Chapter 14 - Procedures

Road Design Manual

Chapters

Chapter 1 - Plan Development

Chapter 2 - Grades & Earthwork

Chapter 3 - Geometrics

Chapter 4 - Drainage

Chapter 5 - Right-of-Way

Chapter 6 - Surfacing

Chapter 7 - Appurtenances

Chapter 8 - Maintaining Traffic

Chapter 9 - Utilities

Chapter 10 - Environmental

Chapter 11 - Specifications and Special Provisions

Chapter 12 - Miscellaneous Roads

Chapter 13 - Miscellaneous Pay Items

Chapter 14 - Procedures

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14.01 GENERAL

The following list is a basic outline of the road design plan development process. The sequence is not intended to be a rigid format that must be adhered to, but instead, a guide that is flexible enough to apply to all projects. Small projects may not require all the steps, whereas, large projects may require additional meetings, reviews, etc. to properly develop a complete plan/proposal package with input from all the appropriate disciplines. Project Managers should consider value added versus resources expended when omitting, revising, or adding steps to the process.

Numbers in parentheses after a heading refer to a corresponding or similar PPMS Task Number and/or Milestone Number. For additional information, reference to the PPMS Manual and individual task descriptions is encouraged.

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14.02 DESIGN PACKAGE EVALUATIONS

During the plan development process there are several intermediate stages when evaluations of the plans and/or proposal are required. These are to provide feedback to the Project Manager and others who supply information that is included in the plan/proposal package in order to continuously improve the quality of the final package. The evaluations are done for both in house and consultant designed projects.

Evaluations are entered into a web application, which is periodically sorted and analyzed. Recurring problems are identified and assigned to a team responsible for developing a corrective action, and upon approval, overseeing its implementation.

Please visit the Design Package Evaluation page on the MDOT Web site to register and request access to the Design Package Evaluation DPE application.

The stages at which evaluations are done, who does the evaluations are listed below:

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14.02.01 Scope Verification

Evaluation of Concept Statement/Engineering Report Recommendation in Conjunction with Scope Verification

Design Unit Leader/Consultant Coordinator FHWA Oversight – Optional

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14.02.02 Final Right-of-Way

Final ROW Review Submittal Review

Quality Assurance

Development Services Division – Project Development Services

Region/TSC Real Estate Agent

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14.02.03 THE Plan Review

Design/Construction Package Evaluation

Quality Assurance

Resident /Delivery Engineer

Project Initiator

Region/TSC System Manager

FHWA Oversight - Optional

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14.02.04 Omission/Errors/Check (OEC) Meeting

Design/Construction Package Evaluation

Quality Assurance

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14.02.05 Pre Construction Meeting

Design/Construction Package Evaluation

Low Bidder

Resident/Delivery Engineer

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14.02.06 Post Construction Meeting

Design/Construction Package Evaluation

Design Unit Leader/Consultant Coordinator

Resident/Delivery Engineer

Prime Contractor

Sub Contractors

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14.03 ESTIMATES

14.03.01 Definitions

Program Estimates - Cost estimates made prior to the assignment of a project for preliminary and final design.

Preliminary Cost Estimates - Cost estimates made at any time during plan development but prior to plan completion.

Engineers Estimate - Cost estimate based on final quantities reviewed by the Specifications and Estimates Unit of the Design Division.

Pay Item - The name used to describe an item of work for a project.

Unit Price - The price estimated as the cost to complete one unit of a pay item.

Pay Item Number - A standard pay item number assigned to a pay item for use in TrnsPort PES and other automated systems.

Method of Measurement - The method used to measure material or work used on a project. Measurement can be by unit, lump sum, or at times included in the measurement for other items.

TrnsPort (PES/LAS/CAS) - TrnsPort is an AASHTO software system used for managing transportation programs and is a series of computer program modules. It is used to record and analyze data from the design, estimating, letting, award, and construction processes. MDOT has adopted the following four modules at this time.

1. Proposal and Estimating System (PES) - Is used by Design to enter the initial project information (pay items and quantities) and produce an estimate of the construction cost using Average Unit Prices (AUP).
2. Letting and Award System (LAS) - Is used by the Contract Services Division to produce documentation and information used in advertising, letting, and awarding the contract.
3. Construction and Administration System (CAS) - Is used by construction and utilizes Field Manager to track pay items and quantities in construction.
4. Decision and Support System (DSS) - Is used by the Specifications and Estimates Unit to analyze bid data and to determine average unit prices (bid-based prices) when generating detailed cost estimates.

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14.03.02 Program Estimates

Program estimates are usually made by Region/TSC personnel during the "Call-For-Projects" stage. These early estimates are broken down by major work items, such as; grading, pavement and shoulders, safety items, utilities, drainage, and so forth. Program estimates should be as complete and accurate as possible using such data as type of project, length, historical data, special features, etc. The program estimate is used by the Bureau of Transportation Planning to budget money for the project.

TrnsPort PES is available for use by Region System Managers and Region/TSC Design Engineers when preparing cost estimates. These program estimates are sent to Lansing with the Call-For-Projects submittals. When preparing these program estimates, only major pay item quantities would be estimated and inserted into the program under the proper code number. The resulting construction cost could then be adjusted to include miscellaneous unnamed pay items and for inflation. Use of TrnsPort would ensure that uniform and current unit prices would be used by all Region/TSCs for program cost estimates.

Program estimates should be reviewed by the Design Unit upon project assignment and during scope verification. This review should determine any obvious errors or omissions and/or if the estimate is reasonable. If the estimate is not reasonable, the Region/TSC or the author of the scope needs to obtain an approved cost increase or decrease, or re-scope the project. This needs to be completed before beginning the design.

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14.03.03 Preliminary Estimates

Preliminary estimates are made periodically throughout the design of the project to update the estimated cost. Design revisions, changes in scope, and changes in project limits all can contribute to increases or decreases in the cost of the project. Changes in cost should be reviewed with the Region System Manager. If the change is sizable, a request to increase or decrease the programmed amount should be sent to the Bureau of Transportation Planning. Increases should be requested as early as possible to avoid a project delay.

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14.03.04 Engineer's Estimate

The Engineer's Estimate is the final cost estimate prepared by design before letting. The estimator uses the final quantities, plans and proposal material to estimate the unit prices and project costs. This is the official estimate used by the department to determine if the low bid is reasonable.

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14.05 PROJECT STUDY TEAM

A Project Study Team is normally formed for all New Routes/Increased Capacity projects and comprises representatives of a number of divisions from various bureaus within MDOT, as well as the FHWA. The purpose of the team is to develop improvement alternatives for evaluation based on environmental, social, community and regional planning, engineering, traffic operations, safety, construction and right of way cost criteria. The goal of the Study Team is to reach a consensus, based on the evaluation of alternatives, on a recommended course of action for MDOT management approval. The recommendation must be consistent with MDOT strategies and goals.

The Study Team Chairperson is the Project Manager who is responsible for assembling the Project Study Team and who is usually from the Project Development Section of the Design Division. The Road Design Representative on the Study Team will normally be a Design Engineer-Road. The assignment is made similar to that described in Section 14.06 (Project Assignment) of this chapter.

The Road Design Representative is assigned to a Project Study Team to provide practical design information during the Early Preliminary Engineering phase (EPE) when alternatives are developed and analyzed. The Road Design Representative on the Study Team will review all proposed alternatives and recommendations based on criteria of Design Standards and Guides, professional judgement, and construction procedures, and provide studies and cost estimates as may be required. As a Project Study Team member, the Road Design Representative fills an important role in the consensus building process. Such involvement and knowledge of a project’s development during the EPE phase can be an invaluable tool since often the Design Engineer-Road is assigned the project once the Preliminary Engineering phase (PE) is initiated.

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14.06 PROJECT ASSIGNMENT

MDOT projects that are ready to be designed are sent to the Engineer of Road Design, who determines whether the project is to be designed by Lansing Road Design, by a Region/TSC design unit or by a consultant. The project is then assigned and authority transmitted through MPINS to the appropriate Design Unit.

The Design Unit should check the Design Division correspondence files for any pertinent documents that may impact the design of the project. Also, the Design Unit should check to see that all information in both MPINS and MFOS is complete and correct on the electronic data screens for the project.

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14.07 PROJECT NUMBERS

A project identification system is used to identify projects. A typical project identification would be: NH50022-05675C.

Funding Identity: “NH” Identifies the funding category to which the project is being charged. See the Financial Systems Codes for a list of funds. (MDOT only, consultants contact your Project Manager)

Control Section: “50022" The first two digits identify the county (50-Macomb) and, in conjunction with the last three digits, define a specific section of trunkline, as shown in the Control Section Atlas-Report No. 42.

Job Number: “05675" A number assigned sequentially by MFOS. The digits in the number have no significance.

Phase: A phase letter, or lack of one (blank), identifies the stage of the project development process.

Additional information

1. A job number cannot be charged against until MFOS indicates the “C” phase has been authorized with a chargeable account number.
2. Time spent developing ROW plans is charged against the “B” phase.
3. FHWA has agreed that the “C” phase can be charged against up to one month after the letting date.
4. Charges occurring after the Pre-Construction Meeting should be made against the “A” phase.

The proper use of phases is outlined in the following table.

Phase Letter	Phase Name	Description	Examples / Notes
Blank	Early Preliminary Engineering	Work related to environmental clearance and classification of the project. Or Work related to study type projects. Or Work related to the design survey of the project. Or Work related to the scoping of the project. Or Work related to the operation of a transportation system component. Or Work that does not readily fit other phase definitions.	Note: design survey work can also be included in the C or D Phase. Traffic Operations Center (TOC) operations or maintenance.
A	Construction	Work related to the physical building of transportation system component.
B	Real Estate	Work related to the appraisal and acquisition of right-of-way necessary to construct a project, including planning and condemnation activities, and the relocation of displaced persons and personal property. Or Work related to the demolition of or preparation of property to construct the project.
C	Road Preliminary Design	Work related to the construction design of the road (non-structure) portion of the project.
D	Structures Preliminary Design	Work related to the construction design of the structure portion of the project.	Note: MPINS requires a structure number.
Z	Utility – Reimbursable Relocations	Work related to the project’s reimbursable utility relocations.

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14.07.01 Work Type Codes and Descriptions

Each project is assigned a three digit work type code during the Region Call-for-Projects process. The numbers correspond to the work descriptions listed below:

Preserve

Traffic Operations

110	Signing Replacement
111	Pavement Marking
112	Traffic Signals
113	Cantilevers/Trusses
114	Sign Replacement

Safety

119	Attenuators
120	Intersection Revisions
121	Lighting
122	Median Barriers
123	Guard Rails and Attenuators
124	Railroad Crossing Improvements and Safety Devices
125	Pedestrian Screening on Structures
126	Obstacle Removal
127	Culvert Extensions
128	Safety Upgrading-Slope Flattening
129	Widening for Accident Reduction

Bridge Rehabilitation

130	Deck Replacement
131	Overlay
132	Railing Replacement
133	Painting
134	Underwater Repairs
135	Widening-Maintain Same # of Lanes
136	Pins and Hangers
137	Superstructure Replacement
138	Bridge Reconstruction-No Added Lanes
139	Miscellaneous Rehabilitation
140	Resurfacing
141	Resurfacing and Hot Mix Asphalt Shoulders
142	Resurface-Mill and/or Pulverize
143	Resurface and Minor Widening
144	Resurface and Non-Motorized Shoulders
145	Resurface, Mill and Pulverize and Minor Widening
146	Resurface and Drainage Improvements
147	Resurface and Curb And Gutter
148	Hot Mix Asphalt Recycling

Restoration and Rehabilitation

150	Recycling Existing Concrete Pavement
151	Hot Mix Asphalt Shoulders
152	Drainage Correction, Culvert Correction
153	Pumphouse Reconstruction/Placement
154	Superelevation Correction
155	Cracking and Surfacing Over Old Pavement
156	Concrete Overlay
157	Pavement Patching
158	Longitudinal and Transverse Joint Repairs
159	Miscellaneous Rehabilitation (Ramps)

Reconstruction

160	Reconstruct Existing, No Widening, Including Interchanges
161	Reconstruct for Sight Distance
162	Interchange Reconstruction Only

Minor Widening

171	Left Turn Lane
172	Right Turn Lane
173	Additional Lanes – Up to ½ mile
174	Passing Relief Lanes – Less than 1½ miles

Roadside Facilities

182	Sanitary Modernization (Sewerage)
183	Building Repair – Major Rest Area, Welcome Center
184	Fence Repair or Replacement in Kind
185	Misc. Roadside
186	Resurface Parking Area
187	Weigh Station Modernization
188	Landscaping Replacement
191	Carpool Lots - Upgrade
192	Drainage Assessments
193	Studies
199	General Miscellaneous

ADDITIONAL CAPACITY

210	Addition of one or more Lanes over ½ mile long
212	Reconstruct and Add Lanes
213	Interchange Upgrading

Bridge Replacement

220	Structure – Add Lanes
222	Structure and Approach – Add Lanes

Roadside Facilities

240	Landscaping - New
241	Building Expansion – Rest Area Welcome Center, Weigh Station
242	Non-Motorized Path (apart from roadbed)
243	Parking Area Expansion
244	Noise Barrier - Type I - Required
245	Fence Upgrading
246	New Carpool Lots or Exp. of Existing
247	New Rest Area on Existing Route

NEW ROUTES

310	New Routes
311	New Structure on New Route
312	Sound Barrier – Type II – Voluntary
313	Rest Area on New or Relocated Route
314	Welcome Center
315	Weigh Station
316	Sound Barrier – Type I (Required on New Facility)
317	Landscaping New Facility

Relocation

320	Relocation
321	New Structure on Relocated Route

Roadside Facilities

330	Sound Barrier-Type II-Voluntary
331	Rest Area on New or Relocated Route
332	Welcome Center
333	Weigh Station
334	Sound Barrier – Type II (Required on New Facility)
335	Landscaping New Facility
340	New Interchange on Existing Route
341	New Structure on Existing Route

Miscellaneous

410	Warning Signs Replacement
412	Signals Support Replacement
421	Lighting Standard Replacement
423	Guardrail Repair
430	Expansion Joint Replacement
431	Deck Waterproofing
433	Spot Painting
437	Superstructure Correction (Repair)
440	Seal Coat
441	Slurry Seal
442	Hot Mix Patches
443	Thin HMA Overlay (<150 lb/yd2)
444	Pavement Grinding
450	Concrete Joint Repair
451	3' HMA Shoulders
452	Culvert Replacement
453	Ditch Clean out
454	Slurry Seal-Shoulders Only
455	Seal Coat-Shoulders Only
456	Crack Sealing
457	Concrete Joint Resealing
459	Miscellaneous Rehabilitation
481	Sidewalk Repairs – Rest Areas/Welcome Centers
482	Sewer Alterations – Minor – Rest Areas/Welcome Centers
483	Building Alterations-Minor - Rest Areas/Welcome Centers
484	Fence Repair – In Kind
485	Parking Area Resurface – Thin Only
489	Miscellaneous Roadside
491	Resurface Carpool Lots
492	Resurface Non-Motorized Path-Patching
493	Grinding Tipped Joints
499	Miscellaneous

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14.08 ACTIVATION OF “C” PHASE

(PPMS Task Description #2560)

Once an assignment is made, the Project Manager must activate funding for that project prior to charging any costs to the project. This is done by accessing MFOS (Financial Obligation System) and entering additional information and/or revising existing information previously entered into the system. Information that may be added/revised includes:

• Job Location
• Character of Work
• Type of Job
• City
• County
• Urban Area
• Type of Highway
• Type of Improvement
• Length
• Highway System

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14.09 MDOT OVERSIGHT / FHWA OVERSIGHT

Under the stewardship agreement between MDOT and FHWA certain projects may be declared exempt (have “MDOT Oversight”). An “MDOT Oversight” declaration places the responsibility on the Department for verifying that all rules, regulations, standards, guidelines, etc. have been adhered to during the plan development process. Oversight is determined according to the following tables.

