ROW Mapping Case Studies The Older I Get, the Less I Know Alaska - PDF document

ROW Mapping Case Studies “The Older I Get, the Less I Know…” Alaska Surveying & Mapping Conference 2015 ”The Older I Get, the Less I Know…” • T his is no t a lwa ys a b a d thing !

”The Older I Get, the Less I Know…” • T his is no t a b a d thing ! • We g ro w in e xpe rie nc e & e duc a tio n • Unlike o ur kids, we ne ve r kno w e ve rything ! • T he mo re we kno w wha t we do n’ t kno w • So re la x a nd pe e l b a c k a no the r la ye r o f the “Onio n” A Surveyor’s Dilemma… • Wha t do e s a surve yo r kno w a b o ut ROW? Re tra c e me nt: L o c a te e xisting ROW Sub divisio n: E sta b lish ne w ROW

A Surveyor’s Dilemma… • Wha t do e s a surve yo r kno w a b o ut ROW? Re tra c e me nt: L o c a te e xisting ROW Sub divisio n: E sta b lish ne w ROW • E xisting ROW is a nything b ut unifo rm! Autho ritie s va ry I nte re sts va ry Widths va ry • “A Pa tc hwo rk Quilt o f T itle I nte re sts…” Nome-Council Road MP 14-32 ~ Mapping the Right-of-Way at Statehood

Getting Started • T his ma pping pro je c t a lo ng time in the ma king 1899 Ma p o f No me Mining Distric t Getting Started • T his ma pping pro je c t a lo ng time in the ma king • Why so lo ng ? T itle tra nsfe rre d in 1959… • ROW ma pping wa s no t c o nside re d a prio rity • Po rtio ns o f prima ry syste m still witho ut ma pping • MP 14-32 – L a st g a p o n No me -Co unc il ro a d • Sto rm da ma g e re sulte d re lo c a tio n o f ro a d • 2011 “Sno wic a ne ” – E q ua l to Ca t 4 Hurric a ne • Whe re is the ROW? ...no …Whe re is the ro a d? • F e de ra l funds re q uire ROW “c e rtific a tio n” • E R funds wa ive r if ro a d re c o nstruc te d in o rig ina l lo c a tio n • Co ntinua l lo b b ying fo r ma pping funds • T o o muc h mo ne y….to o little time

Getting Started • Ma pping funde d a s a pa rt o f “No me Se a Sto rm Pe rma ne nt Re pa irs – No ve mb e r 2011” 1913 No me Sto rm Co urte sy o f Ca rrie M. Mc L a in Me mo ria l Muse um 2004 No me Sto rm Getting Started • Ma pping funde d a s a pa rt o f “No me Se a Sto rm Pe rma ne nt Re pa irs – No ve mb e r 2011” • I ssue d to R&M Co nsulta nts unde r DOT &PF No rthe rn Re g io n Surve y T e rm Co ntra c t • NT P issue d Aug ust 2013 • Ae ria l Pho to g ra phy & F ie ld Surve ys c o mpe te b y e nd o f the ye a r • Re tire d in Ma y 2014 – 29 ye a rs with De pt. o f Hig hwa ys a nd DOT &PF • Jo ine d R&M Co nsulta nts – F a irb a nks • Gre a t o ppo rtunity to se e pro je c t ta ke n to c o mple tio n

Finding the Historic ROW • Ma pping PL O ROW – Be st E vide nc e 1920 Ala ska Ro a d Co mmissio n Finding the Historic ROW • Ma pping PL O ROW – Be st E vide nc e • L o c a te Ce nte rline : By Surve y o r Pho to g ra phy • Ha s Ce nte rline Mo ve d Sinc e Sta te ho o d? • F it Ge o me try: T a ng e nts & Curve s • Offse t PL O Rig ht-o f-Wa y Width • T ie s to Adjo ining Surve ys & Bo unda rie s • Wha t is Se nio r? PL O o r Prio r L a nd Ac tio ns • L a nds: Sta te , F e de ra l, ANCSA, Priva te & N/ A • Prio r Ma pping : USGS Qua d - 1950 • Sc a le – 1:63,360 • Qua lity o f Pho to g ra phy • Ca rto g ra phic L ic e nse

Research Elements • No me -Co unc il Ro a d (Curre nt) • Are a Histo ry • Ae ria l Pho to g ra phy • Co nstruc tio n & Ma inte na nc e Re c o rds • Othe r Pub lic Ma pping Re c o rds • Ba c kg ro und I nte rvie ws • Pub lic L a nd Orde rs • Pub lic E a se me nts b y Pre sc riptio n • F lo a ting E a se me nts • F e de ra l Rig ht-o f-Wa y Gra nts • Na tive Allo tme nt Use & Oc c upa nc y Research Elements • No me -Co unc il Ro a d (Old L o o p) • Pub lic L a nd Orde rs • Omnib us Ac t Quitc la im De e d I ssue s • ROW Jurisdic tio n & Ma na g e me nt • RS-2477 T ra ils & T e rrito ria l Ac t o f 1917 • Othe r Pub lic Ma pping Re c o rds

Research Elements • ROW I ssue Qua lifie rs • Co nte xt – Wha t we re the y thinking ? • L o c a tio n – Whe re is it a t? • Width – Spe c ifie d o r? • I nte re st – E a se me nt, fe e , o r? • Po lic y – Ag e nc y Po sitio n • !!! – Ho ly Co w! T his wa s kind o f c o o l!!! Area History • 1898 Go ld Disc o ve ry in Co unc il I nitia te s Ro a d • 1904 Ro a d & Bridg e to MP3 Priva te T o ll F a c ilitie s • 1905 Ala ska Ro a d Co mmissio n E sta b lishe d • E xte nsive ARC Ma inte na nc e in Suppo rt o f Mining

Area History • 1913 sto rm de stro ys No me in pa rt, a ll o f So lo mo n, la rg e se c tio ns o f the ro a d a nd a ll o f the b ridg e s! • 100 ye a rs la te r, Mo the r Na ture still in c o ntro l… • I f a nyo ne se e s Wya tt, te ll him to sto p in June a u o n his wa y ho me to pic k up his pisto l!!! Aerial Photography Pho to g ra mme try b y K o dia k Ma pping , I nc .

