Chapter 2: Action Plan Introduction

CHAPTER 2: ACTION PLAN INTRODUCTION The central focus of the Corridor Management Plan is a set of management strategies designed to guide the development, marketing, interpretation and preservation of the byway in both the short-term and long-term. The management strategies address the 14 elements required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for All-American Road designation, as well as provide a practical document from which implementing groups can work to achieve the vision and goals for the byway. These management strategies are crafted to assist the management entity and its implementation partners in easily identifying potential projects, the reasons why these projects are important to the Ohio National Road Scenic Byway, how the projects can be initiated and/or implemented,and who might be responsible for implementing them. Just as the Corridor Management Plan process stressed public involvement and input, the strategies that follow stress local implementation measures.This plan,although it addresses the National Road in ten counties, is primarily a local implementation tool and is designed to assist communities in identifying how they can help make their portion of the byway a success. 33 OHIO NATIONAL ROAD SCENIC BYWAY PRIORITY CAPITAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMATIC INITIATIVES The following section is devoted to actions identified for priority implementation. They appear at the beginning of the Action Plan so that they can be easily found and referred to. Individual project sheets highlight those priority actions that have capital costs associated with them. Table 1 provides this information in an easy-to-use tabular format and also gives recommended implementation years for a five-year time period. It should be noted that some multifaceted projects have only one component that requires capital expenditures or is deemed a priority project. In this case, only the capital or priority aspect of the project appears in Table 1. On each project sheet, a page reference is given to direct the reader to the section of the Action Plan from which the action is taken,so that it can be put in context with the rest of the recommendations. Priority actions that are programmatic in nature and do not require capital expenditures are listed at the end.A page reference is given to direct the reader to the section of the Action Plan where more information about the project appears. 34 ACTION PLAN Gray & Pape Blaine Hill Viaduct and brick-paved National Road BLAINE HILL BRIDGE RESTORATION school to identify the locations and character of ACTION: the residence, tollhouse, rest stop, and ancillary structures. Currently,a number of supporters of Continue the restoration and plan for the the Blaine Hill Bridge restoration have interpretation of the Blaine Hill Bridge and its organized themselves into the Blaine Bridge setting. Community Preservation Project to address Action Plan reference:page 103 future preservation efforts. They are likely to RATIONALE: need guidance and assistance to successfully preserve this important resource. Blaine Hill was once one of the most dangerous stretches of the National Road and later U.S. IMPLEMENTATION STEPS: Route 40. Today, it is one of the richest G Work with a key leader from the Blaine interpretive sites along the historic highway and Bridge Community Preservation Project to is so important to the state that in October hold fundraising events,maintain the site in 2001,the Ohio legislature named the Blaine Hill the future,and encourage local stewardship. Bridge Ohio’s official bicentennial bridge. G Develop a long-term maintenance strategy Preservation of this site should include further that can begin with volunteer labor and documentation of the bridge and its surrounds include partners such as the Belmont as well as a maintenance program and the County Engineer, Ohio Department of development of the site for public access and Transportation, and local or regional park interpretation. Documentation could be organizations. conducted through an archaeological field 35 OHIO NATIONAL ROAD SCENIC BYWAY G Conduct a Phase I archaeological investigation of the bridge and its surrounds, including the residence, tollhouse,rest stop,and ancillary structures. Pursue Phase II investigations as warranted. G Contact landowners, local universities, and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office about creating a field school at this site. PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS: Management entity,Belmont County residents, Blaine property owners, local universities, OHPO ESTIMATED COSTS: Restoration:$1.6 million Long-term maintenance:$5,000 per year Phase I archaeological investigation:$32,000 POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCES: ODOT - TE,ODOT-SB,ODOT-IBRC,AEF,NTHP- NPLF,NTHP-JFF,JPGT,FAO Corporate Sponsors,ABF,Belmont County ODOT-TE,NPS-NCPTT,JPGT 36 ACTION PLAN MILE MARKER RESTORATION/REINSTALLATION ACTION: Collaborate with the Ohio Department of Transportation,the National Road Alliance and local garden clubs, rotaries, historical societies, and scout troops to recreate and reinstall mile marker fabrications along the scenic byway. Action Plan reference:page 103 RATIONALE: The Act of Congress authorizing