Guidelines for the Visual Impact Assessment of Highway Projects

January 2015

Figure 3-1. FHWA VIA Process Flow Diagram – Extended Description

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Figure 3-1. FHWA VIA Process Flow Diagram
The diagram illustrates the work flow of the FHWA VIA process. The process begins with the establishment phase, moving through the inventory and analysis phases, and concludes with a mitigation phase. Each phase is based on the interaction between people and the environment. The process is the same regardless of project complexity, but the level of effort can be tailored to fit the project.

This diagram shows the four phases of the Visual Impact Assessment Process: Establishment, Inventory, Analysis, and Mitigation. Above these phases are two blocks that point to the Analysis phase: Project Visual Character and Legal Context. Each of the four phases have three components: Environment, Intersection, and People. The Environment components (from Establishment to Inventory to Analysis to Mitigation) are: Landscape Constraints to Visual Resources to Compatibility of Impact to Mitigation & Enhancement. The Intersection components (from Establishment to Inventory to Analysis to Mitigation) are: Areas of Visual Effect to Visual Quality to Degree of Impact (Adverse, Neutral, Beneficial) to Obtain & Sustain Visual Preferences. The People components (from Establishment to Inventory to Analysis to Mitigation) are: Physiological Limitations to Viewers to Sensitivity to Impact to Mitigation & Enhancement.

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