OREGON HISTORIC AND SCENIC HIGHWAY PROGRAM

Oregonians have long recognized that preservation of the state's historic and scenic resources play a vital role in the enhancement of the state's economic base, and in maintaining its citizens' pride in and respect for its historic and natural resources.

Oregon's immense wealth of history and diverse scenery provide unlimited recreation potential for residents and visitors alike.

On the Oregon Coast, rich estuaries, rocky shorelands, vast beaches, rolling dunes, and massive promontories provide for a feast of scenic expanses. The world-renowned Columbia Gorge is both a magnificent scenic resource and a major link to the state's early settlement. The Willamette Valley contains expansive agricultural vistas and traces of some of the earliest settlements in the Northwest. The states scenic resources range from the magnificent Cascades, Klamath, Coast, and Blue Mountains to the desert, basin, and range country of the eastern part of the state. Spectacular geologic wonders extend through Southern and Central Oregon.

Early efforts to develope a state transportation system foresaw the importance of preserving the state's scenic and historic values. In 1913, the first state highway commission was authorized to build a state highway system, which included the Pacific Highway, Columbia River Highway, Oregon Beach Highway, The Dalles-California Highway, Central Oregon Highway, McKenzie Highway, and an east-west highway from Eugene to Prineville, and from the Central Oregon Highway to Ontario. The enormous task of constructing the Columbia River Highway in the Columbia Gorge focused on the need to construct a scenic highway that would complement the beauty of the area. This concern for enhancement of scenic areas is reflected in many of the early records of highway building.

Concern for the state's scenic features was apparent during the 1919-20 biennium when the highway commission supported legislation that would protect standing timber and allow the planting of new trees along state highways. Efforts to improve conditions for the highway user during this period included the development of roadside rest areas, tree planting, and outdoor advertising regulations.

In 1934, the federal government became involved in highway beautification. The Bureau of Public Roads, the predecessor to the Federal Highway Administration, under the National Recovery Act, required "the appropriate landscaping of parkways or roadsides on a reasonable extensive mileage and involving not less than one percent of the total apportionment to each state." This program was intended to become an integral part of road construction. The preservation of scenic features was addressed during field location of highways, and through saving top-soil, selective tree-cutting, rounding of slopes, and seeding and planting. When possible, roads were designed to conform with the natural setting.

The mid-1950s and early 1960s saw a revised interest in highway beautification. In 1961 the Legislature created a seven-member Scenic Area Board to be appointed by the Governor. This board was responsible for identifying areas along highways that possessed unusual natural scenic beauty. Advertising signs and junkyards were to be prohibited in these areas with few exceptions. Approximately 3,500 miles of scenic areas along highways were designated under this program. The Scenic Areas Act was repealed in 1977, however, the designations remain valid and subject to the regulation of signs and junkyards.

Federal efforts to control advertising signing began with the "Bonus Act" legislation of 1958 which encouraged states to develop advertising regulations consistent with national standards through a "bonus" federal-aid payment. Federal funding was available during the 1960s to acquire scenic easements along state highways. Oregon participated in these programs and acquired a number of scenic strips and easements. In 1965, the Highway Beautification Act was passed by Congress. The intent of this legislation was to mandate billboard control for all states, and extend control to the primary road system. Oregon revised the Oregon Motorist Information Act in 1971 to comply with the federal legislation.

In 1974, the federal government directed all states to participate in a national scenic highway study for the purpose of determining the feasibility of establishing a national scenic highway system. At the conclusion of this study it was determined that the individual states should set up their own scenic highway programs. Oregon did not establish a program at that time due to lack of funding for program implementation and local interest.

During the 1983 Legislative Session, a statewide concern for preservation of major historic and scenic features of the state highway system created the impetus for passage of Senate Bill 643 which was subsequently amended in 1985. This legislation directed the Department of Transportation to conduct a study of the historic and scenic features of the state highway system, and, to designate appropriate sections of highways or related structures for purposes of preservation.

The Department of Transportation presently addresses historic and aesthetic resources in the transportation planning process under the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act, the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act, and Oregon Revised Statues Chapter 197 and 377.