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Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-16. Practices Related to Public Art in State DOT Rights-of-Way and Facilities

Final Scope Transportation infrastructure facilitates the movement of people and goods, but sensitivity to the surrounding context is sometimes an afterthought with utilitarian and functional design. Arts and culture play a powerful and unifying role in creating places of lasting value, reinforcing shared experience, and celebrating what makes communities special and unique. Place-based infrastructure design that fits well into its surrounding built and cultural context is more likely to promote thriving economic activity, be responsive to community needs, reduce risk, and improve quality of life. An increasing number of state departments of transportation (DOTs) have created and adopted policies related to public art in state rights-of-way. These policies typically focus on requests by external stakeholders to install artwork on existing public infrastructure. However, there have been no known formal discussions between state DOTs on how to design a policy of this type, and it is unclear whether existing policies answer all the questions practitioners are struggling with. Examples of complex issues include maintaining public artwork over the long term and replacement of facilities on which art is installed. It is also unknown to what extent state DOTs have programs or policies that actively encourage the inclusion of art on public infrastructure, or how such programs are funded. The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices and policies related to public art in state rights-of-way (excluding anything not permitted by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices).  Information to be Gathered Includes (but is not limited to): Motivation for state DOTs to include public art or treatments in projects in right-of-away; Sources of interest in public art (e.g., internal, external, or both), and if/how public benefit is measured; Practices and policies related to the types of art installations, ownership rights, liability, transportation facility types where art is allowed, maintenance, installation on existing structures and new construction, and maintaining clear zones; Delineating the disciplines that may be represented in art programs; Planning practices to consider public art during long-range or corridor plan development; How the public is engaged on public art; Programming/funding practices to acquire, install, and maintain public art; Staffing of public art programs and policies; Public art accession and deaccession policies; Cooperative agreements or contracts (e.g. DOT and artists, local jurisdiction); State and federal statutes that enable, limit, or prohibit public art programs. Information will be gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

Language

  • English

Project

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01972868
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
  • Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 57-16
  • Files: TRB, RIP
  • Created Date: Nov 25 2025 5:33PM