3R and 4R Projects are defined in Section 3.08.

Any questions regarding the status of projects should be directed to the appropriate FHWA Area Engineer.

OVERSIGHT FOR FEDERAL-AID PROJECTS

INTERSTATE SYSTEM
	NEW / CONSTRUCTION (4R)		3R
DOLLAR LIMIT	< $1 Million	≥ $1 Million	< $5 Million	≥ $5 Million
OVERSIGHT	MDOT **	FHWA	MDOT	FHWA-Negotiated *

NHS OTHER THAN INTERSTATE
	NEW / CONSTRUCTION (4R)		3R
DOLLAR LIMIT	< $5 Million	≥ $5 Million	< $5 Million	≥ $5 Million
OVERSIGHT	MDOT **	FHWA	MDOT	FHWA-Negotiated *

NON-NHS
OVERSIGHT	MDOT has oversight of the complete program regardless of dollar limit

*	MDOT and FHWA will mutually agree on the projects oversight responsibility. Project oversight determination will normally be done at the fall Systems Managers Meeting and reviewed again no later than the scope verification stage of the project.
**	FHWA has preliminary plan approval (TS&L) responsibility for all major and unusual bridges and structures on the NHS.

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14.10 SCOPE VERIFICATION MEETING

PPMS Task Description 3130)
(PPMS Milestone 312M)

Once a project is assigned, the Project Manager should request from the office that scoped the project, a copy of the scoping documents. These documents may include such items as a completed copy of the appropriate scoping forms and checklists, the project concept statement, pavement coring information, a cost estimate a sketch of the proposed typical cross section(s) and a preliminary survey. The initial PPMS Network should also be available. The Project Manager will then gather the necessary old plans, utility information, traffic data and other useful background information and develop a preliminary cost estimate and compare it to the programmed cost. When sufficient information is available, the Project Manager will request the Region/System Manager to schedule the Scope Verification Meeting.

If this preliminary estimate differs significantly from the programmed cost, the Project Manager should discuss increasing the programmed cost, changing the scope of work and/or reducing the project limits at the Scope Verification Meeting. Consensus should be reached at, or as soon as possible after, this meeting to minimize lost design time and to avoid a possible delay of the project

Prior to or at the Scope Verification Meeting the Project Manager should verify that the “Pavement Design and Selection Policy” has been followed as described in Section 6.01.06. Depending on the type of fix and estimated paving cost, a Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) may also be required. If the procedure has not been followed, the Project Manager should contact the Pavement Design Engineer or Region/TSC Soils Engineer to initiate adherence to the policy.

In order to insure that everyone understands and agrees with the proposed scope of work, it is essential that all the disciplines and work centers that will be involved in the development of the project be invited to this meeting. This will minimize possible “scope creep” and reduce the number of redesigns by verifying and documenting the scope of work as early as possible in the design process. Recommended attendees include:

Project Manager

Unit Leader(s)

Environmental - Project Planning Division (BTP)

Geometrics Unit

Construction Field Services Division

FHWA (FHWA Oversight)

System Manager

Region/TSC

Design/Development / Engineer

Traffic and Safety

Soils/Materials

Utilities/Permits

Resident/Delivery Engineer

Maintenance

Development Services Division (if applicable)

Survey (if Right of Way is to be acquired or as otherwise applicable)

The Project Manager will write and distribute the meeting minutes. Copies should be sent to the Region/TSC System Manager, the Environmental Section in the Bureau of Transportation Planning and all attendees to the meeting.

If this meeting results in a revised scope of work and/or an increase in the project cost, it is the responsibility of the office that originally scoped the project to revise the project scope and/or schedule and request reprogramming of the project.

NOTE: At this stage, the Project Manager should check to see if the project is required to be on the STIP (Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan). This may be done by accessing:

MPINS

Job Locator

Job (type in job number)

Road/Bridge Info

[ I ]

If the STIP Req. indicates yes, the project is required to be on the STIP. If the STIP Ind. has 9800 or 9901,etc. The project has been placed on the 3 year STIP indicated. If the STIP Ind. is blank, but the STIP Proposed indicates yes, the project has been proposed for placement on the latest STIP. Project Managers needing clarification concerning the status of the STIP should contact Statewide Planning Section of the Statewide Transportation Planning Division in the Bureau of Transportation Planning.

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14.11 DESIGN EXCEPTIONS

The Project Manager should request that Design Exception folders be created in ProjectWise under the project number by e-mailing MDOT-Eproposal@michigan.gov with a link to the project or by providing the TSC and the Job Number. Consultant access to ProjectWise should also be requested at this time, if necessary. Three DE folders (MDOT, PoDI, & File Only) will be created for each project, based on possible oversight and type of Design Exception. The folders will be located under “Supporting Documents” and “Design Exception”. For each design exception submitted, the Project Manager should place a single Adobe (.pdf) file (no attachments) containing the Design Exception Form, a site specific crash analysis, and other supporting documents into the folder which matches the project oversight and Design Exception type. The Design Exception Form should be flattened (no longer fillable). However, the Project Manager should also save a copy of the fillable form for future revisions. Changing the "state" of the document to "next" will shift control of the document to the Design Exception Coordinator for comments. The Project Manager should address the e-mail that appears after changing state, to the DE Coordinator (while maintaining the E-proposal address) to indicate that a Design Exception has been submitted A similar return e-mail indicates that control has shifted back to the Project Manager with comments provided. Revised documents should be inserted into the Adobe file with comment sheets deleted. Electronic signatures are added to the Design Exception, Crash Analysis, and Crash Analysis Approval Memo (if necessary) only after all changes are made and the documents are ready to be reviewed by the Engineer of Design.

For projects with “MDOT Oversight” (formerly known as exempt projects), the completed Design Exception Request (Form FC26) must be approved and signed by the Engineer of Design Programs. For Projects of Division Interest (PoDI), (formerly known as “FHWA Oversight” or non-exempt projects), the completed Design Exception Request (Form FC26) must be approved and signed by the Engineer of Design Programs and subsequently approved by the FHWA Area Engineer. The Design Exception Request (Form FC26) and instructions (Form FC26Instructions) for completing the form are available on the MDOT website. A signed copy of the Design Exception Request (Form FC26) should be placed in the project file.

For additional information see Sections 3.09.02C, 3.10.03, 3.11.02D and 3.11.03B.

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14.12 REQUEST FOR SURVEY / MAPPING

(PPMS Task Descriptions 3310, 3320, 3330, 3340, 3350 & 4510)

Once the scope is verified, the need for a ground survey and/or aerial photography and/or laser scanning for mapping should be determined. Requests for this work can be made by the Region System Manager, Project Manager, or the Design Unit Leader. Ideally, the need for, and the requirements of, survey and mapping on a project should be discussed and agreed upon at the Scope Verification Meeting.

If Right of Way may be acquired for the project, an early control survey should be ordered immediately to enable Real Estate personnel to begin landowner contact and reduce the timeline through the critical path. This early control survey would consist of horizontal survey control being set throughout the project area, government corners being tied in to the coordinate system, and enough property corners being tied to develop approximate non-legal ROW and property lines throughout the project area.

The Survey/Mapping Action Request (Form 0226) should be used to initiate the work. If survey and/or mapping work was ordered and completed during the Call-for-Projects process and additional information is required, a pick-up survey can be ordered using the above forms.

All survey requests should be directed to the Supervising Land Surveyor or Region Surveyor. The Region will decide whether to do the project themselves or request assistance from Lansing survey staff, either in the field or in the hiring consultant surveyors. This should be done as soon as possible to allow for the survey and mapping to be completed in a timely manner that does not impact the project’s critical path.

When ordering survey or mapping work for complex projects, the requestor should consider all the disciplines involved and consolidate all of the survey needs prior to submitting a request. These disciplines may include such areas as bridges, hydraulics, utilities, electrical, railroads, signals, ADA, etc. This can save considerable time and effort by eliminating additional pick-up surveys and the resulting complications created when tying in multiple survey alignments and data.

Coordination of field survey data is necessary to support design. In order to ensure the necessary detail and accuracy for a set of plans, the Project Manager should discuss all requirements with the Supervising Land Surveyor or designated Survey Project Manager of Photogrammetry and Surveys. This will allow the most efficient methods to be used to obtain the field data.

Listed below are definitions for the different types of survey information that may be requested on the Survey/Mapping Action Request (Form 0226).

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14.12.01 Road

Alignment

Typically, there are three different types of data described as ‘Horizontal Alignments’ that are used for MDOT design, any of which may or may not be considered a legal alignment. These three types of alignments are: Survey, As Constructed, and Construction.

Survey Alignment: Historically, a survey alignment was primarily used as a baseline for locating topographic features, cross-sections, etc., along a proposed route. This was an alignment provided to or created by survey crews to lay out a preliminary location and collect data relative to that route.

As-Constructed Alignment: This is frequently referred to as a “best fit” alignment, which represents the physical road location at a specific point in time. These alignments are typically computed using survey points collected along the actual roadway centerline (crack, crown, paint stripe, curb split, etc.).

Construction Alignment: An alignment developed for the purpose of constructing a roadway. The construction alignment is proposed by an engineer. Additional R.O.W. needed for a project was frequently described from this alignment.

Legal vs. Non-legal
A legal alignment defines actual location of the Right-of-Way based on a survey alignment, as constructed alignment, and/or a construction alignment as referenced in property descriptions, conveyances, i.e. legal documents. It is considered a property controlling entity similar in standing to government section lines. A legal alignment is often used as a basic part of these descriptions. A survey to re-establish the location of the legal alignment is necessary when the purchase of additional R.O.W. is required, or the designer wishes to know where the existing R.O.W. is located to avoid acquiring additional R.O.W. There may be several “legal” alignments on any particular project from which different parcels have been purchased over time. Considerable research and survey work may be required. The legal alignment and the physical centerline may not coincide. Generally, if property is purchased, the Department’s past policy has been to describe the conveyance from the construction alignment, potentially creating yet another “legal” alignment. In order to minimize the creation of multiple legal alignments and thereby the confusion and added cost of future surveys, future R.O.W. acquisitions should be based on previously established legal alignments whenever possible.

A non-legal alignment is used primarily to locate features for the purpose of design. It can be considered a line that provides direction and stationing for locating features, determining quantities, and staking out the project. A non-legal alignment is not intended to relate to the location of the Right-of-Way and is not used for property acquisition.

MDOT Alignment Standard
Alignments will be designated only as legal or non-legal by the surveyor/engineer. Differentiation and perpetuation of existing alignments will be done through annotation. Design alignment deliverables will be designated on CAD levels as
Ali_Legal_Line_GS or
Ali_NonLegal_Line
for MDOT_01 workspace
and
Geom_Horiz_Legal_Wt0_Line_GS,
Geom_Horiz_Legal_Wt1_Line_GS,
Geom_Horiz_NonLegal_Wt0_Line_GS,
Geom_Horiz_NonLegal_Wt1_Line_GS
for MDOT_02 workspace in MicroStation for the plan alignment sheets.

Bench Marks: Points of known elevation. Bench marks are usually set along a project at a given interval to provide the construction crews elevations from which to work. May be an assumed (elev. = 300.000 ft), National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD 1929) or North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 1988, which is most current and recommended).

Drainage: Data specific to surface and underground storm drainage and related features. This usually includes a separate report describing any existing or potential problems, location and direction of flow of surface drainage, and underground storm systems.

Government Corners: Monuments representing the locations of the corners as originally set as part of the United States Public Land Survey System (USPLSS). These corners control the location of nearly all property boundaries. Preservation and perpetuation of these monuments is required by state law.

Hydraulic Survey: A cross section survey used to analyze the flood flow and capacity of a given stream which helps to determine the design parameters of a stream crossing structure. (The Engineer of Hydraulics should always be consulted whenever this type of survey data is required.

Photo Control: X, Y and Z coordinate data on target points specified by Photogrammetry for the purpose of controlling aerial mapping. This process is very similar to that used to control laser scan mapping.

Planimetric Mapping: The act of locating all topographic features (by coordinates) for the purpose of creating a map. This is analogous to station plus and offset information. Typically, when speaking of planimetrics, this does not include terrain data (elevation/cross section). In practice, this information is collected together with the terrain data to produce a three dimensional model of the surface.

Plat Maps: Legal maps that indicate the description, easements, layout and dimensions of a platted subdivision and its included lots. These documents are recorded and on file with the County Register of Deeds.

Property Owners: Owners of property adjacent to a roadway or bridge.

Property Ties: Survey measurements that relate the location of existing property corners and or government corners to the alignment and horizontal coordinate system.

Riparian Owners: Property owners adjacent to a lake, stream or river that may have some rights to the bottom lands of such a body of water or stream. Riparian ownership and contact information is usually required for the four quadrants around a bridge over water.

Terrain Mapping: The act of mapping the surface of the earth to determine the location and elevation of the ground features. This results in the creation of a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and/or Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) from which cross sections may be calculated. Usually collected at the same time as the planimetric data.

Utilities: Public and privately owned structures in place to carry electric, telephone, water, sanitary sewers, etc. Utility information would typically include ownership, location, rim and flow line elevations and pipe directions.

Other: Any other miscellaneous information.

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14.12.02 Bridge

Alignment: Same as Road but should include exact stationing of the reference points (intersection of abutment and pier reference lines with the as-constructed alignment.

Angle of Crossing of Substructure: The angle at which the reference lines of the structure cross the as-constructed roadway alignment.

Bench Marks: Same as Road. Bench Marks should be left in the vicinity of the bridge structure on both sides of the crossing.

Bridge Seat Elevation: Elevations of the top of the abutment/pier that supports bearing pads/bridge beams.

Bridge Survey: A survey of a bridge structure. This survey often requires sketches in plan and elevation view, and diagrams to illustrate all critical dimensions, in addition to Microstation planimentric and terrain mapping.

Dimension of Existing Sub-structure Elements: Physical measurements of the abutments, piers, wingwalls, etc. such as width, length, face to face and height above natural ground, amount of cover and so on. Specific needs should be noted by the requestor.

Dimensions of Existing Superstructure Elements: Physical measurements of deck width, and length thickness, sidewalk and curb dimensions (face-face, width, height, etc.), bridge railing type and dimensions.

Property Ties: Same as road.

Riparian Owners: Same as road.

Top of Footing Elevation: Elevations of existing bridge footings. Usually requires probing and/or digging for location. Often difficult or impossible to find.

