Preservation Success or Failure? A Comparative Analysis of Historic Bridge Marketing Programs in the United States

Abstract

In 1987, Congress passed the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act to foster the preservation and rehabilitation of historic bridges. The law required the recipients of federal funding make any historic bridge available for donation in the case of demolition. However, this new law did not provide any clear guidance on how states should carry out these requirements, leaving each state to create their own process. Comparing three state programs -- from Texas, Pennsylvania, and Missouri -- will highlight some of the best practices that have been developed, as well as identify pitfalls that have hindered the successful preservation of historic bridges.