Aerial Photography • Pho to g ra mme try b y K o dia k Ma pping , I nc . • 2013 pho to s a c q uire d fo r a s-b uilt & de sig n • E xisting ro a d e dg e dig itize d with c e nte rline splits e sta b lishe d e ve ry 500 fe e t • Be st fit c e nte rline to DOT &PF 95/ 5 sta nda rd • 1950 Army Ma p Se rvic e fo r histo ric a l pho to s – b a sis o f USGS So lo mo n B-6 Qua d • 1962 BL M pho to s: b e tte r ima g e ry & da te – c le a rly re fle c ts re a lig nme nt a nd o ld lo o p Construction & Maintenance Records As-b uilts, ROW Pla ns, Re po rts, Co ntro l Surve ys

Historical Archives Mapping Records - Federal • Re c ta ng ula r Surve ys • U.S. Surve ys • F ie ld No te s

Land Records - Federal • L a nd Re se rva tio ns • ANCSA Pa te nts • Allo tme nt Ce rtific a te s Public Land Records • De e ds • Va c a tio ns • Sub divisio ns

Background Interviews • Ma y he lp to fill in so me histo ric a l g a ps • E va n Bo o th: “ Ye s, the fe rry was in o pe rate d b y the De pt. o f Hig hways until the b ridg e o pe ne d. I was 8 ye ars o ld whe n I first c ro sse d.” Nome-Council Road (Current) T ra in to No whe re

Public Land Orders Arthur Gib so n Ma p - 1904 Public Land Orders • T he e a sy pa rt – Mo st Omnib us QCD ROW a re PL O b a se d due to la rg e fe de ra l la nd ho lding s

Public Land Orders • T he e a sy pa rt – Mo st Omnib us QCD ROW a re PL O b a se d due to la rg e fe de ra l la nd ho lding s • Prio r to PL O, prima ry b a sis fo r ROW wa s RS-2477 • PL O 601- Aug ust 10, 1949 - Withdra wa ls • Cla ssifie d: “T hro ug h”, “F e e de r” & “L o c a l” • L o c a tio n: c e nte rline b a se d • Widths: 300’ , 200’ o r 100’ • Sub je c t to va lid e xisting rig hts • SO 2665 – 1951- F e e de r/ L o c a l no w e a se me nts • F e de ra l/ Sta te / ANCSA g e ne ra lly sub je c t to PL O • Ho me ste a d, mine ra l a nd o the r fe de ra l pa te nts & na tive a llo tme nts re q uire mo re a na lysis • 200’ PL O ROW a pplie d to mo st o f pro je c t Public Easements by Prescription • Whe n the ro a d fo o tprint is o utside o f the ROW

Public Easements by Prescription • Whe n the ro a d fo o tprint is o utside o f the ROW • Adve rse Po sse ssio n – By lo ng pub lic use • F o r a “pre sc rib e d” pe rio d o f time • Cre a te s a n e a se me nt fo r pub lic a c c e ss • No c o mpe nsa tio n re q uire d • I nve rse c o nde mna tio n • By a g e nc y with e mine nt do ma in a utho rity • I na dve rte nt ta king b y e rra nt c o nstruc tio n • T a king b y a g e nc y re pre se nta tio ns • Ge ne ra lly, the o nly issue is c o mpe nsa tio n Public Easements by Prescription • I s this a via b le to o l? Ma yb e no t!

Public Easements by Prescription • I s this a via b le to o l? Ma yb e no t! • ANCSA L a nds • F e de ra l pro te c tio n a g a inst a dve rse po sse ssio n fo r unde ve lo pe d ANCSA la nds • I nve rse Co nde mna tio n no t pro hib ite d • Na tive Allo tme nts • No a dve rse po sse ssio n a g a inst trust la nds • I nve rse c o nde mna tio n no t a pplic a b le • F e de ra l & Sta te la nds: a dve rse po sse ssio n • Ca se la w a nd sta tuto ry pro hib itio ns • ANCSA la nds a nd a llo tme nts ma y b e c o nde mne d with pa yme nt o f just c o mpe nsa tio n Floating Easements • An e a se me nt with no fixe d lo c a tio n o r width

Floating Easements • An e a se me nt with no fixe d lo c a tio n o r width • Simila r to a “b la nke t” e a se me nt in tha t the y te nd to hinde r de ve lo pme nt due to the ir lo c a tio n a nd size b e ing inde finite a nd unc e rta in • SO 2665 e a se me nts fo r ne w c o nstruc tio n a nd ‘ 47 Ac t re se rva tio ns wo uld b e c o nside re d to b e “flo a ting e a se me nts” (ROW Ac t o f 1966) • T he Sa fe ty So und Bridg e ROW pla ns a pplie d the 200’ wide PL O ROW a s a “flo a ting e a se me nt Floating Easements Sa fe ty So und ROW pla ns – no te c ro ss ha tc hing