Topography: Typically describes planimetric and terrain features together. The planimetric detail should include the bridge deck as a feature. The terrain data should model the surface as though the deck did not exist. This should result in contours that accurately represent the surface of the ground.

Under clearance Elevation: Elevations of the bottom of the existing bridge beams. Normally taken over pavement edges and lane lines for grade separations. For design purposes, minimum vertical clearance must be maintained over the complete usable shoulder. See Section 3.12. For stream crossings the elevations would typically be taken over the intersection of the ground with the sub-structure units and over the highest low beam. The underclearance is then the difference between the elevation of the beams and the elevation of the appropriate feature below them. Any special locations should be noted in the request.

Utilities: See Road. Any utilities attached to the structure itself should be noted.

Water Surface Elevation: Elevation of the exact surface of the water on a given date, taken at intervals up and down stream to determine stream gradient. The date each measurement is made must be recorded.

Other Elevations: Any other elevations required that are not covered above.

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14.13 PROJECT AREA CONTAMINATION SURVEY

The following interim procedures have been developed for identifying potential contaminated sites, conducting the necessary testing and estimating the cost of remediation.

1. The Project Manager sends a project description and location and requests a list of potential contaminated sites to both the Environmental Assessment Unit (EAU) in the Development Services Division and the Region/TSC Resource Specialist (RRS).
2. The EAU and PCU coordinate with the Region/TSC Resource Specialist to conduct a Project Area Contamination Survey (PCS) by searching state or local records, interviewing state and local officials and citizens.

   The Region/TSC Resource Specialist performs a visual inspection of the project area. The EAU and RRS notify the Project Manager.

3. If no known or potential sites are found, The Project Area Contamination Survey process terminates at this point. (The Project Manager would delete PPMS Task Description 2820 from the project PPMS network.)
4. If potential contamination sites do exist, the Project Manager adds the locations of the sites to the base plans and reviews the sites for conflicts with the proposed work. If the Project Manager determines the potential sites do not conflict with the proposed work, the Project Area Contamination Survey process terminates at this point. (The Project Manager would delete PPMS Task Description 2820 from the project PPMS network.)
5. If potential contamination sites conflict with the proposed work, the Project Manager requests the Grading/Drainage & Consulting Contracting Unit (G/DCCU) in the Construction Field Services Division to prepare a scope of field work with a cost estimate for the Project Manager.
6. The Project Manager reviews and approves the scope and cost estimate.
7. The G/DCCU prepares the Health and Safety Plan, obtains clearance from Miss Dig, and assembles or coordinates with the Region/TSC all necessary resources and personnel.
8. The G/DCCU conducts/coordinates borings, monitors well installation and/or sample collection as necessary to complete the field work.
9. The G/DCCU notifies the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) of any contaminated or hazardous materials found during field work.
10. The G/DCCU submits collected samples to MDOT or contracted laboratory for analysis, receives the results from the laboratory, reviews and interprets them.
11. If the data is insufficient to draw complete conclusions, the G/DCCU repeats steps 4-10 for further testing.
12. Utilizing all U. S. EPA and (MDEQ) guidance and policies, the G/DCCU develops and submits a report to the Project Manager and the Environmental Assessment Unit containing the location, nature, extent and volume of any contamination found and recommendations for dealing with it. Recommendations will include any permits or special procedures and/or provisions that are required and pay items with an estimate of construction costs relating to any contamination present.
13. The Project Manager incorporates the information in the plan/proposal package.

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14.14 REVIEW / REVISE PPMS NETWORK

Once the scope of work has been agreed upon, the original PPMS network submitted by the Project Initiator should be reviewed. At this time, the network may be revised to better represent the actual tasks and corresponding durations required during the design of the project. Durations of tasks should not be altered without first consulting the work center involved. Any change in the plan completion date, ROW certification date or the letting date should also be included in any change request submitted for scope of work or cost.

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14.15 CHANGE REQUEST (REVIEW OF PROJECT SCOPE, COST AND SCHEDULE)

Once the scope has been verified, any changes in cost, limits, work, schedule or funding should be submitted to the appropriate System Manager or Statewide Transportation Planning Division. This is done with a Project Authorization/Program Revision Request form (2604) either through MPINS or by paper. The guidelines for which is to be used are as follows:

• Any request to set up a new project or establish a new phase must be submitted through the paper process.
• Any request to delete either a project or a currently programmed phase must be submitted through the paper process.
• Any complex multiple project changes should be submitted through the paper process. This would include any splits, combines, transfers of road work or structures from one job to another.
• Any change to a currently programmed phase that is not of the type indicated in the first 3 above, may be submitted electronically through MPINS.
• Any general project information changes to currently programmed projects may be submitted electronically through MPINS.

If a revision to a project includes requests for items which may be submitted electronically and items which must be submitted through the paper process, the requests should be combined and processed through the paper process.

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14.16 REQUEST FOR UTILITY INFORMATION

(PPMS Task Description 3610)
(PPMS Milestone 311M)

This process outlines the responsibilities and procedures for gathering utility information early in a project’s design phase. Gathering utility information typically occurs after the project scope verification has been completed. For this procedure, utility is defined as any type of private, public, municipal, or county drain commission facility that is within or near the limits of the proposed construction project.

Capital preventive maintenance and pavement marking projects are examples of projects that do not require plan distribution to utilities. The project must not include any guardrail work or any work beyond the outside edge of the shoulder, or require any excavation, trenching, boring, etc., into the aggregate base or subbase material. The Project Manager shall evaluate each project and use discretion on whether plans need to be distributed for utility coordination.

Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) projects that use a consultant to provide the underground utility information may not need to follow this entire procedure. The Project Manager may need to coordinate this request for utility information with the SUE vender.

Procedure
Project Manager

1. Contact the TSC Utility Coordinator to request Letter Requesting Utility Information at Base Plan Stage, (Form 2480). Provide the following information:
   • Project Location
   • Scope of Work
   • Control Section(s)
   • Job Number(s)
   • Proposed Plan Completion Date
   • Consultant Information

     Note:

     When project information exceeds the allowed space on Form 2480 an additional document shall be supplied by the Project Manager detailing this information. The applicable field(s) on Form 2480 shall state “see attached sheet” when this occurs.

2. Receive the Cover Letter and all Form 2480 letters within 7 working days from the TSC Utility Coordinator.
3. Review and sign Form 2480 letters
4. Send Form 2480 letters and plans to the utilities with courtesy copies to TSC Utility Coordinator.

   Note:

   Old plans, Right-of-Way maps, or MDOT Construction Base Plans are acceptable for sending to the utilities. The plans must provide the project’s location and limits of work. Vicinity maps may be included for general information, but shall not be used as the sole project plans as they provide inadequate information for the utilities to plot their facilities. This includes log jobs that may affect a utility.

5. Receive returned Form 2480 and plans from the TSC Utility Coordinator

   Note:

   The TSC Utility Coordinator will follow-up with non-responsive utilities and provide a status to the Project Manager.

6. Plot all utility facilities on the Preliminary Plans.

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14.17 FAA OBSTRUCTION EVALUATION

Federal regulation (14 CFR Part 77.9) requires notification with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) when construction alteration, or activity is planned in a zone that may impact aircraft flight operations. This may include changes in grades, structure elevations, lighting, towers, crane heights, etc.

Notification must be filed for any of the following conditions:

• Any construction or alteration exceeding 200 ft. above ground level
• Any construction or alteration:
  • Within 20,000 ft. of a public use or military airport which exceeds a 100:1 surface from any point on the runway of each airport with its longest runway more than 3,200 ft.
  • Within 10,000 ft. of a public use or military airport which exceeds a 50:1 surface from any point on the runway of each airport with its longest runway no more than 3,200 ft.
  • Within 5,000 ft. of a public use heliport which exceeds a 25:1 surface.
• Any highway, railroad or other traverse way whose prescribed adjusted height would exceed the above noted standards.
• When requested by the FAA.
• Any construction or alteration located on a public use airport or heliport regardless of height or location.

The notice can be filed either by mail or electronically on the FAA Obstruction Evaluation / Airspace Analysis website.

The website features a “Notice Criteria Tool” to assist in determining if a project location is in a zone of influence requiring notification. If the results produced by the tool are inconsistent with known vicinity location information, they should be verified by requesting assistance from MDOT's Office of Aeronautics, Planning and Development Section.

The Project Manager should determine as soon as possible if a notification is required. If a notification is required, it should be filed prior to OEC to allow the FAA to make a determination early enough to accommodate any conflicts. Allow 45 days from the time of submittal for FAA review.

Questions regarding the filing requirement or procedure should be directed to the Aeronautics Division, Planning and Development Section. Notices that require special airspace study may take up to 120 days.

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14.18 PAVEMENT DESIGN

After the scope verification meeting, the Project Manager should determine the estimated pavement costs of the project. Depending on the type of work and estimated cost, a Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) may be required. This along with the actual pavement design will be done by either the Region/TSC Pavement Design Engineer or the Operations Unit of the Construction Field Services Division – Pavement Operations. Those done by the Operations Unit must be submitted for approval to the Engineering Operations Committee (EOC). See Section 6.01.06.

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14.19 REQUEST FOR PAVEMENT CORES / SOIL BORINGS

(PPMS Task Description #’s 3110 & 3510)

Most projects will require pavement core information, especially those involving pavement removal, rubblizing, crushing and shaping and/or cold milling. This information is useful not only in verifying the type of fix but also in assisting the Contractor in developing their bid prices. Pavement cores should be requested as soon as possible after the Scope Verification Meeting. The Project Manager should check with the Region/TSC involved to find out if cores were taken during the Call-for-Projects process.

When requesting pavement cores the Project Manager should include the following:

• Set of plans
• Description of what information is needed
• Desired location
• A target date when the information is needed

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14.20 RECEIPT OF SURVEY / MAPPING DATA

(PPMS Task Description #’s 3310, 3320, 3330, 3340, 3350 & 4510)

When the survey or mapping work is submitted, the Supervising Land Surveyor or Region Surveyor forwards the data, notes, maps, etc. to the requestor in electronic format unless requested otherwise. This could be the initial survey ordered during the Call-for-Projects process or a pick-up survey with specific information not identified in the initial survey.

Photogrammetric and laser scan will be sent directly to ProjectWise. A transmittal memo with the map file names to be used on the project is sent to the requestor as notification the mapping has been completed.

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14.21 BRIDGE REVIEW

Although the procedures discussed under Bridge Review should, ideally, occur during the scoping and Call-for-Projects process, the coordination described below should still be done during the initial stages of the design phase until the development of the Bridge Program is totally integrated into the Call-for-Projects process. This may sometimes eliminate any oversights during the programming of projects or due to scheduling changes of ongoing projects.

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14.21.01 Review by Bridge Design

Whenever there are structures within the limits of a project, regardless of the scope of work, Bridge Design should be notified. The notification should be in the form of a memo to the Bridge Management Engineer initiating a review of those structures to determine if any design work is presently ongoing, being planned, or might be considered at each structure. The Bridge Management Engineer will contact Operations Field Services Division to determine if periodic inspections have revealed the need for structure repair or upgrading. This insures any future construction is coordinated and possibly consolidated thereby reducing PE and CE costs as well as minimizing the number of disruptions to traffic.

The following information should be relayed to the Bridge Management Unit:

• Control Section
• Job Number
• Route Number
• Location-Project Limits
• Proposed Scope of Work
• All Structures within the project limits
  • names of crossroad/stream crossed by structure
  • structure/bridge number
• Project Manager
• Proposed Plan Completion Date
• Proposed Letting Date

After the review is completed, the Bridge Management Engineer will inform the Project Manager in writing of any recommended work on each structure.

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14.21.02 Historic Bridges

The following structures have been classified as historic bridges. Prior to initiating any design work on one of these structures, the Project Manager should contact the Project Planning Division in the Bureau of Transportation Planning. Any design restrictions should be identified as early in the design phase as possible.

BRIDGE	CROSSING	ROUTE
02041-B01	Sand River	M-28
05031-B01	Intermediate River	M-88
07012-B02	Sturgeon River	US-41
09032-B01	E. Channel-Saginaw River	M-13/M-84
10032-R01	Ann Arbor RR	US-31
11021-B02	St. Joseph River	US-12
11053-B01	St. Joseph River	M-63
15012-B01	Island Lake Outlet	US-31
16081-B03	Cheboygan River	US-23
17032-B02	Power Canal (Ashmun St.)	I-75BS
17034-B01	St. Mary River&Portage Ave. W.	I-75
17062-B01	E. Br. Tahquemenon River	M-28
20012-B01	Au Sable River	I-75BL
22023-B01	Sturgeon River	US-2
22031-B01	Menominee River	US-141
24011-B01	Bear Creek	US-31/M-68
26011-B03	Cedar Creek	M-18
31012-B01	Portage Lake	US-41&Soo RR
33021-B01	Sycamore Creek	M-36
33032-R01	GTW RR& Red Cedar River	I-96BL
34081-R01	Mid. Michigan RR	M-44/M-91
35012-B02	Au Sable River	M-65
36022-B01	Iron River	US-2
36023-B01	Paint River	M-69
41042-B01	Plaster Creek	M-21
41081-B01	Grand River	M-45(Fulton St.)
42012-B02	Fanny Hooe Creek	US-41
42021-B03	Eagle River	M-26(Ped. Only)
45041-B01	Lake Leelanau Narrows	M-204
46032-B02	Silver Creek	M-156
49023-B01	Cut River	US-2
50051-B01	Clinton River	M-3SB
51011-B01	Manistee River	US-31
51021-B03	Pine River	M-55
55011-B01	Menominee River	US-41
58151-R03	Conrail RR & W. Raison River	I-75
58151-S11	Dunbar Road	I-75
58152-S06	Sigler Road	I-75
60031-B01	Thunder Bay River	M-32 Spur
64012-B01	Pentwater River	US-31
66013-B12	Ontonagon River	M-64
66023-B01	Middle Branch Ontonagon River	M-28
70041-B02	Grand River	M-45
71073-B02	Ocqueoc River	US-23
75022-B01	Manistique River	US-2/M-94
77111-B04	St. Clair River	I-94/Blue Water Bridge
78021-B01	St. Joseph River	US-12(Pedestrian)
78061-B01	St. Joseph River	M-86
78061-B03	Prairie River	M-86
81063-S04	Wiard Road(Sbd)	US-12
81063-S05	Ford Exit Drive(Sbd)	US-12
82022-S33	I-94	US-12(Michigan)
82022-S34	I-94	US-12(Michigan)
82023-S22	I-94 Ramp	M-10SB
82023-S23	I-94 Ramp to M-10	I-94EB
82023-S24	I-94	M-10SB
82023-S25	M-10SB & I-94WB	I-94EB Ramp to M-10
82023-S26	M-10NB & I-94EB	I-94WB Ramp to M-10
82023-S27	I-94	M-10
82023-S28	I-94Ramp from M-10	I-94WB
82023-S29	I-94Ramp from M-10	M-10NB
82071-B04	Rouge River	Old US-25(Fort Street)
86000-B01	Straits of Mackinac	I-75

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14.21.03 Bridge Loading and Underclearance Review

It is essential that the Department maintain accurate and detailed records and control of the added deadload on bridges and of the under clearance at underpasses. Occasionally these considerations will mean that deck surfacing material must be removed before a resurfacing can be undertaken or that surfacing under a bridge must be removed so that a new surface can be maintained at or near the existing elevation. On some H-15 bridges, 2" of surfacing may reduce the operating load capacity by 10,000 lbs.

