MDOT Construction Manual Content Revision Procedures

Construction Manual Update Process

Suggested revisions to the MDOT Construction Manual are welcome from all users. The more users help improve the content, the more it improves the guidance for all other users.

To make a revision suggestion to the Construction Manual please email MDOT-ConstructionManual@michigan.gov

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Content Changes/Submissions

Changes or suggestions should be submitted to the MDOT-ConstructionManual@michigan.gov resource email.

New content submissions should be drafted per the MDOT Construction Manual Style Guide and formatted to match the standard Construction Manual Content Template. This will help all sections of the Construction Manual have a familiar format and structure for the users.

• Construction Manual Content Template

• MDOT Construction Manual Style Guide

Content Managers Review Team

The Content Manager will typically set up a review team, consisting of subject matter experts to review the validity of suggested changes. The team can be made up of direct reports, industry partners, FHWA, etc. Essentially the team can be made up of anyone who the Content Manager feels will be able to provide the best review and input for the suggested change.

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Construction Manual Updates

Types of Changes

Typically there are three types of Construction Manual update changes:

• Type 1: Spelling/Grammatical/Error Correction/Clarification Changes– These types of changes will not require additional approval processes or assembly of review teams.

By clarification the intent is best described in the following example:

The use of the acronym ITS throughout an article in the Wiki Constructional Manual. Shortly after publishing the article numerous calls come in asking what does ITS mean. The clarification would be a revision to the first occurrence of ITS in the article to appear as Intelligent Transportation System (ITS).

• Type 2: Minor Process Changes – These could be updates in a form required for inspection with instructions on how to complete the form. Items to be aware of during inspection of an item of work etc.

• Type 3: Major Changes – Changes that will have a statewide impact to the delivery of the program either monetarily, staffing, equipment, procedural, material and documentation requirements. Type 3 Major Changes are noted in the Major Changes Table on the main page and included in the Construction Manual Quarterly updates sent to the CFS listserv.

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Construction Manual Update Review Process

The Wiki format allows for the Construction Manual to be continuously updated to remain current with changing practice. CFS has been communicating information on new and/or updated procedures and processes through Construction Manual Updates (CMU). The process for revising the Construction Manual is based on the impact that the change will have and is defined below:

Type 1: Spelling/Grammatical/Clarification Change

• These changes do not require additional approval processes.

Type 2: Minor Process Changes

• This may require assembly of a team of subject matter experts to review the wording and create any supporting information for the change.
• An independent review by another content manager or other unit within the department should be conducted as a check for understandability of the revision and to verify that the revision is not a major change.
• Approval by the Engineer of CFS is required prior to publishing a type 2 change to the Wiki Construction Manual. The Engineer of CFS will determine if the change should be coordinated with the FHWA and discuss with an FHWA representative before approval if necessary.

Type 3: Major changes that have a statewide impact to the delivery of the program.

• Once a suggested major change is submitted to the content manager, a team of subject matter experts is assembled to review the suggested change for technical merit, economic impact, staffing impact, industry impacts, etc. This same team will provide comments on the content of the update.
• If it is deemed that the change is beneficial or required of the department then the content manager will format the revision following a style that is similar for that section of the Construction Manual.
• The CFS Construction Administration Section will then submit the update for a two week region review period.
• Once all comments are received they will be addressed by the author and provided back to the Construction Administration Engineer
• The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will then review and approve the proposed changes.
• Final Approval will come from the Region Engineer Liaisons to the Bureau of Field Services (BFS), and BFS Leadership (Bureau Director, Engineer of Construction Field Services and TSMO Division Administrator)
• Final changes will then be published in the Construction Manual, and logged in the Major Change table.
• For major changes a GovDelivery email will also be sent to CFS listserv users.

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