Historic Properties
The Long Bridge is a contributing resource to the East and West Potomac Parks Historic District and is, therefore, a “historic property” for the purposes of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) completed a Section 106 process for the Long Bridge Project (Project), consisting of the existing Long Bridge and other historic properties within or adjacent to the Long Bridge Corridor, which extends approximately 1.8 miles from the RO Interlocking in Arlington, Virginia, to the L’Enfant (LE) Interlocking near 10th Street SW in the District of Columbia.
The Section 106 process culminated in a Programmatic Agreement (PA) which contains conditions and stipulations regarding the Project. The FRA, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the National Park Service, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the State Historic Preservation Officers for the District of Columbia and the State of Virginia executed the PA on July 30, 2020 The PA is included in Appendix B of the Record of Decision.
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Overview
Section 106 of the NHPA requires that Federal agencies consider the effects of their projects on historic properties. Historic properties are any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in, or eligible for inclusion in, the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) maintained by the Secretary of the Interior.
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s Section 106 implementing regulations in 36 CFR Part 800 define a four-step decision-making process for compliance with Section 106. The four steps are:
- Initiate consultation;
- Identify properties that may be affected by the project and determine if the property or properties are eligible for or listed in the NRHP;
- Determine if the undertaking will have an effect on those historic properties; and
- Resolve any identified adverse effects on historic properties by developing and evaluating alternatives that could avoid, minimize, or mitigate those effects. The result of consultation could be a legally binding Memorandum of Agreement or a PA.
For more information, FRA encourages you to review the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s Citizen’s Guide to Section 106 Review.
Consultation Process
Section 106 of the NHPA requires Federal agencies to identify and consult with State Historic Preservation Officers, Federally recognized Indian tribes, and other consulting parties regarding the project.
Consulting Parties in the Section 106 Process are:
- Applicants for Federal assistance (including approvals);
- State Historic Preservation Officers;
- Federally recognized Indian tribes / Tribal Historic Preservation Officers;
- Local governments;
- Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; and
- Other individuals/organizations with interest due to the nature of their legal or economic relation to the project or affected properties, or their concern for the project’s effects on historic properties (subject to FRA approval).
Potential Roles of the Consulting Parties:
- Discuss views
- Help identify historic properties
- Review pertinent historic preservation information provided by FRA
- Help develop and consider possible solutions to avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects to historic properties
- Implement mitigation measures
Consultation Meetings and Materials
The FRA and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) hosted a public hearing on October 22 in Room E200 of the DCRA Building located at 1100 4th St. SW Washington, DC 20024 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The public hearing was an opportunity for interested parties to provide oral and written comments on the Draft EIS, Draft 4(f) Evaluation and Draft Section 106 PA. For more information about the public hearing, please visit the Public Information Forum section on this website.
FRA held a Section 106 Consulting Parties Meeting for the Long Bridge Project on August 1, 2019, at the DDOT Office, 55 M Street SE, Washington, DC, and via teleconference between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the Consulting Parties an opportunity to review and comment on the resolution of adverse effects to historic properties.
The materials presented at the meeting are provided below.
On November 29, 2018, FRA and DDOT hosted a Public Information Meeting to present the Preferred Alternative for the Project. The meeting also served as part of concurrent consultation for Section 106 of the NHPA. For more information about the materials presented at this meeting, please visit the Public Information Forum section on this website.
FRA held a Section 106 Consulting Parties Meeting for the Long Bridge Project on October 24, 2018, at the DDOT Office, 55 M Street SE, Washington, DC, and via teleconference between 10:30 am and 12:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the Consulting Parties an opportunity to review and comment on determination of effects to historic properties.
The materials presented at the meeting are provided below.
FRA held a Section 106 Consulting Parties Meeting for the Long Bridge Project on May 30, 2018, at the DDOT Office, 55 M Street SE, Washington, DC, and via teleconference between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the Consulting Parties an opportunity to review and comment on methodology for assessing effects to historic properties.
The materials presented at the meeting are provided below.
FRA held a Section 106 Consulting Parties Meeting for the Long Bridge Project on November 15, 2017, at the DC Office of Planning, 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC, and via teleconference between 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the Consulting Parties an opportunity to review and comment on the draft area of potential effect and identification of historic properties.
The materials presented at the meeting are provided below.
FRA and DDOT held a public meeting on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. The meeting was held in the Club Room of L’Enfant Plaza on the Promenade Level, 470 L’Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington DC. An informal open house was conducted between 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm at which representatives were available for discussion of the project and to answer questions. This public meeting also fulfilled public engagement requirements of the NHPA Section 106 consultation process. For more information about the materials presented at this meeting, please visit the Public Information Forum section on this website.
FRA held the first Section 106 Consulting Parties Meeting for the Long Bridge Project on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at the DDOT Office, 55 M Street SE, Washington, DC, and via teleconference between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the Consulting Parties an overview of the Long Bridge Project and to present the phased approach to alternatives development and environmental documentation, the Purpose and Need Statement, and Preliminary Concepts.
The materials presented at the meeting are provided below.