Historic Roads in the National Park System

Cover

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Early Roads

The Development of Park Roads

Teamwork/Cooperative Efforts

Evolution of Parkways

World War II and Beyond

Understanding and Managing Historic Park Roads

Bibliography

Historic Roads in the National Park System

The interbureau agreement between the National Park Service and the Bureau of Public Roads established the formal working relationship between the two agencies, and served as the basis under which the National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration work today.

COPY

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
AND
THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS
RELATING TO THE SURVEY CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT
OF ROADS AND TRAILS IN THE NATIONAL PARKS AND NATIONAL MONUMENTS

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RULINGS No. 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE GENERAL National Park Service - Procedure for Highway Cooperation by Bureau.

WHEREAS, Certain Acts of Congress have authorized the making of appropriations and have made appropriations and authorized the incurring of obligations for the survey, construction, reconstruction and improvement of roads and trails in the National parks and National monuments under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior; and

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Public Roads of the United States Department of Agriculture has an engineering organization perfected for the purpose of making surveys and improving highways; and

WHEREAS, the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior in the interest of economy and efficiency, desires to utilize the services of the existing road-building organization of the Bureau of Public Roads in the survey, construction, reconstruction and improvement of roads and trails within the National parks and National monuments, as authorized by Congress;

NOW THEREFORE, the National Park Service, hereinafter referred to as the Park Service, and the Bureau of Public Roads, hereinafter referred to as the Bureau, do hereby mutually agree, as follows:

STANDARDIZATION OF CONSTRUCTION AND ARTICULATION OF HIGHWAYS

Article I.

(1) That the Park Service and the Bureau shall each use every effort to harmonize the standards of construction of roads and trails in the National parks and monuments with the standards adopted for the construction of the roads which form a part of the Federal-aid highway system and of roads and trails within the National forests and to secure the best modern practice in the location, design, construction and improvement thereof.

(2) That from time to time duly authorized representatives of the Park Service and of the Bureau will confer with authorized representatives of the United States Forest Service and the several State highway departments of the States within which the National parks and monuments are located, for the purpose of developing a general scheme of improvement by which the National park highways, highways forming a part of the Federal-aid highway system, State highways and the highways within the National Forests will so articulate with and supplement each other as to form an interconnected system of highways.

INITIATION OF PROJECTS AND PRELIMINARY SURVEYS

ARTICLE II.

The services of the Bureau will be furnished only upon request in writing from the Director of the Park Service, and the following procedure shall be observed:

(1) Upon receipt of request from the Park Service the Chief of the Bureau will cause an investigation and a preliminary estimate of cost of the project to be made.

(2) Simultaneously with the above request the Park Service will instruct its landscape engineer to cooperate with the engineers of the Bureau in making the preliminary investigation.

(3) The time for making the field examination of any such project shall be agreed upon by the superintendent and landscape engineer of the Park Service and the district engineer of the Bureau. When said field examination has been completed the following reports shall be prepared:

(a) Report to the Chief of Bureau by the Bureau representative on the location and construction of the proposed project, together with an estimate of the cost thereof. Copies of this report will be furnished to the Park Service in duplicate, and to the Park Superintendent.

(b) Report to the Park Service by the landscape engineer on all landscape features of the proposed project. Copies of this report shall be furnished to the Bureau in duplicate and to the Park Superintendent.

© Report of the Superintendent of the Park to the Park Service commenting on the reports referred to in the next preceding paragraphs and making recommendations with respect to the proposed project. Copies of the superintendent's report and recommendation shall be submitted to the Chief of Bureau in duplicate, through its District Engineer, and to the Park Service, in duplicate, through the field assistant, one copy of such reports to be retained by the District Engineer and field assistant, respectively, for their files.

(4) Upon receipt of the preliminary reports referred to above the Park Service shall inform the Bureau whether it desires the work to be undertaken by the Bureau as a major project or whether the Park Service shall proceed with the work as a minor project without the services of the bureau.

EXECUTION OF MAJOR PROJECTS

Article III.

(1) In case the project is a major one and the services of the Bureau are desired in the execution and completion thereof, the Director of the Park Service shall so notify the Chief of Bureau in writing and make request that the project be handled to completion by the Bureau in accordance with the procedure herein outlined.

(2) Upon receipt of such notice and request the Bureau will instruct its District Engineer to proceed, in cooperation with the landscape engineer of the Park Service and the superintendent of the park, with the location survey, and to prepare plans, specifications and estimates for the project.

(3) When said plans, specifications and estimates have been prepared and approved recommendations by the landscape engineer of the Park Service and the superintendent of the Park Service are shown thereon, they shall be forwarded by the District Engineer to the Bureau for transmission to the Park Service for approval or disapproval.

