Engineering Researchers Preserve Florida’s Heritage Sites while Streamlining Transportation Projects

Trisha Radulovich

| Wed, 01/29/25

From left: Kelly Kinahan, Sang Bum Park, Kathleen Powers Conti, Doreen Kobelo and Qianwen (Vivian) Guo, pose at Tallahassee Station in Tallahassee, Florida, Jan. 15, 2025. Photo by Scott Holstein/FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

Civil engineering researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering are transforming how we document and assess the historical significance of transportation-related structures like highways, railroads and canals. They aim to help the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) identify and protect these valuable resources while ensuring that transportation projects are completed on time and within budget.

Researcher and Assistant Professor Qianwen (Vivian) Guo leads the project alongside fellow faculty member Eren Ozguven, an associate professor and director of the college’s Resilient Infrastructure & Disaster Response Center (RIDER).

This interdisciplinary project combines diverse expertise from faculty at Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Florida State University (FSU), which share the joint college. Civil engineers like Guo and Ozguven collaborate with history, urban planning and architecture faculty at the two institutions to create a holistic view of historic preservation in transportation projects.

FSU Faculty on the Project:

Kathleen Powers Conti from the Department of History
Kelly Kinahan from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning

Faculty from FAMU’s School of Architecture + Engineering Technology:

Doreen Kobelo
Sang Bum Park
Andrew Chin

Together, they are tackling the complexities of historical evaluation head-on by harnessing cutting-edge technology, including remote sensing via satellite imagery, aerial photography, high-resolution drone data collection and extensive on-the-ground surveys. They aim to assess potential historic sites for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and secure other historical designations well before any development begins.

Efficiency, Preservation and Taxpayer Benefits

“By identifying and addressing historic properties early in the project development process, we can significantly minimize potential conflicts and delays,” Guo says. “We foresee keeping projects on budget and preserving Florida’s rich cultural heritage. By balancing infrastructure development with protecting the state’s cultural resources, our initiative benefits not just the FDOT but also stakeholders and the community.”

The process of identifying and evaluating historic resources in transportation projects can be cumbersome—slow, inconsistent, and often redundant. According to Guo, these inefficiencies result in project delays, increased costs and sometimes inadequate preservation efforts. She hopes to change the game by developing a standardized, efficient approach tailored to Florida’s unique needs.

A Vision for the Future

“Our long-term goal is to establish and develop guidelines as the standard practice across Florida for managing historic linear resources in transportation projects,” Guo says. “In the long run our research can serve as a model for Florida and states across the nation grappling with the challenges of managing their linear historic resources.”

The study is supported by a four-year, $300,000 grant from the FDOT and uses resources from FAMU, FSU and the RIDER Center.

“This initiative is more than just a research project—it's a collective effort to ensure that Florida’s cultural legacy is preserved, even as we pave the way for future infrastructure,” Guo says.