After scope verification, a memo should be sent to the Bridge Management Unit listing structures within the limits of the project, proposed treatments, proposed plan completion and letting dates requesting recommendations. The Bridge Management Unit will contact the Operations Field Services Division to determine if periodic maintenance inspections have disclosed the need for remedial measures. Detailed recommendations will then be sent to the Project Manager.

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14.21.04 Special Structures/Footing Design

On occasion there may be situations where the scope of work includes disciplines beyond the expertise of the Project Manager and/or the unit assigned the project. Frequently, items such as sound walls, retaining walls, unique culverts and footings are assigned a bridge unit for design assistance. In these instances the Project Manager should request assistance from the Special Assignment Structures Unit in Bridge Design. The request should be by memo with copies to the Supervising Engineer-Bridge, and Engineer of Bridge Design. These requests should be made as soon as the need is known to allow the bridge unit(s) as much lead time as possible to accommodate the project’s schedule while meeting their own schedules.

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14.22 RAILROAD COORDINATION

(PPMS Task Description 3650)

A contact by the Department with the railroad company is required any time a highway alteration occurs within the railroad right of way.

For at-grade crossings and grade separations, the contact is made by the Railroad Coordination Unit – Office of Rail.

In the case of at-grade crossings:

1. Submit one (1) set of prints of the title sheet, typical cross section, and plan and profile sheets for the affected railroad crossing with a memorandum to the Railroad Coordination Unit – Office of Rail indicating the proposed improvements to be made. This unit will advise the Design Unit as to what preliminary additions and alterations are desirable in order to satisfy the particular railroad company involved. Even if little or no impact on the railroad is expected, the railroad will usually be notified, and a coordination clause may be required.
2. Always show track elevations and profiles on the plans. If sufficient survey is not available, write a note to this effect on the plans. If track adjustments in excess of 1" are required, a request for pick-up survey is needed to obtain the required information.
3. After the plan notes have been completed to the satisfaction of the Railroad Coordination Unit – Office of Rail, submit three (3) sets of prints to the Railroad Coordination Unit – Office of Rail for their use in contacting the railroad. Any required Special Provisions will be supplied to the Design Unit by the Railroad Coordination Unit – Office of Rail.
4. While the general design of the railroad crossing should be set after The Plan Review, it should be noted that railroad negotiations will take a minimum of six months to complete. If an agreement is required, it will take a minimum of one year. The Design Unit must take this into account by timely submittal of the initial prints to the Railroad Coordination Unit – Office of Rail.

Note that The Plan Review does not attempt to determine whether a crossing is adequate, should be extended, or if a complete new crossing is warranted. An observation may be made regarding the condition of the crossing and compatibility with the proposed project, but it is the responsibility of the Railroad Coordination Unit – Office of Rail to determine the actual work required at the crossing. This may require scheduling of a diagnostic team review and ultimately, lead to the issuance of a regulatory order by the Department.

It is particularly important that both existing and proposed utility crossings under and over the railroad be shown. Details of those crossings must also be included and approved by that particular railroad company.

See also Section 12.11.03 of the Road Design Manual and Chapter 13 of the Bridge Design Manual.

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14.23 REQUEST FOR TRAFFIC VOLUMES

(PPMS Task Description #2120)

Existing traffic volumes (ADT, DHV) for 3R projects should be requested from the Data Collection Section in the Bureau of Transportation Planning. Volumes from the latest available year should be included in the plans (Title Sheet).

Increased Capacity/New Routes (4R) projects require projected traffic volumes, usually 20 years in advance of the projected year of construction. Ordinarily these volumes have already been determined during the Project Development stage (see Section 14.05). However, if a significant period of time has elapsed, these volumes should be revised. Revisions are requested from the Project Planning Section in the Bureau of Transportation Planning. This request should be made as soon as the need becomes evident.

If the amount of traffic data is large (i.e. entrance & exit ramps at several interchanges), it may be desirable to show the information on a separate plan sheet.

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14.24 REQUEST FOR CRASH ANALYSIS AND SAFETY REVIEW

(PPMS Task Description 3560)

All projects, except non-hot mix asphalt overlay Capital Preventive Maintenance projects, should have a crash analysis and safety review by the Safety Programs Unit in the Design Division. The request for analysis is done by submitting Crash Analysis and Safety Review form. The review may have already been completed as part of the Region/TSC’s Call-for-Projects process, in which case an additional review may not be necessary. However, reviews older than two years should be updated by requesting another review. The review will identify any unusual occurrences or above average frequency crashes and will advise the Design Unit of any recommended measures to alleviate the situation. The Project Manager should review the plans to verify these measures have indeed been incorporated into the plans prior to the OEC Meeting.

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14.25 REQUEST FOR SPECIAL SOILS INVESTIGATIONS AND / OR DESIGNS

(PPMS Task Description 3510)

Although the Region/TSC Soils and Materials Engineer is responsible for supplying soil borings, pavement cores and limits and quantities for removal of unstable materials (peat, muck, etc.), to the Design Unit, other types of soil analysis may also be necessary. Any soil information, analysis and design regarding the following should be requested from the Geotechnical Services Unit of the Construction Field Services Division.

• Sewers and culverts greater than 5'-0"
• Box culverts greater than 4'-0" x 4'-0"
• Retaining walls
• Sound walls (except Metro Region)
• Light Towers (except Metro Region)
• Mechanically stabilized earth walls
• Reinforced soil slopes
• Pipe and culvert trenchless installations

In order to request any of the above, the Project Manager should send a memo and 2 sets of plans with the following minimum information:

• Plan of site (location map)
• Alignment with stationing
• Benchmarks as close to the location as possible
• A detailed description of the requested information
• Plan completion date and a date when the information is needed.
• Proposed method of controlling water (during culvert construction)-diversion channel, temporary dam, pump across road, etc.

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14.26 DISTRIBUTION OF PRELIMINARY PLANS TO UTILITIES AND UTILITY COORDINATION MEETING

(PPMS Task Description 3660)
(PPMS Milestone M361)

Preliminary plan distribution to utilities shall be completed whether or not utility conflicts have been identified. It is important to provide preliminary plans because it allows the utilities an opportunity to review the proposed project, to ensure facilities are plotted accurately, and provides notification to relocate facilities in conflict.

Distribution of preliminary plans, and the Utility Coordination Meeting if necessary, typically occurs after The Plan Review Meeting and before the Omissions and Errors Check (OEC) Meeting. The TSC Utility Coordinator and the Project Manager shall work together to determine if a particular project warrants scheduling a Utility Coordination Meeting. Some projects may not require a Utility Coordination Meeting while others may require several meetings. Those invited usually include:

• TSC Utility Coordinator
• Project Manager
• Private/Public utilities
• Municipalities
• Road Commissions
• Design Team key members
• Design Consultant representatives
• MDOT construction team members

The preferred method for preliminary plan distribution is to send separate letters to public/private and municipal utilities that address the following:

• The Letter to Public/Private Utilities at Preliminary Plan Stage, (Form 2481) includes the following:
  • References Public Act (PA) 368 of 1925 entitled Highway Obstructions and Encroachments; Use of Highway by Public Utilities
  • Gives legal notification to relocate
  • Authorizes preliminary engineering for reimbursable relocations
• The Letter to Municipal Utilities at Preliminary Plan Stage, (Form 2482) is used because MDOT may be responsible for the relocation costs associated with municipal utility relocations within their corporate limits. This may require MDOT to complete the following:
  • Perform the relocation design
  • Include relocation work in the project plans
  • Formalize an agreement

If Forms 2481 and 2482 are not sent to the utilities, the Utility Coordination Meeting Invitation letter must cite PA 368, authorize preliminary engineering, provide relocation reimbursement information, and be accompanied by preliminary plans.

Procedure
Project Manager

1. Send preliminary plans to the TSC Utility Coordinator for distribution to utilities.
2. Complete a preliminary assessment of utility issues and conflicts with the TSC Utility Coordinator and Design Team.

   Note:

   It may be beneficial to have a conflict list and special plans with cross section details for use as presentation tools to the utilities.

3. Participate in the Utility Coordination Meeting if scheduled. The meeting shall discuss the following topics:
   • Introductions
   • Project Summary
     • Plan completion date
     • Letting Date
     • Construction start date
   • Key work areas that potentially involve utility conflicts
   • Municipal utilities
     • Relocations
     • Plan and specifications preparation
     • Betterments
   • Review entire project using one of the following methods:
     • Review the project utility by utility with each utility taking a turn to describe issues and concerns over the entire project.

       Note:

       If a utility only has minor involvement in the project, or has other schedule commitments the utility’s involvement shall be discussed early in the meeting.

     • Review the plans sheet by sheet. Each utility takes a turn describing involvement and concerns for each sheet.

       Note:

       The TSC Utility Coordinator shall act as a facilitator and a resource for utility relocation policies/procedures in helping the utilities and Design Team work through the various utility issues and arrive at mutually agreeable resolutions to utility conflicts.

4. Receive meeting minutes from the TSC Utility Coordinator.
5. Ensure any required changes to the plans are made prior to OEC.

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14.27 VALUE ENGINEERING

(PPMS Task Description 3375)

14.27A Definitions

Value Engineering (VE) - A systematic process of review and analysis of a project, during the concept and design phases, by a multi-disciplined team of persons not involved in the project, that is conducted to provide recommendations for:

1. Providing the needed functions safely, reliably, efficiently, and at the lowest overall cost;
2. Improving the value and quality of the project; and
3. Reducing the time to complete the project.

Applicable VE Project - A portion of highway that is proposed for construction, reconstruction, or improvement as described in the preliminary design report or applicable environmental clearance document. A project may consist of several job numbers/contracts or phases over several years.

Estimated Total Cost of a Project - The estimated cost of the project includes the cost of all phases of a project including environmental, design, right-of-way, utilities and estimated construction cost based on final design.

Road Projects VE Study Cost Threshold - The federal regulations on VE studies are in 23 CFR Section 627. MDOT’s policy requires VE studies on all road projects that have a total project cost of $25 million or greater. The total project costs is the sum of the costs for all phases of the project. If any part of the environmental clearance document is to be let for construction, it must have a VE study even if the cost of the construction work is less than $25 Million. VE studies may also be conducted on projects below the required threshold when it is determined that a VE study may be beneficial to the project.

Bridge Project VE Study Cost Threshold - A project is considered a bridge project if the majority of the cost/work is related to bridge work. The federal regulations on VE studies are in 23 CFR Section 627. MDOT’s policy requires VE studies on all bridge projects that have a total project cost of $20 million or greater. The total project costs is the sum of the costs for all phases of the project. If any part of the environmental clearance document is to be let for construction, it must have a VE study even if the cost of the construction work is less than $20 Million.

Value Engineering Re-Study - If a project has a change to the scope of work between the final design and the letting, then FHWA will require an updated VE analysis.

Value Engineering Proposal/ Recommendation - The ideas resulting from a Value Engineering study that provide the project’s functional requirements at less cost or improve value or service with no increase in cost. VE Proposals must have documented decisions and implementation. Proposals/recommendations that increase the cost of a project and still provide improved value are classified as Value Engineering Design Suggestions.

Value Engineering Change Proposal (VECP) - A frequently used special provision that is placed in all construction contracts except Construction Manager General Contractor (CMGC) and Design Build (DB) projects. It encourages the contractor to propose changes in contract work that will accomplish the project’s functional requirements at less cost, reduced time, or improve value or service at little or no increase in cost. The net savings of each proposal is shared with the contractor at a stated rate (50-50). MDOT’s procedures for Construction VECP’s are contained in Bureau of Highways Informational Memorandum 2014-03.

MDOT State VE Coordinator - Design Division staff person responsible to assure all VE studies are completed per the Federal Regulations. The State VE Coordinator works with the Design Project Manager and other design personnel to schedule, complete, follow up and document VE Studies and decisions. The State VE Coordinator determines if the study can be done by MDOT personnel or by a Consultant. To hire a Consultant, they solicit and establish the contract per current vendor selection procedures. At the year end, they prepare the annual FHWA report on VE Studies documenting VE studies and activities. They also determine if a recommendation may be warranted as a best practice and provide information statewide.

VE Facilitator - A qualified facilitator experienced in performing and leading VE studies. MDOT personnel who facilitate VE studies must be experienced in VE studies and have additional facilitation and process reengineering training. VE studies done by outside consultant firms must have a VE facilitator with sufficient VE training, education and experience to be recognized by SAVE International as meeting the requirements for certification.

VE Team - The group with diverse expertise suited to the scope and complexity of a project to participate in the VE study. At a minimum, design, construction, and maintenance shall be represented on the team. In the event of specialized projects, individuals with specific expertise necessary to perform a proficient Value Engineering study should be included in the team makeup. The VE Team must also include member(s) experienced in estimating construction costs and cost-benefit analysis. All members should have completed a Module 1 Value Engineering training seminar or have prior Value Engineering experience. The composition of the expertise should reflect the complexity of the project design to be studied. At least two members of the team should be experienced in the high-cost areas of the project. Anyone directly involved in the design of the project should not be a team member, but is expected to participate as an information source.

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14.27B Federal Regulation

Title 23 CFR 627 under the authority of 23 USC Chapter 1, Section 106(e) requires a Value Engineering study be conducted before the advertisement/letting of all Federal Aid projects with an estimated total project cost of $50 million or greater for a road project, or $40 million or greater for a bridge project. See the previous section for MDOT thresholds, definitions of “project” and VE study requirements. The VE study might encompass a longer corridor of similar work, but only the projects for which there are design plans or sufficient scoping information available will receive VE credit.

Design/Build projects used to expedite the completion of a project are exempt from VE requirement. However, a Value Engineering study may be conducted prior to advertising the Request for Proposals of the Design/Build contract if requested by the Region or Leadership.

Road projects with a total cost between $25 million and $50 million or stand-alone bridge projects with a total cost between $20 million and $40 million may be exempt from a Value Engineering Study on a project by project basis if approved by the EOC.

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14.27C Procedures

1. Identification of Potential VE Studies.
The State VE Coordinator prepares a list of potential VE studies and sends it to the System Managers and FHWA for concurrence.

The VE study is commonly performed between concept and 30% plan completion. Holding the VE study early allows the recommendations to be considered without disruption to the design process.

2. Funding.
The Design Project Manager will confirm or obtain sufficient funding in the C phase for the VE study. The cost of a study can range from $15,000 to $75,000.

3. Scheduling VE Study.
The Design Project Manager and State VE Coordinator determine the VE Team. Team members should not be directly involved in the project design.

Based on the project, the State VE Coordinator and the Design Project Manager will choose one of the following methods for conducting the VE study:

1. A Consultant is hired to perform all parts of the VE study. Two to three MDOT/FHWA personnel are invited to join the VE Team.
2. MDOT performs all parts of the VE study, usually facilitated by personnel from Performance Excellence Division.
3. A Consultant is hired to provide a VE Facilitator/Trainer and MDOT/FHWA will provide the VE Team.