(4) If the Park Service approves the plans, specifications, and estimates it shall so notify the Bureau in writing and instruct the superintendent of the Park to advertise for proposals for the construction of the project.

(5) The advertisement for proposals shall specify the time and place of opening the bids, and the bids shall be opened and tabulated by the Superintendent of the Park and the District Engineer of the Bureau.

(6) The recommendation for award shall be made by the Park Superintendent, shall be concurred in by the District Engineer, and shall be forwarded to the Director of the Park Service, through the chief of the Bureau, accompanied by the three low bids and a tabular statement of all bids received. The award shall then be made by the Secretary of the Interior.

(7) Immediately upon notice of award the Park Superintendent and the Bureau shall be notified and formal contract shall be executed by the successful bidder and the Department of the Interior.

(8) The prosecution of the work shall be undertaken by the District Engineer in accordance with the plans and specifications approved for the project, it being understood that the specifications shall govern all ordinary landscape features of the work, and any minor alterations which are authorized under the specifications without a modification of agreement, and which are deemed necessary during the progress of the work, may be ordered by the District Engineer in writing, with the written concurrence of the landscape engineer, to whom shall be delegated the necessary authority so to do.

PAYMENTS

Article IV.

(1) As the construction of a project progresses prompt payments shall be made by the local Fiscal or Disbursing Agent of the National Park Service to the Contractor upon monthly estimates approved by the District Engineer.

(2) The Park Service will reimburse the Bureau for actual expenses incurred by reason of active work on investigating, surveying, preparing plans, specifications and estimates, and supervising projects. An estimate of the actual expenses to be incurred by the Bureau shall be made and forwarded to the Park Service upon receipt of each request for the Bureau's services, and the Park Service shall, upon receipt of such estimate, set up a liability on its books to defray such expense against existing appropriations or appropriations authorized to be made against which obligations may legally be incurred.

(3) Reimbursement for the actual expenses incurred by the Bureau in rendering such services will be made by the Park Service from time to time upon the submission of vouchers therefor.

(4) Upon request of the Park Service preliminary investigations, surveys, and estimates will be made for major projects for which reimbursements will be made in the manner hereinbefore provided.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROJECTS

Article V.

(1) Before approving final settlement with the contractors the District Engineer shall obtain from the Park Superintendent and the landscape engineer written recommendations for acceptance of the work in which he shall concur in writing.

(2) The District Engineer shall approve and forward the final voucher in favor of the contractor, through the chief of Bureau, to the Park Service, accompanied by the above recommendations, for final acceptance of the Secretary of the Interior and transmission of voucher to the general accounting office for final settlement.

Signed this 18th day of January 1926.

By Stephen T. Mather
Director, National Park Service.

Signed this 3rd day of February 1926.

By Thos. H. Macdonald,
Chief, Bureau of Public Roads.

Approved: January 22, 1926, by Hubert Work,
Secretary, Department of the Interior.

February 10, 1926, by W. M. Jardine,
Secretary, Department of Agriculture.

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Outline of procedure to be followed under the interbureau agreement between the Bureau of Public Roads and the Park Service for the handling of Park Service Work

Plans Specifications and Estimate. In the preparation of the preliminary plans the District Engineer of the Bureau shall cooperate with the Landscape Engineer of the Park Service in order that final drawings may embody satisfactory landscape features.

The title sheet of the plans should contain provision for the approval and signature of the following:

Chief Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads
Director of the Park Service
District Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads
Superintendent of the Park
Landscape Engineer of the Park Service.

A copy of the plans, specifications and estimate should be forwarded to the Washington office of the Bureau of Public Roads, together with the title sheet bearing the signature of the District Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads, Superintendent of the Park and the Landscape engineer of the Park Service. Blue print copies of this title sheet will not be necessary. The Bureau of Public Roads at Washington will obtain the signatures of the chief Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads and the Director of the Park Service on the title sheet. One blue print copy of this title sheet will be retained by the Bureau of Public Roads for their records; another copy will be attached to the plans and specifications transmitted by the District Engineer and the complete set of plans forwarded to the Park Service. The tracing will then be returned to the District Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads. Copies of the plans, specifications and estimate should be furnished by the District Engineer to the Park Superintendent and Landscape Engineer of the Park Service is required. The District Engineer should cooperate with the Landscape Engineer of the Park Service relative to any changes in the plans that may be found necessary during construction.

Notice to Contractors and Advertisement. Two copies of the notice to contractors shall be forwarded by the District Engineer to the Bureau with the request for permission from the Secretary of the Interior to advertise. On approval, the Park Service will notify the Bureau that such permission has been granted. The work may then be advertised by the Park Superintendent or by the District Engineer of the Bureau, as may be decided upon between them.

