Legislation Protecting Parks and Hisoric Properties

Section 4(f) is a section of the 1966 Transportation Act that prohibits placing Federal highways through parks and historic properties unless there are no "prudent and feasible" alternatives. Section 4(f) compliance requires that agencies consider park avoidance before considering mitigation of park impacts. These alternatives may include shifting a highway alignment (route) or adopting a different transportation policy instead of a new highway, as was done in Portland, Oregon. 4(f) blocked completion of the I-70 / I-95 connector through two parks in southwestern Baltimore.

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