4. Information Needed for VE Study.
The Project Manager(s) gathers current project. information and provides it to the VE Facilitator. The VE Facilitator distributes the information to the VE Team prior to the first day of the VE study. This information can include but is not limited to the following:

1. Existing Aerials
2. Project Photographs
3. As Built Plans, Base Plans
4. Project Area Map
5. Environmental Clearance Document or Issues
6. Right of Way Plans or Concerns
7. Agreements
8. Utility Plans or Encroachment Issues
9. Detour, Staging Concepts, or Restrictions
10. Traffic Data
11. Crash Data
12. Context Sensitive Design Issues
13. Constructability Issues
14. Current Cost Estimate
15. Scoping Reports/ Scope Verification Meeting Minutes
16. Design Exceptions
17. Construction/Letting Schedule
18. Structure Appraisal and Inventory
19. Bridge Safety Inspection Report
20. Geotechnical Soils Reports and Foundation Reports
21. Hydrology/Hydraulic Information
22. Maintenance Records

In addition, the Project Manager should develop a written document to provide the VE Team with information on functionality (what is main purpose of project), constraints, needs, and/or any requirements that the VE Team should know about.

5. The VE Study.
The VE study consists of the following phases:

Information Phase: The Project Manager presents project background information and is available for questions. The VE Team determines the needs, requirements, and constraints of the owners/users/stakeholders, as well as the design criteria. The VE Team develops a cost model, breaks the project down into functions, and performs functional analysis.

Speculation Phase: Brainstorming takes place to generate ideas to add value to the project without changing the function.

Evaluation Phase: The best ideas from the Speculation Phase are selected for consideration based on best blend of performance, cost and schedule.

Development Phase: Best ideas are developed into VE proposals and design recommendations through sketches, cost estimates, and schedules. Both initial and life-cycle costs will be examined.

Decision Phase: The Decision Team decides if the VE Proposals should be Accepted, Accepted for Further Study or Rejected. The final decisions are documented by the VE Team facilitator in the final VE Report. If a VE recommendation has a potential savings of more than $1.0 million, the Region Engineer must also be included on the Decision Team.

6. The VE Study Report.
The VE Facilitator/VE Team prepares and provides electronically a final report. A typical report includes the following: executive summary, participant list, research sources, project history (including project criteria, commitments, and constraints), existing design, performance criteria, basic functions, life cycle cost estimate, proposal descriptions and cost calculations, implementation plan and documentation of MDOT’s decisions regarding the recommendations.

The State VE Coordinator saves the final report in ProjectWise and provides a copy to the FHWA.

Recommendations Accepted for Further Study. The MDOT Project Managers will report the outcome of unresolved recommendations that were labeled as “Recommendations Accepted for Further Study” to the State VE Coordinator for the annual report.

7. Annual Reporting

MDOT Annual Report. The State VE Coordinator prepares an annual report on the VE recommendations received during the previous year. The report includes certain cost and savings data (recommendations, recommended cost savings, VE study cost, etc.). It is provided to MDOT Management and staff involved in scoping new projects to encourage alternate solutions that provide cost savings or maximized benefits at little or no increase in cost.

FHWA Annual Report. The State VE Coordinator submits an annual report to the FHWA Division Office each year for national compilation and distribution. The report includes the number and cost of VE’s and VECP's held and the value of recommendations made (both accepted and rejected).

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14.28 REQUEST FOR PRELIMINARY MAINTAINING TRAFFIC

(PPMS Task Description #’s 3390, 3540 & 3550)

Once the design has proceeded to a point where the proposed scope of work has been defined (typicals with existing and proposed dimensions, plan sheets with existing and proposed curb lines, etc.), the Project Manager should request a preliminary maintaining traffic scheme from the Region/TSC Traffic and Safety representative. This may include such items as:

• a detour route with any required work to accommodate the proposed traffic
• identification of local special events that may influence traffic during construction or that may be substantial enough to require scheduling the project around the activity
• the use of temporary traffic signals
• the use of temporary cross-overs or a runaround
• preliminary maintaining traffic special provision
• temporary and or permanent pavement markings

It is at this stage when critical construction staging issues may be identified that may significantly influence the proposed scope of work and the corresponding project cost. Situations such as a proposed reconstructed section not wide enough to maintain traffic that has no available detour route or a structure on a detour route with load restrictions often are not identified until this stage. It is essential that a preliminary maintaining traffic scheme be included for review at The Plan Review Meeting.

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14.29 PRELIMINARY GEOMETRIC REVIEW FOR NON-FREEWAY RECONSTRUCTION / NEW CONSTRUCTION (4R) AND FREEWAY RESURFACING, RESTORATION, REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION / NEW CONSTRUCTION (3R/4R)

(PPMS Task Description #3560)

During preliminary design on Non-Freeway Reconstruction/New Construction (4R) and Freeway Resurfacing, Restoration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction/New Construction (3R/4R) projects, it is necessary to have a review by the Geometrics Section of the Design Division. For further discussions on these classifications see Sections 3.08, 3.10 and 3.11. This review will evaluate such areas as:

• sight distance
• design speeds
• curve and interchange placement
• turning radii
• exit and entrance ramps
• driveways
• turn lanes
• roadside safety
• intersection design

Once the design elements have been identified and included in the plans, a memo with a set of plans (or appropriate plan sheets) should be sent to the Supervisor of the Geometrics Unit requesting a review and recommendations by a specified date. This should be done when base plans are available to allow any revisions/additions to be incorporated into the plans prior to The Plan Review. The memo should indicate the classification (3R or 4R) of the project in general (see Section 3.08.01C for combined work types).

Non-Freeway Resurfacing, Restoration and Rehabilitation (3R) projects (see Section 3.09 ) may be coordinated during plan development on an informal basis.

Regardless of the type of work, all outstanding geometric issues should be resolved prior to submitting for The Plan Review.

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14.30 PRELIMINARY CONSTRUCTABILITY REVIEW

(PPMS Task Description 3565)

Constructability is taken into account during the scoping and early plan development process (and in conjunction with the Early Project Scoping Constructability Checklist). After the Job Concept Statement has been created in MPINS, the Project Manager/Concept Author should consult with the Region/TSC Delivery Engineer concerning items such as Coordinating with other Agencies, Permits, Staging, Maintaining Traffic, Site Investigation, and Right of Way. Much of the work under this task should occur before the Scope Verification Meeting. On small projects this task may consist of only the transmittal of base plans to the Resident/Delivery Engineer for comment. On large projects with complex staging, one or more meetings with the Resident/Delivery Engineer and Region/TSC Traffic and Safety Engineer may be required throughout this task. In both instances the review and incorporation of any comments must occur prior to Preliminary Plan Development.

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14.31 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND CLEARANCE

Environmental review and clearance is a two step process: Environmental Classification (PPMS Task 3150) and Environmental Certification (PPMS Task 3155).

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14.31.01 Environmental Classification

(PPMS Task 3150)

Environmental Classification is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). All projects must be reviewed for potential environmental impacts and classified according to the significance of those impacts. Class I Actions are those projects with significant environmental impacts and require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Class II Actions have minor or no environmental impacts and require Categorical Exclusion (CE) documentation (Form 1775). Class III Actions are projects where the significance of the impacts is not known and require the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA).

Most projects are classified as CEs. However, environmental review is still required to identify non-significant environmental impacts, and establish measures to mitigate those impacts. Measures to mitigate can include avoidance, design changes, protective measures, or replacement. Establishing mitigation measures can be complex and require coordination with state, federal and local resource agencies. Often, mitigation measures can be developed through collaboration between the Project Manager (PM) and MDOT Environmental Staff.

The Environmental Clearance Coordinator (ECC) will contact the PM about one year prior to the Base Plan Date (BPD), or upon notification of project programming (Form 2604) for projects of short development duration. The ECC will request information about the scope and location of the project. This information can include the extent of grading and filling, right of way requirements, detour information, etc., and is critical in assessing project environmental impacts. The project description, location, and other pertinent project information are put on the Environmental Classification (Form 1775). MDOT Environmental Staff may contact the PM for more details about the project in order to assess impacts.

Once impacts are assessed, collaboration occurs between the PM and MDOT Environmental Staff, to develop mitigation measures. The goal of collaboration is to develop measures that both allow the project to accomplish its transportation goal and minimize impacts to the environment. Once impacts are identified and mitigation measures established the project can be classified as a CE. The PM will be notified and the Environmental Classification (Form 1775) and supporting documentation will be stored in ProjectWise under the Project Job Number. Classification is also recorded in the MAP database (MPINS/MFOS/REMIS). Classification is scheduled to occur on or before the completion of Base Plan Review (PPMS Task 3380).

The Form 1775 filled out by the ECC will have highlighted mitigation measures in bold text to signify that those measures are to be transmitted directly to the TSC Construction Engineer for the project.

It will be the responsibility of the Project Manager and the ECC to ensure that all mitigation measures whether or not highlighted in bold on the Form 1775 are incorporated into the project plans and proposal.

Prior to completions of the NEPA review process, preliminary engineering and other activities and analyses must not materially affect the objective consideration of alternatives in the NEPA review process. FHWA defines Preliminary Design as activities that define the general project location and design concepts. It includes, but is not limited to, preliminary engineering and other activities and analyses, such as environmental assessments, topographic surveys, metes and bounds surveys, geotechnical investigations, hydrologic analysis, hydraulic analysis, utility engineering, traffic studies, financial plans, revenue estimate, hazardous materials assessments, general estimates of the types and quantities of materials, and other work needed to establish parameters for the final design.

If the information required for classification requires engineering work or environmental coordination extending beyond the BPD, the PM must receive approval from the ECC to continue work limited to the following tasks:

Task	PPMS Task	Task Extension	Approval
Preliminary Plan Preparation	3500 Series	Up to Plan Review	ECC notification of approval by Bureau of Development Environmental Manager
Utilities/Railroad	3600 Series
Mitigation/Permits	3700 Series
Prepare/Review Final Traffic Signal Operations	3825
Early ROW Work	4100 Series
ROW Technical Work	4150 Series
ROW Appraisal Work	4350 Series
Safety and Mobility Peer Team Review	3800	Up to Plan Completion	ECC notification of approval by FHWA and Bureau of Development Environmental Manager
Conduct Final Geometrics and Roadside Safety Reviews	3810
Geotechnical Design Review - Structures	3815
Prepare/Review Final Traffic Signal Design Plan	3821
Complete Permanent Pavement Marking Plan	3822
Complete Non-Freeway Signing Plan	3823
Prepare/Review Final Traffic Signal Operations	3824
Complete the Maintaining Traffic Plan	3830
Develop Final Plans and Specification	3840
Develop Structure Final Plans and Specifications	3850
Final Constructability Review	3860
Project Plan Quality Assurance Review	3865

The Bureau of Development Environmental Manager will report to FHWA each quarter of the fiscal year the number of projects that have allowed any of the tasks noted above to be performed before the environmental classification.

Final design or right of way acquisition cannot proceed prior to classification. FHWA defines final design as any design activities following preliminary design and expressly includes the preparation of final construction plans and detailed specifications for the performance of construction work.

Between base plans and quality assurance review, environmental mitigation measures are to be fully developed and detailed in the plan package.

Development of the materials necessary to convey the environmental mitigation measures within the Form 1775 will include but not be limited to:

• Project specific Plan Notes
• Notice to Bidders
• Unique Special Provisions

Design staff must take into account that individual pay items needing modification to meet the requirements of environmental mitigation measures require the inclusion of an appropriate unique or frequently used Special Provision to ensure proper construction.

Design staff will prepare a memo to be transmitted to the Construction Engineer for their use at the Pre-Construction meeting. The memo should highlight the specific environmental mitigation measures in the plans and proposal and include construction specific instructions related to environmental mitigation highlighted with bold text in the Form 1775.

The Construction Engineer will be responsible for ensuring that the contractor is made aware of all environmental mitigation measures and the consequences of not meeting them.

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14.31.02 Environmental Certification

(PPMS Task 3155)

Environmental Certification is the final step in the Environmental Review and Clearance Process. This task takes place during Project Plan Quality Assurance Review (PPMS Task 3865). During Certification, plans and other documents are reviewed to ensure that all areas of concern are avoided, all mitigation measures are in place, and all commitments adhered to. This review is conducted by the ECC and documented (Form 2002).

If all mitigation measures are in place and all commitments adhered to, the project will be certified. The PM will be notified and Environmental Certification Form (Form 2002) and supporting documentation will be stored in ProjectWise under the Project Job Number. Certification is also recorded in the MAP database (MPINS/MFOS/REMIS).

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14.32 MDOT ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS

Permits from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and/or the Army Corps of Engineers are required for projects that involve work in wetlands, inland lakes, streams, drains, flood plains, critical sand dune areas along the shores of the Great Lakes and navigable rivers/harbors. A current summary of the most frequently needed environmental permits is listed below:

Michigan Act 451, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act of 1994

• Part 31: Water Resource Protection (including NPDES and Flood plain Authority)
• Part 91: Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
• Part 301: Inland Lakes and Streams
• Part 303: Wetland Protection
• Part 365: Endangered Species Protection

Federal Section 404: Clean Water Act of 1972

Federal Section 10: River and Harbor Act of 1899

The Environmental Section in the Project Planning Division determines which regulations apply to a specific project and can help make recommendations for the project to better address the applicable policies. To make such determinations, project scope, location and a set of plans are required. The review may also involve field inspections or wetland delineation. The Environmental Section is also responsible for submitting the appropriate paperwork to the regulatory agencies for permits.

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14.32.01 Clearance

The scope of work statement on project authorizations must be accurate and complete to insure the appropriate concerns can be determined in a timely manner. Along with the analysis of other environmental impacts, the clearance process includes determining when permits are required for a project. This may involve discussions between the Design/Development Engineer and the Environmental Section and possibly a field review. Plans are often required in the environmental clearance process. It is important that when plans are requested by the Environmental Section, they are submitted as soon as possible or the clearance or permitting process could be delayed. Projects with substantial impacts may require a preliminary review with the MDEQ.

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14.32.02 Oversight

Once a project with environmental impacts receives a clearance, a letter is sent to the Design/Development Engineer identifying the contact people (environmental) for necessary coordination. Projects involving wetlands, flood plains, inland lakes and streams are entered into a database according to plan completion date. A project status record is maintained by the Environmental Services Section by entering permit request and review information. Therefore any changes in scheduling or scope of work should be communicated to the Environmental Section so that project clearances and permit requirements may be monitored.

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14.32.03 Application

Project Managers of projects needing MDEQ permit applications will receive a list of required information from the Environmental Services Section. Submitting incomplete application information will result in additional time before the permit application can be filed with the regulatory agency. Listed below is the required information for MDEQ permit applications:

All projects must include the following.

• Project location map indicating approximate locations of each regulated activity. This must have road names legible on an 8.5" x 11" size (Example: a USGS quad map enlarged with culvert extensions at county drains circled.).
• County, township, range, and section numbers of regulated activities.
• Estimated project letting and construction start date.
• Three sets of half-sized plans (11" x 17") and a legible set of 8.5" x 11" plan sheets and cross sections of regulated activities.
• Information on soil erosion and sedimentation controls planned in conjunction with regulated activities.
• Information on any temporary structures or measures to be used in the regulated area during construction.

