As part of a collaborative project with the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) and other State agencies, Dennis Piechota, conservator of the Fiske Center, directed an assessment project of artifact collections generated from archaeological projects associated with State transportation projects.

The project was funded by the Intermodal Surface Transport Efficiency Act (ISTEA) to survey the transportation-related collections curated at three primary repositories: MHC, UMass Amherst, and the Boston Landmarks Commission. The surveys characterized the state of preservation of the major types of artifacts in each institution and made long-term preservation suggestions. It also documented the storage environments in each institution and made practical recommendations on how improved storage environments may be maintained.