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Home My WebLink AboutI-81 at Maugans Ave Interchange Improve MHT 3-2020 707 North Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21202 | 410.545.8500 | 1. 866.527.0502 | Maryland Relay TTY 800.735.2258 | roads.maryland.gov March 10, 2020 Ms. Elizabeth Hughes State Historic Preservation Officer Maryland Historical Trust 100 Community Place Crownsville MD 21032-2023 Dear Ms. Hughes: Introduction and Project Description This letter serves to inform the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) of the finding by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) that there will be no historic properties affected by the proposed Project No. WA222A21, I-81 at Maugans Avenue Interchange Improvements in Washington County. The project involves widening the ramps from southbound I-81 to Maugans Avenue, from Maugans Avenue to southbound I-81, and from northbound I-81 to Maugans Avenue. The proposed work also includes changing the lane configuration along Maugans Avenue under the I-81 bridge (within the same footprint); installing stormwater management; upgrading traffic barrier W-Beam, modifying the signal at the ramp termini with Maugans Avenue; upgrading signing and marking; and modifying existing drainage to accommodate additional paving along the ramps. Some work may occur outside of existing MDOT SHA right-of-way, but MDOT SHA will seek right-of-entry agreements from property owner(s). A location map is included as Attachment 1. Funding State funds only will be used for this project. Area of Potential Effects In determining the Area of Potential Effects (APE) for this project, MDOT SHA considered possible visual, audible, atmospheric and/or physical impacts to historic properties, both archaeological sites and standing structures, which would diminish the integrity of any characteristics that would qualify a property for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The APE has been defined to include those properties where right-of-entry will be required to complete the project. The APE is indicated on the attached USGS quadrangle map for Hagerstown (Attachment 2). The archaeology survey area is defined as the worst-case Limits of Disturbance (LOD) within the APE. Ms. Elizabeth Hughes Page Two Identification Methods and Results Potentially significant architectural and archaeological resources were both researched as part of the historic properties investigation instigated by the proposed interchange improvement project. Architecture: MDOT SHA Architectural Historian Anne E. Bruder consulted the GIS Cultural Resources Database, the Washington County tax database, historic aerial photographs, and the Hagerstown USGS quadrangles from 1944, 1953 and 1971 but did not conduct a field visit due to the minor scope of the project, which is located northwest of Hagerstown near the town of Maugansville. The APE consists of the 1955 interchange, surrounded by late twentieth century commercial buildings standing on the north and south sides of Maugans Avenue such as fast food establishments, gas stations and a U-Haul lot. Construction of the proposed improvements will occur within the MDOT SHA right-of-way for I-81, but right-of-entry to complete new driveway tie-ins will be required from several businesses along Maugans Avenue outside MDOT SHA’s right-of-way. Since there are no historic standing structures in the APE, MDOT SHA has determined that construction of the interchange will have no effect on historic properties, including standing structures. Archaeology: MDOT SHA Consultant Archaeologist Lisa Kraus assessed the potential of the survey area based on review of the SHA-GIS Cultural Resources Database, previous archaeology reports, aerial photographs, and street view imagery. The survey area was previously surveyed by Millis (2003) for the overall proposed widening of I-81 between the Pennsylvania and Maryland state lines, but no sites have been recorded there. Millis recorded one isolated find in the Maugans Avenue interchange area: 18WAX108 consisted of two 19th to 20th century artifacts that could not be tied to any known occupation, and that are surrounded by disturbed or sterile areas. As isolated finds with no associated archaeological context, these two artifacts do not constitute an archaeological site, and do not represent a potentially eligible resource. Untested areas within the current project limits have been previously disturbed by road construction, drainage features, and surrounding development. The proposed work is unlikely to impact any intact, significant, archaeological resources. No further archaeological work is recommended. Review Request Please examine the attached maps. We request your determination by April 11, 2020 that there would be no historic properties affected by the proposed I-81 at Maugans Avenue Interchange Improvements. By carbon copy, we invite the Washington County Historic Preservation Commission, Washington County Historical Advisory Committee, Washington County Historical Trust and the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area to provide comments and participate in the consultation process. Pursuant to the Maryland Historical Trust Act of 1985, as amended, State Finance and Ms. Elizabeth Hughes Page Three Procurement Article §§ 5A-325 and 5A-326 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, MDOT SHA seeks their assistance in identifying historic preservation issues as they relate to this specific project. For additional information regarding historic preservation consultation for State funded projects see the Maryland Historical Trust’s website, www.mht.maryland.gov, or contact the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration or the Maryland Historical Trust. If no response is received by April 11, 2020, we will assume that these offices decline to participate. Please contact Ms. Anne E. Bruder at 410-545-8559 or abruder@mdot.maryland.gov with questions regarding standing structures for this project. Dr. Lisa Kraus may be reached at 410-545-2884 or lkraus@mdot.maryland.gov with concerns regarding archaeology. Sincerely, Julie M. Schablitsky Chief Archaeologist/Assistant Division Chief Environmental Planning Division Attachments cc: Ms. Jill Baker, Director, Washington County Historic District Commission (w/Attachments) Ms. Pat Schooley, Washington County Historical Trust, Inc. (w/ Attachments) Ms. Elizabeth Scott Shatto, Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area (w/Attachments) Mr. Ralph Young, Washington County Advisory Committee (w/Attachments Ms. Anne E. Bruder, Architectural Historian, MDOT SHA-EPLD (w/Attachments) Mr. Jaret Kline, Project Manager, MDOT SHA-D6 Dr. Lisa Kraus, Archaeologist, MDOT SHA-EPLD (w/Attachments) Ms. Bob Maimone, Environmental Manager, MDOT SHA-EPLD (w/Attachments) Dr. Julie Schablitsky, MDOT SHA-EPLD Concurrence with the MDOT State Highway Administration’s Determination(s) of Eligibility and/or Effects Project Number: WA222A21 MHT Log No._________________ Project Name: I-81 at Maugans Avenue Interchange Improvements County: Washington Letter Date: March 10, 2020 The Maryland Historical Trust has reviewed the documentation attached to the referenced letter and concurs with the MDOT State Highway Administration’s determinations as follows: Eligibility (as noted in the Eligibility Table [N/A]): [ ] Concur [ ] Do Not Concur Effect (as noted in the Effects Table [N/A]): [ ] No Properties Affected [ ] No Adverse Effect [ ] Conditioned upon the following action(s) (see comments below) [ ] Adverse Effect Comments: By: ______________________________________ _____________________ MD State Historic Preservation Office/ Date Maryland Historical Trust Return by U.S. Mail or Facsimile to: Dr. Julie M. Schablitsky, Assistant Division Chief, Environmental Planning Division, MDOT State Highway Administration, P.O. Box 717, Baltimore, MD 21203-0717 Telephone: 410-545-8870 and Facsimile: 410-209-5046 A_Proj No. 12455 cc: Anne E. Bruder Lisa Kraus Bob Maimone