Preliminary Recommendation of Award. The District Engineer shall telegraph results of the opening of bids to the Bureau showing the three low bidders and recommending award or rejection of the proposal. The Park Superintendent shall telegraph the Park Service the results of opening of bids showing the three low bidders and recommending award or rejection of the proposal.

Award Papers. All award papers should be forwarded in duplicate, the original copy for the Park Service and on copy for the Bureau of Public Roads, which, after passing through channels, returns to the Bureau of Public Roads' files.

Regional Office Concurrence. Telegraphic concurrence shall be forwarded by the regional office of the Bureau of Public Roads at San Francisco. This concurrence will be the result of their review of the carbon copy of recommendation of award or rejection of the proposal which has been forwarded to the Washington office of the Bureau of Public Roads by the District Engineer of the Bureau.

Documents which should be Forwarded by the District Engineer to the Bureau of Public Roads at Washington

Two copies of the letter recommending the award or rejection of the proposal, concurred in by the Park Superintendent.

Two copies of the tabulation of bids and the engineer's estimate.

Two copies of all telegrams setting forth the status of the contract relative to experience, financial ability, etc.

Two copies of a financial statement of funds available for the work.

The originals of all proposals received.

A statement of the standard specifications governing.

Secretary of the Interior's letter to the Contractor Accepting or Rejecting, Proposal. A draft of a letter for the signature of the Secretary of the Interior to the contractor making the award or rejecting his proposal will be prepared by the Washington office of the Bureau of Public Roads and forwarded to the Park Service with the award papers. This draft, together with a letter from the Chief of the Bureau to the Director of the Park Service concurring in the recommendations of the District Engineer and the Park Superintendent will be forwarded by the Bureau to the Park Service. The Park Service will prepare the formal letter according to this draft and secure the Secretary of the Interior's signature to the award or the rejection, as the case may be. The following copies of the letter of the Secretary of the Interior to the contractor making an award or rejection shall be prepared by the Park Service:

One copy for the Secretary of the Interior's files.

One copy for the Park Service files.

One copy for the Bureau of Public Roads' files.

One copy for the Regional Office of the Bureau of Public Roads' files.

Two copies for the District Engineer, one for his files and one to be transmitted to the Park Superintendent for his files.

The following copies of the letter of the Chief of Bureau recommending the award or rejection of the proposal to the Park Service shall be prepared by the Bureau of Public Roads.

One copy for the Regional Office of the Bureau at San Francisco.

Two copies for the District Engineer of the Bureau, one to be transmitted to the Park Superintendent.

One copy for the Bureau of Public Roads' files.

The original letter will remain with the Park Service.

Notification to the Contractor of the Award or rejection. The original letter to the contractor and four copies accepting or rejecting the proposal shall be returned to the Bureau of Public Roads for proper distribution.

Disposition of Award Letters to the Field. The Bureau of Public Roads at Washington will transmit to the Regional Office of the Bureau at San Francisco and to the District Engineers the following papers:

To the Regional Office: A copy of the Secretary of the Interior's letter to the contractor making award or rejecting the proposal and a copy of the Chief of Bureau's letter to the Director of the Park Service recommending the award or rejection of the proposal.

To the District Engineer: The original copy of the Secretary of the Interior's letter to the contractor for delivery to him, two copies of this letter, one to be retained by the District Engineer for his files and one to be delivered to the Park Superintendent; two copies of the Chief of Bureau's letter to the Director of the Park Service recommending the award or rejection of the proposal, one for the District Engineer's files and one to be transmitted to the Park Superintendent.

Preliminary Action by the Field. The District Engineer will anticipate an award and have the contract executed by the contractor, together with a bond and forwarded to the Washington office. The following copies should be prepared: Eight copies, two signed and six typed. The Bureau of Public Roads at Washington will retain the original proposal of the contractor which will be attached to the contract when received.

Review of Contracts. The contracts will be reviewed by the Bureau of Public Roads in Washington and compared with the proposal — accepted by the Secretary of the Interior and forwarded to the Park Service for review and execution.

Distribution of Contracts

One original for the auditor.

One original for the contractor through the Bureau of Public Roads.

One copy for the Bureau of Public Roads at Washington files.

One copy for the Regional Office through the Bureau of Public Roads.

One copy for the District Engineer through the Bureau of Public Roads.

One copy to the Park Superintendent through the District Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads.

One copy for the Washington office of the Park Service.

One copy to Returns Office through the Park Service.

APPROVED:
/s/ Stephen T. Mather.
Director, National Park Service.

APPROVED:
Chief, Bureau of Public Roads.

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Last Modified: Mon, Aug 23 2004 10:00:00 pm PDT
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