For culverts at regulated streams and drains, plans should include the following:

• Plan view of the culvert and road.
• Cross section view of the culvert and road. For projects that have similar treatments for all culvert work, a typical cross section that applies may be used. Projects requiring an Army Corps of Engineer Permit require a separate cross section for each culvert including elevations.
• Dimensions of pipe/culvert openings.
• Earth excavation (in cubic yards) needed to complete the crossing structure project.
• Volume of riprap (in cubic yards) needed to complete the crossing structure project.
• List of names and addresses of riparian owners on the four quadrants of the watercourse if work requires public notice by the MDEQ. (Examples of work requiring public notice are culvert extensions that total more than 24'-0" or a replacement of a culvert of a diameter 66" or greater).
• For culvert replacements or new culverts, the bottom section of page 2 of the MDEQ application must be completed. Information to be provided includes elevations of the invert, low steel, high water and road grades at the structure and the low point of approach.

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14.32.04 Application

It normally takes 60 to 90 days for the MDEQ to complete the permit process. This may vary depending on federal involvement and public notice requirements. If a project becomes urgent, such as emergency scour protection, culvert failure or channel stabilization, the MDEQ can issue permits on an expedited schedule. Projects with large impacts (such as new bridges or interchanges) are classified by the MDEQ as red files and may require a longer processing period due to coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies. Projects involving the Army Corps of Engineers also require a longer processing period. For MDEQ red files and Army Corps of Engineers permit applications allow four to six months for permit processing. The Army Corps of Engineers often requires a higher degree of specificity in its applications compared to the MDEQ and may request additional information depending on the project type.

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14.32.05 Application

Permits should be incorporated into the proposal package so that any special requirements are included. Any changes in the project after permitting should be relayed to the permit coordinator in case a permit revision is required. The permit coordinator should also be notified if a project is shelved or the Critical Path indicates the construction scheduling extends beyond the effective date of the permit so that a permit extension can be requested.

For additional information on MDEQ Permits for Sewer and Water Main Plans see Sections 9.04.03 and 9.04.07.

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14.33 PRELIMINARY ROW SUBMITTAL

(PPMS Task Description #3361)
(PPMS Milestone 331M)

Preliminary Right of Way plans are developed for use by the Development Services Division to: conduct title searches and preliminary appraisals, assign parcel numbers, and prepare the ownership sheet. Preliminary ROW plans should be submitted at least 6 months prior to the Final ROW due date. An estimated number of parcels affected must be entered in the PPMS network to establish the task duration.

The Project Manager initiates the review process by completing and submitting Preliminary ROW Plans Submittal (Form 0271). This form includes distribution and attachment requirements.

Additional information on preliminary ROW plans and plan requirements can be found in Sections 5.16, 5.17 and 5.18.

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14.35 FINAL ROW SUBMITTAL

(PPMS Task Description #3581)
(PPMS Milestone 361M)

The scheduled Final ROW date is one of the most important deadlines that must be met. The signed Final ROW Plans and Authorization to Acquire ROW (Form 0271B) is the document that gives the Development Services Division the authorization to initiate acquisition activities. The design plans must have enough detail and review to have reached a point where the designer is reasonably assured that the ROW being requested will not be changed except for minor design revisions to accommodate the actual acquisition. Form 0271B includes distribution and attachment requirements.

NOTE: On large projects, it may be desirable to have an informal plan review with representatives from the Project Development and Control Section of the Development Services Division, the Region Real Estate Agent and the Design ROW Engineer in Quality Assurance prior to the formal ROW submittal. This may help avoid future revisions and ensure that the Development Services Division is receiving all the information it needs.

Additional information on final ROW plans including plan content requirements can be found in Sections 5.16, 5.19 and 5.20.

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14.36 THE PLAN REVIEW

(PPMS Task Description #3590)
(PPMS Milestone 352M)

Most projects being designed by the Region/TSC or its Consultants require a Plan Review meeting. Refer to the table, QA/QC Process by Template on the Plan Development Services intranet website to verify the need for a Plan Review Meeting. The meeting and corresponding field review should be conducted by Quality Assurance. Under unusual circumstances such as expedited project schedules or when a Quality Assurance Engineer is unavailable, a Region/TSC Design Engineer or Region System Manager may arrange to facilitate The Plan Review meeting. Refer to the QA/QC Process Guide for Project Managers on the Plan Development Services intranet website for exceptions to the plan review process (Form 0334).

Section 14.36.01 identifies the information that should be provided in the Preliminary Plan file at a minimum if required. The Plan File shall be developed consistent with Section 1.02 and the current version of the Road Sample Plans.

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14.36.01 Requirements

THE Plan Review material will be submitted in the following 3 files:

1. Supporting Documents File

1. See Form 2913 Plan Review Material Submittal Order or Form 0303 Design Plan Submittal.

2. Proposal File

1. See Form 2913 Plan Review Material Submittal Order or Form 0303 Design Plan Submittal.

3. Plan File

1. See Road Sample Plans and Chapter 1.

4. RID

1. Place required RID files according to the Design Submittal Requirements in the RID Preliminary folder.

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14.36.02 Procedure

1. When the Project Manager or Consultant determines the plans meet the requirements for The Plan Review, a Plan Review Material Submittal (Form 2913) is completed to verify that supporting documents, proposal materials and plans are ready to submit. The materials are entered into ProjectWise using the file naming conventions outlined in Section 1.03.02.
2. The Project Manager fills out a Plan Review Meeting (Form 0200). Include E-mail addresses for invitees outside of MDOT, Include dates that key personnel and conference rooms are available. They should be at least 3 weeks (preferably 4-5 weeks) from the submittal date.
3. The Project Manager will verify that ProjectWise (folder 3) is current with the following format;
   • 3 – Plan Review
     • Meeting Request and Minutes
     • Review Comments

   If the format is not correct contact the ProjectWise administrator to apply the proper template.

4. When the project is ready for final review, form 0200 is placed in the ProjectWise subfolder “Meeting Requests and Minutes” using the file name Job Number-form 200 and the state is advanced to “Request for Meeting” to initiate submittal to Quality Assurance for review. The ProjectWise state on the three files containing plans, proposal material and supporting documents in the “Plan Review” folder are also advanced once to “Submitted for Review”.
5. The plans will be reviewed by Quality Assurance for completeness and a meeting date scheduled 4-5 weeks from the time of submittal. Instances where projects require a compressed schedule or scheduling without plans should be kept to a minimum. The 4-5 week period is needed to assure all participants are given ample time to review the plans prior to the meeting. This is essential to making The Plan Review as useful and productive as possible.
6. Plans and other material are made accessible in ProjectWise by the Project Manager. Quality Assurance distributes the same to non-ProjectWise users in an alternate deliverable and usable format. The reviewers include the following:

   Operations Field Services Division

   Region System Manager

   TSC Manager

   Region/TSC Resident/Delivery Engineer

   TSC Development Engineer

   Region/TSC Operations Engineer

   Region/TSC Soils/Materials Engineer

   Region/TSC Traffic and Safety Engineer

   Region/TSC Maintenance Engineer

   Region/TSC Utilities/Permits Engineer

   Region/TSC Real Estate Agent

   Region Resource Specialist

   Region Bridge Engineer (Bridge Jobs Only)

   Region Bridge Inspection Engineer (Bridge Jobs Only)

   Environmental Services Section

   FHWA Oversight

   Design Utilities Section

   Railroad Coordination Unit – Office of Rail (if applicable)

   Geometrics Section- Design

   Utilities/Permits Development Services Division

   MDOT-RIDSupport

   City or Village (if applicable)

   County Drain Commissioner (if applicable)

   County Road Commission

   Department of Management and Budget (MIR Program)

   Others identified by the Project Manager

   During the review process, reviewers can deposit comments in to the Review Comments subfolder in ProjectWise. Prior to the meeting, the Project Manager incorporates all comments received into the plan set for discussion at the meeting.

7. After The Plan Review Meeting is held, either the Quality Assurance Engineer or Region/TSC Design Engineer must resolve any undecided or controversial issues and inform the individuals involved of the outcome (approval/rejection) of their proposal prior to the distribution of the meeting minutes. The meeting minutes and a half-sized set of plans with comments will be given to the Design Unit, and should remain in the project files until the project is closed out.

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14.37 REVIEW OF PROJECT SCOPE, COST AND SCHEDULE

After The Plan Review has been completed, the Project Manager should review the project scope, cost (preliminary engineering and construction) and schedule. Any significant changes to the scope, cost and/or schedule should be submitted to the appropriate System Manager or Statewide Transportation Planning Division. See Section 14.15 (Change Request/Review of Project Scope, Cost and Schedule).

NOTE: If the project was required to be, but not, on the approved STIP at the time of the Scope Verification Meeting (see Section 14.10), the Project Manager should again check to see if the project is on the STIP by following the instructions given in that section.

If the project is not on the STIP, the Project Manager must immediately notify Statewide Planning Section of the Statewide Transportation Planning Division in the Bureau of Transportation Planning. The approval process for the STIP involves many independent entities and cannot be expedited. Therefore, it is imperative that the Project Manager take action at this time to avoid possible delays in advertising the project.

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14.38 ROW REVISIONS

ROW revisions occur only after final ROW is submitted, not between preliminary and final ROW submittals. Revisions should be processed whenever changes in proposed ROW occur or when changes in the design plans could affect the appraisal of and/or negotiations for a ROW parcel(s). ROW revisions are processed by submitting a completed Request to Revise ROW (Form 0271A) to the Design ROW Engineer in Quality Assurance with the standard size reproducible(s) of the revised sheets and one print of each sheet with the revision circled in red. The Request to Revise ROW (Form 0271A) should include a description of each revision. The Design ROW Engineer will review the plans and submit the ROW revision to the Development Services Division.

Revisions, unless originated by the Development Services Division, are strongly discouraged within six months of the letting date. If a revision is necessary within six months of the letting, consult with the Project Development and Control Section of the Development Services Division, or the Design ROW Engineer to determine the best method for processing the revision.

Additional information on ROW revisions can be found in Section 5.21.

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14.39 UTILITIES STATUS REPORT CERTIFICATION

(PPMS Task Description 3660)

All projects require a utility certification prior to the contract award. The utility certification is comprised of the completion and inclusion of the Utilities Status Report (Form 2286), and the Notice to Bidders – Utility Coordination document if necessary, in the final plan/proposal package distributed for review at the Omissions and Errors Check (OEC) Meeting and later submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit for processing prior to advertisement.

Form 2286 informs project bidders and the awarded contractor of utility impacts and/or coordination requirements that can be expected. Utility impacts will be described using the following four categories as indicated on Form 2286:

• Relocation work identified
• Utility to relocate prior to start date
• Notice to Bidders - Utility Coordination
• Work included in contract

A Notice to Bidders - Utility Coordination document shall be used when one of the following conditions applies:

• There is contract work which will need to be coordinated with a utility’s work. The document describes in detail the coordination effort necessary.
• There may be utility facilities that could affect normal contractor operations and/or scheduling. The document includes additional information that may be useful to the contractor.

Procedure
Project Manager

1. Request preliminary Form 2286 and Notice to Bidders - Utility Coordination from the TSC Utility Coordinator in preparation for the Plan Review Meeting mailing.

   Note:
   If no utility involvement in the project, the TSC Utility Coordinator may provide the final Form 2286 and Notice to Bidders - Utility Coordination.

2. Request final Form 2286 and Notice to Bidders - Utility Coordination after the Plan Completion Date in preparation for final plan turn-in .

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14.40 MDEQ PERMITS FOR SEWER AND WATER MAINS

(PPMS Task Description 3680)

Plans that include additions or changes to water mains, sanitary sewers or combination storm and sanitary sewers require a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) permit. The Project Manager should contact the Design Engineer-Municipal Utilities as early as possible in the scope verification/plan development process when water mains or sanitary sewers are involved. The Municipal Utilities Unit will complete the required plan sheets and specifications, seal the plans (Licensed Professional Engineer) and make the distribution to any municipalities involved. The municipalities will request the permit from the MDEQ and return an approved copy to MDOT. If possible, a copy of the permit should be included in the proposal. For additional information see Section 9.04.07.

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14.41 PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS

(PPMS Task Description 3630)

14.41.01 General

Any questions with respect to the necessity of an agreement, cost participation, cost splits, or negotiation of terms in an agreement should be coordinated with the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division. Agreements for State trunkline highway projects are prepared by the Governmental and Railroad Coordination Unit in the following categories:

Memos of Understanding (for activities performed by local agencies-PE, CE, ROW acquisition, etc.

Trunkline Transportation Alternatives Program projects

Statutory-Act 51 Participation

Extra Width Construction and Resurfacing

Non-trunkline Work

Municipal Utility (betterment or relocation)

Turn back

Parking

Maintenance and Operation (bike path, sound walls, pedestrian bridges, etc.)

Michigan Institutional Roads

Joint Storm Sewers

Detour Route Improvements

The Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division is responsible for the negotiation of terms and preparation of agreements. Contact should be made as early as possible in the plan development process to allow adequate time for the proper coordination to process an agreement.

Any correspondence with a local unit of government that involves participation, whether statutory or special, should be originated by or cleared through the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division. Particular care should be used when citing cost estimates and federal participation since the agreement cost estimate figures may include higher contingency percentage and lower federal-aid participation ratios.

Information on work to be included in a contract at 100% local expense should be submitted to the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division upon request for the additional work from the local agency.

Requests for agreements should be submitted prior to scheduling an OEC Meeting or sooner, if possible. The following information should be submitted for an agreement preparation:

• Project Agreement Checklist-with any special conditions included in the project.
• Engineer’s Estimate-with proper agency splits (proposal level in TRNS•PORT).

Plans should include the following:

1. Corporate limits and itemized quantity splits to be participated in by the city for Act 51 work.
2. Itemized quantity splits for any 100% local work (work not participated in with MDOT funds).

Other agreements such as, non-contract traffic signal (Operational Services), right-of-way (Development Services Division) and general road and bridge maintenance (Maintenance Services) are processed by other areas within MDOT.

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14.41.02 Estimates

The estimate provided to the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division for agreement purposes should NOT include contingencies since a contingency factor will be added to the construction cost for agreement purposes. The estimate should be refined to such a degree that it will be within 25% of the final engineer’s estimate. Anything in excess of 25% should be called to the attention of the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division. The estimate must be split along corporate limits for projects with city participation. Any modifications to the scope should be incorporated in a revised or amended agreement.

Upon receipt of the request for involvement, the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division will contact the Design Unit to request any additional information required and will coordinate the agreement processing procedure.

