Historic and Environmental
COMMUNITY PROFILES
Madison, Ind.
(Jefferson County)
- Settled in 1809
- Named National Historic Landmark District in 2006
- Entire downtown on National Historic Register (more than 2,000 structures)
- 2005 Madison population: 12,443.
Milton, Ky.
(Trimble County)
- One of the oldest towns in the Commonwealth; established by the law of Virginia in 1789, three years before Kentucky became a state
- Two National Historic Districts: Third Street District and Hunter's Bottom District
- 2005 population in Milton was 595
Because both Madison, Ind., and Milton, Ky., are considered historically significant, the project approached carefully issues relating to historic resources in both communities. All of downtown Madison is on the National Historic Register. In 2006 the city was designated a National Historic Landmark District, meaning it is officially recognized by the U.S. government for its historical significance. In 2001, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Madison one of a “Dozen Distinguished Destinations” in America.
Milton, Ky., founded in 1789, is one of the oldest towns in the Commonwealth and has two designated historic districts: the Third Street District and Hunter’s Bottom District.
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) – Section 106
The NHPA of 1966 contains a section that requires federal agencies to take into account the effects of projects on properties listed or eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is called “Section 106.” Section 106 does not require the preservation of such properties, but it does require that their historic significance and value be considered. Section 106 is invoked when any project has the potential to impact the character or use of historic properties. Project leaders met with State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPO) in both Kentucky and Indiana. Both have been engaged in the project. To be sure historic properties and places were given due consideration, the Milton-Madison Bridge Project included coordination with Section 106 Consulting Parties which consist of agencies, groups and individuals with a special interest in historic preservation.
Section 106 of the NHPA requires projects to define and document the Area of Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The purpose is to identify historic properties and determine the project's potential effect on those properties. These properties may be listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Click here to read more about the project's efforts on the APE and to view Section 106 documents.
For more details on Section 106 click here.
Click here to view the project's Environmental Fact Sheets.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
In 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was signed into law. It requires that the impact on the human and natural environment be publicly documented and considered in the decision-making process for major federal projects. To meet these requirements, KYTC and INDOT prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA), a document that identifies how the project impacts the local communities and the environment. The project's EA has been
approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which allows the
project to move forward for public comment. The signing of the Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI) by FHWA will successfully complete the
NEPA process, and the project will move into the design build-phase.
The signing of the FONSI by FHWA is expected in early March.
