is developing a state-wide Historic bridge guide that will capture the known historic bridges in the state.  It will be available on this website, and will welcome input on it from the public.

Historic Resources - Guidance & Resources

Contacts
Historic Preservation Program Coordinator
Chris Bell
Office: 503-986-3252
christopher.s.bell@odot.state.or.us