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14.41.03 Act 51 Participation

Act 51 Public Acts of 1951, as amended (1982), provides that cities having a population of 25,000 or more will participate with the Department in the cost of opening, widening and improving, including construction and reconstruction, of State trunkline highways within said cities. Cities required to participate, based on the 2010 census, are:

OVER 50,000 12.5% Participation
Ann Arbor	Pontiac
Battle Creek	Rochester Hills
Dearborn	Royal Oak
Dearborn Heights	Saginaw
Detroit	St. Clair Shores
Farmington Hills	Southfield
Flint	Sterling Heights
Grand Rapids	Taylor
Kalamazoo	Troy
Lansing	Warren
Livonia	Westland
Novi *	Wyoming
40,000 to 50,000 11.25% Participation
East Lansing	Portage
Kentwood	Roseville
Midland
25,000 to 40,000 8.75% Participation
Allen Park	Lincoln Park *
Bay City	Madison Heights
Burton	Mount Pleasant
Eastpointe	Muskegon *
Garden City	Oak Park
Holland	Port Huron
Inkster	Southgate
Jackson	Wyandotte

* City has changed participation range.

Guidelines for determining types of work which should or should not be included in Act 51 categories in Trns•Port for participating Cities and Villages are posted at Act 51 Participation Items.

In order to facilitate the administration of this portion of Act 51, P.A. 1951, as amended, the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division should be contacted to determine whether an agreement is required for a project and to determine the items requiring participation if the project lies within or partially within the corporate limits of any of the previously noted cities.

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14.41.04 Maintenance

Maintenance work is excluded from statutory participation. The distinction between maintenance and construction items in a contract is sometimes hard to determine. The Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division will make the final determination. Generally the following items are considered as non-participating, even though they may be in a construction contract:

• Replacing aggregate in a thickness of less than 3" on an existing gravel or stone surface where the original material has been lost or bladed off.
• The installation of traffic signs, delineators, or pavement markings other than those required for the maintenance of traffic during construction.
• Installation of freeway lighting for traffic safety.
• Nominal repair or painting of structures.
• Replacement of pavement joints unless performed in conjunction with a project to prepare the roadway for resurfacing.
• At existing railroad crossings, the installation of railroad crossing warning devices and the reconstruction or replacement of crossing materials, including maintaining traffic, detours and minor roadway approach work.
• Seal coating, patching and repairing of roadway surfaces.
• Snow and ice removal.
• Cleaning of road and street surfaces.
• County drain assessments.
• The trunkline share of traffic signals unless specifically included as part of the agreement with the participating city or village.
• Brushing and tree trimming other than in connection with a roadway improvement.
• Reconditioning of hot mix asphalt surfaces of any length by scarifying and remixing in place, or resurfacing without scarifying when the new material added increases the existing HMA surface less than 1½”.
• Application of dust control layers, sprinkling and flushing.
• Outdoor advertising sign removals without widening or relocating the roadway.
• All work programmed as Capital Preventive Maintenance (CPM).
• Upgrading of existing sidewalk ramps or construction of new sidewalk ramps in order to comply with federal requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ONLY when required ADA compliance is a direct result of CPM work.

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14.41.05 Extra Width Construction or Resurfacing

Act 51 is specific as to the width of pavement for which the Department is responsible. An agreement is necessary whenever the proposed work covers a width greater than the Department can justify.

In any city or village, the width of a State trunkline highway will be the width required to serve expected future traffic needs for a 20 year period, as determined by a Department transportation survey. This width, except as noted below, will not be less than (1)the currently accepted standards for a 4-lane highway, (2)such width as may be built on the same trunkline route immediately beyond and adjacent to either legal boundary of the city or village, or (3)on trunklines eligible for federal highway funds, such width as may be prescribed by the federal government, whichever is greater. The Department and the governing body of a city or village by mutual agreement may determine that the width of a State trunkline highway will be less than the width prescribed above. If any city or village desires to widen a State trunkline highway for local purposes beyond the width prescribed above, the entire cost of the extra width must be borne by the city or village.

Resurfacing of any width greater than 47'-3" (64'-0" if parking is prohibited and marking is for 5 lane operation) or of any lane or bay on which parking is permitted should be reviewed with the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division.

The Department will pay the costs for any construction on a trunkline highway where parking is permitted when the width is 47'-3" or less. If the resurfacing of the parking lanes is done at project cost, an agreement will be written that states that the Department may use the additional width for trunkline purposes, when and if, necessary.

The Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division should be notified if there is a possibility of extra width construction or resurfacing. If so, it will conduct negotiations, make a final determination, and prepare an agreement if necessary.

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14.41.06 100% Betterment for Local Party

(non-trunkline work)

A local party, whether governmental or private, may request betterments to their local facilities, to be constructed in conjunction with a state trunkline project. Any such work requires a participation agreement. Regardless of the Division contacted, the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division should be notified so that negotiations on the cost agreement can be started.

Betterments may be either improvement of utilities or any construction not required because of the trunkline project. Generally this includes any construction beyond the spring points of the intersection on the local legs or the trunkline right-of-way lines extended (whichever is smaller), other than the minimum work to transition either in width or grade back to the existing road.

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14.41.07 Municipal Utilities

General relocation of municipally owned utilities within their corporate limits is done at project expense, except for water main relocation (See Section 9.02.01B). If the relocation is part of the Department’s contract, no agreement is necessary; however, local notification is secured through the procedure outlined in Chapter 9 “Utilities.” If the relocation is to be done by the owner, or if the utility is located outside the corporate limits of the owner, an agreement is required. The Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division and the Municipal Utilities Unit will make the determination. For more information see Section 9.02.

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14.41.08 Bicycle Paths

An agreement is necessary with the local government agency for the construction of independent bike paths within the limits of that agency. The Department will construct the path, including the initial signing, provided that the governmental agency agrees to certain conditions, principally a willingness to assume all maintenance responsibility. The agreement should be requested from the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division at the beginning of the design phase. No agreement is required for shoulders designated as bike paths other than for reasons listed in other categories of agreements. For more information see Section 12.12.

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14.41.09 Turnbacks

Turn back work will require an agreement. Cities with a population over 25,000 participate by statute. Special items or betterments are treated the same as regular trunkline work. Under some circumstances an agreement will be obtained only to outline the procedure for design, construction and transferring jurisdiction. Care in meeting these provisions must be exercised in the design process. Any work done in advance of or in anticipation of turn back may require an agreement to protect the Department’s interest. The Turn back Law also contains provisions for making a lump sum payment to the local agency in lieu of a rehabilitation project. For more information see Section 12.03.

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14.41.10 Parking

The Design Division should notify the Traffic and Safety Division of the possibility that a parking restriction agreement is required. The Traffic and Safety Division will investigate the situation and formally request an agreement, if required. Any section of roadway being widened within the corporate limits of a city or village should be referred to and reviewed by the Traffic and Safety Division. Resurfacing of any roadway in any city or village where parking is not prohibited should be reviewed.

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14.41.11 Special Maintenance and Operational Obligations

When special conditions for either maintenance or operational obligations exist (bike paths, sound walls, pedestrian bridges, etc.), contact the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division, as these must be covered by an agreement.

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14.41.12 Michigan Institutional Roads (MIR Program)

Work done with MIR funds does not require an agreement since these are budgeted MDOT funds. Work is confined to roads open to the public. Institutions may request work on private roads, parking lots, or other items of benefit to them such as drainage or lighting. These items are not eligible for MIR funds and must be funded with a special account number. An agreement must be secured with the Department of Management and Budget by the Governmental Coordination Unit - Development Services Division.

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14.42 SPECIAL USE PERMITS

Special Use Permits (SUPs) are issued by local governmental agencies. Currently, except in a few instances, the Contractor is responsible for obtaining Special Use Permits. However, on occasion, construction delays can be caused if certain SUPs are required. Therefore, the Project Manager needs to address SUPs during the plan development process.

All SUPs are not required to be obtained during the design phase, only those that have the potential to delay construction. To determine which SUPs could impact construction schedules, the Project Manager should list any possible SUPs on the title sheet prior to submittal for The Plan Review. These can be discussed separately at The Plan Review and a determination made as to which, if any, are required to be obtained prior to advertising. The minutes from The Plan Review will indicate any SUPs that are required. The Project Manager will coordinate the work with the appropriate individual(s) to obtain the SUPs prior to the distribution of the plan/proposal package for the OEC Meeting. Any required SUPs should be included in the plan/proposal package submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit.

A partial list of Special Use Permits is given below:

• Mining (wetland)
• Night work
• Noise
• Tree cutting/replacement
• Burning
• Water system connections
• Public utility
• Concrete plants of crushers
• Pavement breakers
• County drain
• Dust control
• Storm sewer connection
• City/Township ordinance
• Other

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14.43 SPECIAL DRAINAGE DESIGNS

The Special Drainage Structure Engineer in the Municipal Utilities Unit assists in the preparation of plans and specifications for various highway drainage structures including mechanical systems for pump houses, tunnel storm sewers, inverted siphons, special manholes, junction chambers, slab culverts, box culverts, precast three sided culverts, precast arch culverts, head walls, and circular culvert extensions. All requests for such work should be directed to the Design Engineer-Municipal Utilities Unit, Utilities, Drainage, and Roadside Section Design Division. Requests for design assistance must be made as soon as possible after the scope verification meeting.

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14.44 COUNTY DRAIN REVIEW

When it becomes evident a county drain will be affected by a project, the Project Manager should contact both the Region/TSC Drainage Coordinator and MDOT Drainage Coordinator (Supervising Engineer – Utilities, Drainage & Roadside Section in the Design Division) as soon as possible.

MDOT drainage coordination responsibilities are described in the MDOT Drainage Manual, Section 2 Legal Policy and Procedures, Appendix 2-D, Attachment B.

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14.45 MAINTAINING TRAFFIC AND CONSTRUCTION STAGING

(PPMS Task Descriptions 3820 & 3830)

After The Plan Review Meeting has been held and the plans revised accordingly, the Project Manager should request the final maintaining traffic scheme from the Region/TSC Traffic and Safety representative. This should include the following applicable items:

• maintaining traffic special provision
• all pay items and quantities
• temporary and/or permanent signing
• temporary and/or permanent signals (this may have to be coordinated with the Operations Field Services Division)
• a copy of any agreement(s) authorizing MDOT use of a detour route

The above request can be initiated by sending a memorandum and an up-to-date set of plans to the Region/TSC Traffic and Safety representative. On large projects with separate staging typicals and/or plan sheets or unique/complex projects, a meeting with the Project Manager, Resident/Delivery Engineer, Traffic and Safety representative(s) and Utilities and Permit representative(s) may be beneficial to guarantee the plans, proposal and maintaining traffic special provision are compatible.

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14.46 FINAL GEOMETRIC AND SAFETY REVIEW

After The Plan Review Meeting has been held and the comments are incorporated into the plans the Project Manager should transmit a set of plans to the Geometrics Unit of the Design Division for review. On large projects this may include several transmittals, discussions, meetings, etc. periodically during development of the final plan/proposal package. It is essential to have geometric and safety items reviewed and approved prior to the OEC Meeting to avoid delays and last second revisions. Items to review may include:

• sight distances
• design speeds
• curve and interchange location
• turning radii
• exit and entrance ramps
• driveways
• turn lanes
• storage and transition lengths
• superelevation
• roadside safety
• intersection layout

This review is only to allow the Geometrics Unit to verify that all previous recommendations have been incorporated in the plans.

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14.47 RIGHT OF WAY MONUMENTING

Monumentation of trunkline Right-of-Way has presently been discontinued due to both a lack of funding and shortage of personnel. Permanently monumented Rights-of-Way benefit the Department both as physical evidence of the location of trunkline and property boundaries as well as reducing the costs of future surveys, adjacent surveys and other boundary control issues. Therefore, it is still to be included in construction plans as defined by the situations below.

Right-of-Way monumenting must be done by a Professional Surveyor licensed to practice in the State of Michigan.

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14.47.01 New Construction

On new construction, ROW monumentation should be placed along the ROW at every deflection, Curve PC and PT, intersections with section lines, plat boundaries, and crossings with municipal Rights-of-Way. The monument locations should be coordinated with the project control and shown on the construction and ROW plans labeled with their Station and Coordinate values. The actual numbering of monuments should be coordinated with the Lansing Design Survey Unit. The scope of services for such a contract should be prepared by the Lansing Survey consultant management staff or the Regional Surveyor (if not included in the construction contract). Funding must be identified for any such work.

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14.47.02 Improvements Requiring ROW Acquisition

On existing facilities requiring ROW, monuments should be placed so as to define the boundary of any newly acquired parcel (total or partial take). Those extending through platted areas should monument any new plat corner locations. These locations should be coordinated with the project control and shown on the construction and ROW plans labeled with their Station and Coordinate values. The actual numbering of monuments should be coordinated with the Lansing Design Survey Unit. The scope of services for such a contract should be prepared by the Lansing Survey consultant management staff or the Regional Surveyor (if not included in the construction contract). Funding must be identified for any such work.

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14.47.03 Improvements Not Requiring Row Acquisition

Existing Rights-of-Way typically have sufficient evidence or occupation (i.e.: fences, existing monumentation, etc.) to indicate the location of the boundary. Monumentation in these situations is not recommended. Any dispute involving the location of any ROW boundary should be resolved by formal survey on a case by case basis.

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14.47.04 Coordination

Currently, MDOT rarely provides funding for monumentation. Project Managers for projects requiring ROW acquisition should contact the Lansing Design Survey Unit for direction in what, if any, monumentation information should be included in the plans.

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14.48 REQUEST FOR TURF ESTABLISHMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Once the limits of earthwork are known and the construction schedule has been determined, the Project Manager should request any turf establishment (Sodding and Seeding) recommendations by completing and submitting a Request for Seeding/Sodding Recommendations form to the Roadside Development Unit.

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14.49 CRITICAL PATH NETWORKS

Critical Path Networks are often needed to develop the progress schedule for a project. They are required on any project designated to include an Incentive/Disincentive or Special Liquidated Damages clause. Critical Path Networks are also recommended for projects with the following characteristics:

• New construction
• Major reconstruction or rehabilitation on an existing roadway that will severely disrupt traffic.
• Unique or experimental work.
• More than one construction season.
• Complex staging (multiple stages with traffic shifts).

There may be projects that do not fall under the above characteristics which should have a Critical Path Network. The Project Manager should evaluate each project separately. Construction Field Services Division staff and the Resident/Delivery Engineer assigned to the project should be consulted when determining the need for, and, when developing a Critical Path Network.

A list of construction time estimates for use in developing critical path networks is included in Appendix B at the end of this chapter.

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14.50 FINAL CONSTRUCTABILITY REVIEW

(PPMS Task Description 3860)

Once the revisions from The Plan Review Meeting have been incorporated into the plans, Final Plans begin. After the final maintaining traffic special provision has been received, and staging typicals and/or plan sheets have been completed, this information plus any unique special provisions should be sent to the Resident/Delivery Engineer for review. Discussions concerning a Construction Critical Path Network, if applicable, should also occur at this stage. In conjunction with the Constructability Review Checklist for the Project Development/Design Phase (Form 1960), the work in this task must be addressed prior to the distribution of the final plan/proposal package for the OEC Meeting.

The final constructability review applies to all projects. On small projects this task may consist of only the transmittal of plans to the Resident or Delivery Engineer for comment. On large projects with complex staging, one or more meetings with the Resident/Delivery Engineer and Region/TSC Traffic and Safety Engineer may be required throughout this task. For projects in templates that do not require an OEC Meeting, the Final Constructability Review must be completed prior to Plan Completion.