the National Road required distinguishable marks or monuments to appear at regular intervals of one mile along the north side of the road. The earliest mile markers in Ohio were made of a reinforced cementitious material, though due to poor weathering many of these were replaced with sandstone markers in the 1850s. The sandstone marker with a curved head and square shaft was the most typical of the mile Gray & Pape marker types in Ohio, though others existed. Sandstone mile marker Each marker indicated the distance to Cumberland, the eastern terminus of the Whitehall Historical Society,is in the process of National Road, as well as the nearest city or undertaking such a re-creation project for three village for east and westbound travelers. Mile mile markers.The Whitehall Historical Society markers in Ohio were placed from the eastern hopes to create the area surrounding these edge of the state to the outskirts of Donnelsville markers into places where people can relax and in Clark County, where they stopped due to a learn about the National Road. Benches, lack of funding and resultant construction landscaping, and interpretive markers are delays. envisioned. During the 1996 survey,83 original mile markers As an alternative to installing the mile markers were documented to still exist in the byway within the right-of-way, they could be corridor. These remaining mile markers should incorporated into a city’s identification and be preserved in place, while others could be welcome sign,as seen in New Concord. They also reconstructed along the entire byway. Any could be situated in a prominent public location, reconstructed mile markers ideally should be such as in front of the county courthouse or city made of sandstone and follow the curved head building. and straight shaft design found most IMPLEMENTATION STEPS: abundantly in Ohio.The words and numbers on G Work with historians, including Frank the mile markers should be incised in the same Brusca and Doug Lynn, on the original manner as the original markers rather than location and current whereabouts of all 175 applied with paint. mile markers in Ohio between Belmont and The City of Whitehall, in conjunction with the Clark counties. 37 OHIO NATIONAL ROAD SCENIC BYWAY G Encourage local governments, landowners, and the Ohio Department of Transportation to preserve the remaining mile markers in place. G Help establish a program to recreate and reinstall the remaining 92 mile markers no longer existing along the National Road. PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS: Management entity, ODOT, National Road Alliance, local civic organizations, landowners, Whitehall Historical Society and other historical societies ESTIMATED COSTS: $368,000 (approximately $4,000 per stone marker) POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCES: Corporate Sponsors, BEF, OHC, ABF, MCCF (Muskingum Cty) 38 ACTION PLAN PEACOCK ROAD MAINTENANCE ACTION: Create a regular maintenance program and interpretive plan for Peacock Road. Action Plan reference:page 104 RATIONALE: Peacock Road is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the most intact road remnants retaining its early 20th-century guardrail,brick paving,and alignment. This site would make an ideal location to learn more about the construction of the National Road and early twentieth-century improvements. IMPLEMENTATION STEPS: G Work with Guernsey County HRG Commissioners to establish a preservation Peacock Road and maintenance program for the road, including the preservation of the early 20th- century guardrails. Tour buses should be prohibited from traveling on the road to prevent further deterioration of the road surface and other features. G Develop an interpretative plan, with input from local residents and historians, that includes a self-guided tour using kiosks and/or plaques to explain the history and importance of the site. PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS: Management entity, Guernsey County Commissioners,area residents,local historians ESTIMATED COSTS: Initial repairs:$150,000 Maintenance:$5,000 per year Interpretation:$25,000 POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCES:CORPORATE SPONSORS, ABF,GUERSNEY COUNTY,ODOT-SB,ARC,AEF,TGF, FAO 39 OHIO NATIONAL ROAD SCENIC BYWAY LEATHERWOOD CREEK “U” BRIDGE PRESERVATION ACTION: Restore and preserve the "U" Bridge at Leatherwood Creek, west side of Cambridge, Guernsey County. Action Plan reference:page 104 RATIONALE: This bridge is an ideal candidate for restoration and preservation as one of the few "U" Bridges on the National Road. IMPLEMENTATION STEPS: G Work with the Ohio Department of Transportation to determine ownership of the bridge. G Examine the possibility of National Register listing and the use of TEA-21 Enhancement funds or other transportation monies as a funding source for the restoration of the bridge. PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS: Management entity,ODOT ESTIMATED COSTS: $2 – 3+ million POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCES: ODOT - TE, ODOT-SB, AEF, NTHP-NPLF, JPGT,FAO 40 ACTION PLAN PETER’S CREEK “S” BRIDGE RESTORATION ACTION: Assist in the restoration of the Peter’s Creek "S" Bridge in Guernsey County for use as a roadside park.

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