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14.51 INCENTIVE AND LIQUIDATED DAMAGES CLAUSES

There are two inducements to completing work by the prescribed completion date or time. These are in addition to the normal schedule of Liquidated Damages included in Section 108.10 of the current Standard Specifications for Construction. Both are listed below.

1. Incentive payments - used primarily on critical projects where traffic inconvenience and delays are to be held to a minimum. The amounts are based on estimates of items such as traffic safety, traffic maintenance, and road user delay costs.
2. Liquidated Damages for Other Department Costs - based on increased user costs and/or additional cost incurred by MDOT; such as increased maintenance costs or costs due to the type of designs for temporary roads.

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14.51.01 Guidelines

Guidelines for the development and use of Incentive or Liquidated Damages Clauses are as follows:

• Projects that are to be on an expedited schedule should be identified during the “Call for Projects” process and in the Project Concept Statement.
• Justification material such as hourly counts, user cost data and construction costs should be available prior to The Plan Review Meeting so a traffic control plan can be presented and reviewed at the meeting.
• When Incentive clauses or special expedited schedules are used, adequate Department staff must be available to maintain proper inspection and to assure a quality product.
• Projects should be straight forward and not require several different types of construction procedures or typical sections.

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14.51.02 Applications

Incentive Clauses would be appropriate where the following conditions exist:

• A substantial savings in user costs can be realized by shortening the time of the traffic restrictions or completing the project ahead of schedule.
• Total additional user costs should be at least in the neighborhood of 5% of the project cost. $5000 per day should be considered as the daily minimum incentive for major projects. For smaller interim elements of a project, a lesser value may be used.
• The time of the traffic restriction should be long enough to allow the construction schedule to be compressed at least an additional 15 days, based on a completion date using an expedited schedule.
• Where capacity will be reduced below an acceptable level of service and no detour route is available.
• Where a detour route must be used and the detour has an unacceptable level of service.

Liquidated Damages for Other Department Costs would be appropriate where the following conditions exist:

• Where additional costs would be incurred by MDOT in the form of maintenance costs on temporary roads, costs of over-designing temporary roads, maintaining traffic costs, etc. and where substantial additional user costs would be incurred or could be justified. An example would be a road being maintained on a detour or a temporary road through the construction area. The level of service would not be reduced but maintaining this situation beyond a specified date (winter shutdown) would create additional costs for MDOT. The amount of the Liquidated Damages should be substantive enough to cause the contractor to follow the schedule and to do the work as required otherwise the contractor may choose to pay the Liquidated Damages payment.
• Where the substantial user costs could be justified but the construction time is too short to allow a meaningful incentive period before the established completion date. An example would be to assess Liquidated Damages to assure the daily lane closures will not extend into the rush hour.

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14.51.03 Procedure

As soon as the Project Managers are aware that Incentive or Liquidated Damages Clauses will be included in a project, they should request an analysis. Since the analysis often requires considerable data from different work centers, it is essential to give as much lead time as possible. The Project Manager should supply, as a minimum, the following information:

• all available traffic counts (24 hour)
• the number of lane closures, if applicable
• detour routes - distance and estimated travel times

Once the analysis is completed, reviewed, and approved the information is forwarded to the Project Manager and is incorporated into the progress clause.

The maximum cost (usually 5% of the total contract) must be included in the construction cost of the project and remain within the approved programmed amount.

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14.52 REVIEW OF PROJECT SCOPE, COST AND SCHEDULE

Once the plans and proposal are completed and quantities have been entered into TRNS•PORT, the Project Manager should compare the estimate with the programmed cost. If a revision to the cost (or schedule) is required, a Project Authorization/Program Revision Request/2604 should be submitted immediately. This will insure a decision concerning cost is reached prior to the OEC Meeting. If the cost increase is denied a revised scope, change in limits, etc. needed to reduce the cost to within the programmed amount can be incorporated into the plan/proposal package prior to distribution of the material for the OEC Meeting. It is essential that the TRNS•PORT estimate, when submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Section, be within MFOS allowable limits. This eliminates any delays in advertising due to funding.

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14.54 OMISSION / ERRORS / CHECK (OEC) MEETING

(PPMS Task Description #3870)

The Plan Completion date indicates 100% completion of the plans, proposal and supporting documents herein after referred to as the OEC package.

Once Plan Completion is achieved, the Project Manager schedules a Final Plan Quality Assurance Review with the Region QA staff to internally review the OEC package for completeness. A complete OEC package is defined on MDOT Form 0330, (OEC Material Submittal Order) or Form 0303 (Design Plan Submittal). All items that are applicable on Form 0330 or Form 0303 must be included with the OEC package to be considered 100% complete. The only exceptions to this list are items that are allowed to be substituted with an Exception Risk Analysis form (Form 2912) in which case the risk analysis form must be included in the OEC package. Every effort should be made to submit the project for OEC with environmental certification and approved design exceptions. Once the OEC package is acceptable, the Region Systems Manager signs Form 0330 or Form 0303. The Project Manager may at this point schedule an OEC.

The Project Manager schedules the OEC meeting electronically with a calendar appointment. The message includes the date, time and location of the meeting with a ProjectWise link to the OEC package (100% complete). The Project Manager also sends copies of the package to meeting participants that are non-ProjectWise users in an alternate deliverable and usable format (CD, hard copy, etc.) prior to the meeting. See section 14.54.02 for OEC package material content and pre-meeting review time. The purpose of this meeting is to review the entire OEC package for omissions / errors / conflicts / contradictions, etc. The Project Manager will conduct the meeting. During the course of the meeting the Project Manager will mark any needed revisions on a copy of the plans, proposal and supporting documents. The names of those attending the meeting should be noted on the title sheet. Copies of each must remain in the project files until the project is constructed and finaled out. At the end of the meeting the Project Manager and Construction Engineer sign the title sheet and the appropriate participants sign the certification acceptance form. The Project Manager will be responsible for verifying all the agreed-upon revisions (marked in red) are incorporated into the plans.

If participants at the meeting are unable to resolve a conflict, the Project Manager should report the conflict to his/her supervisor for resolution. After the conflict is resolved the Project Manager must collect any remaining signatures on the certification acceptance form or title sheet.

CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO PROJECT SCOPE OR LIMITS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AT THIS MEETING EXCEPT WHEN PROJECT COSTS HAVE EXCEEDED PROGRAMMED COSTS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE.

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14.54.01 Attendees

The following people are recommended to attend the OEC Meeting:

Project Manager/Design Engineer(s)

Construction Engineer

Author of the Maintaining Traffic Special Provision ( If a Consultant has authored the Maintaining Traffic

Special Provision a Region/TSC Traffic and Safety Representative must be invited.).

Quality Assurance

Geometrics Unit

Environmental Clearance Coordinator

Construction Field Services Division

FHWA Oversight

Attendance at the OEC Meeting should be kept to a minimum. The object of the meeting is to identify missing, incorrect or conflicting information in the package prior to advertising and letting. Utilities, Right-of-Way, Soils, Project Development, etc. must be resolved prior to scheduling an OEC Meeting. Additional people should only be invited if the discipline requires clarification (i.e. significant utility relocation during construction or conditions/dates of right of entry regarding ROW not yet in MDOT possession). Work Centers that have contributed to the plan/proposal package should access the plan/proposal package in ProjectWise to verify that all their material is included and up to date, but do not need to attend the meeting. This reduces the number of meetings for staff and allows those attending to focus on the primary goal - errors and omissions.

Others (if applicable):

Consultant Coordinator/Consultant

Electrical Unit

Municipal Utilities Unit

Hydraulics/Hydrology Unit

Roadside Development Unit

Signals (Operation Field Services Division)

Signs

Pavement Marking

Region/TSC Real Estate

Region/TSC Utilities/Permits

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14.54.02 OEC Package Material

The OEC Package material must include the items indicated in Form 0330 or Form 0303. If the submitted material is missing enough of the listed essential items, Quality Assurance may direct the Project Manager to cancel the meeting and reschedule when all the material is complete and/or available. The materials are entered into ProjectWise using the file naming conventions outlined in Section 1.03.02. Place required RID files per the Design Submittal Requirements in the ProjectWise RID OEC folder. The Project Manager should always allow 10 business days for review of the plan/proposal material prior to the OEC Meeting. On large, complex, or unique projects the Project Manager should extend the review time to 3 or even 4 weeks to insure adequate review time. Additional time after the OEC Meeting (beyond the standard 1 week) for corrections to the package should also be considered. It is essential that the Project Manager recognize these additional time requirements and include these in the PPMS network so as to avoid delaying the project letting.

MDOT-RIDSupport will review the ProjectWise RID OEC folder and provide comments prior to the OEC Meeting. The Design Team will address the comments in the RID OEC folder and place the files for letting in the RID folder located in folder 6. MDOT-RIDSupport will then confirm that all comments have been addressed and the RID files are ready for letting.

The Construction Engineer will be responsible for providing a completed Progress Schedule at the OEC meeting.

At the same time the above material is distributed, the Project Manager should send the project link to the Specifications and Estimates Unit to initiate federal programming of funds and estimate review.

The estimator will review the estimate, adjust any unit costs and return it to the Project Manager prior to the OEC Meeting so that any funding problems can be discussed at the OEC Meeting.

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14.55 CONTRACT SELECTION TEAM (DBE PROGRAM)

Each fiscal year the State Transportation Commission adopts a percentage goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation on selected federally funded projects (all projects with any federal funding are eligible). The Contract Selection Team was established to set the DBE percentage on each MDOT construction project in order to meet or exceed the MDOT goal.

The DBE program attempts to aid DBE contractors in gaining the necessary skills to compete in their chosen field.

The Contract Selection Team may establish varying DBE levels of participation in order to achieve MDOT’s annual goal. However, due to location, type of work, or cost, some projects are not appropriate candidates for DBE participation.

The Project Manager should contact the Contract Selection Committee with any questions concerning established percentages.

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14.56 PACKAGING OR CONSOLIDATING PROJECTS

Occasionally it may be advantageous to combine two or more projects into one contract. The benefits may include lower bid prices, improved maintaining traffic coordination, eliminating possible conflicts with more than one contractor working in the same area and reduction and/or simplification of required documentation during construction of the project. Projects that are scheduled for the same letting and are located in the same area should be considered for consolidating or packaging under one contract.

Consolidation is the combining of projects into one contract under one job number. Packaging is combining of projects into one contract but with separate job numbers for each project.

When consolidating, projects must have the same construction funding. Federal-aid projects must be on the same federal route and section. If projects are consolidated under one job number, usually the number associated with the largest project is the remaining number.

Projects programmed with different types of construction funding or that are not in the same federal section, although not eligible for consolidation, can be packaged into one contract. The projects have to retain separate job numbers but are advertised, bid, and let under one contract. Construction personnel have to maintain separate records for each project.

Projects with DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) requirements cannot be consolidated or packaged without prior approval from the Contract Selection Committee (DBE).

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14.57 CERTIFICATION ACCEPTANCE

As part of the stewardship agreement with the FHWA, MDOT developed a procedure involving a system of checks/reviews to verify all requirements of the agreement are met. The Department also made the decision to use the majority of the process (completion of the Certification Acceptance form) on all projects (Federal and M funded), including those classified FHWA Oversight. The verification is accomplished by completing the Certification Acceptance form. The form includes reviews (with confirmation by signature or initials) by several divisions and sections within the Bureau of Highways. Once the form is completed it is included in the proposal folder that is submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit. The required signatures (or initials) are listed below:

• Bridge Design Unit (if applicable)
• Project Manager / Design Engineer / Consultants
• Quality Assurance Engineer
• Specifications and Estimates Engineer
• Utility Coordination and Permits
• Governmental Coordination and Engineering
• Drainage Engineer (if applicable)
• Force Account Work (if applicable)
• Geometric Design Engineer
• Traffic Signs and Delineation
• Traffic Signals
• Region/TSC Traffic and Safety
• Resident/Delivery Engineer
• FHWA Area Engineer

The following documentation should be attached to the certification acceptance form prior to submittal to the Specifications and Estimate Unit.

• Environmental Classification (Form 1775-LAP)
• Mitigation measures required in the environmental document (EIS, FONSI)
• Permits
• Copies of Scope Verification and The Plan Review Meeting minutes.
• Design Exceptions
• Waiver-Planting Wildflower Expenditures
• Pavement Selection Review Committee Approval Letter.

The Project Manager must send a copy of the completed Certification Acceptance form to the FHWA Area Engineer on all FHWA Oversight projects prior to submitting the final plan/proposal submittal to the Specifications and Estimates Unit.

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14.58 APPROVAL OF SPECIAL PROVISIONS

In order to clarify terminology surrounding this subject, the following definitions are provided:

1. Standard Specifications.- The book of specifications approved for general application and repetitive use.
2. Supplemental Specifications.- Detailed specifications that add to or supersede the Standard Specifications.
3. Special Provisions.- Revisions or additions to the Standard and Supplemental Specifications applicable to an individual project.
4. Frequently Used Special Provisions.- An approved special provision with stable requirements applicable to a number of projects used on a regular basis.
5. Addendum - a change, addition and/or deletion to the contract documents occurring after a project is advertised but before the letting date.

Occasionally, information in the plan/proposal package may differ or conflict. To help in resolving such conflicts, the following order of preference has been established per the 2012 Standard Specifications for Construction:

1. All proposal material except those listed in subsections 104.06B through 104.06F
2. Special Provisions
3. Supplemental Specifications
4. Project Plans and Drawings
5. Standard Plans
6. Standard Specifications

All unique special provisions that are part of the proposal must have the approval of the Design Division prior to contract printing and advertising. When a project is submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit for advertisement with unapproved unique special provisions, the Project Manager must complete Form 2908 Special Provision - Exception Risk Analysis, including approval by the appropriate region engineer. Although minimal use is encouraged, this form does allow for exceptions for multiple unique special provisions. These do not include the Frequently Used Special Provisions, which are reviewed and approved before they are placed on the list. The Project Manager should submit any unique special provisions to the Specifications Engineer in the Design Division as soon as possible for their review and approval (at least 30 days prior to the plan completion date). Submittals must be submitted electronically in MSWord format. Consultant Special Provisions will follow the same format and submittal procedure and will be the responsibility of the Consultant Project Manager. Drafts of these should be available for review and discussion at The Plan Review meeting.

Project Managers are encouraged to use previously approved Special Provisions whenever possible. To review an index of available approved Special Provisions, see the Previously Approved Special Provisions page on the MDOT Web site. If any changes are made to the approved document, it must be saved with another filename. When submitting a revised (previously approved) Special Provision, the redline and strikeout features under MSWord should be used to delineate the changes made to the original document. This will substantially expedite the approval process.

For additional information regarding Special Provisions including a sample format see Chapter 11 (Specifications and Estimates) of the Road Design Manual.

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14.59 SHELF PROJECTS

Projects with completed plan/proposal packages that do not have funding or approval for advertising and letting should not be submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit for processing. The Project Manager should verify all the contents of the plan/proposal package necessary for submission to the Specifications and Estimates Unit are included and correct, including signatures on the Certification Acceptance form and the Title Sheet. Once completed, the Project Manager should inform the Engineer of Road Design of the completion of a “shelf project.” The Engineer of Road Design will verify the project is indeed a “shelf project.” The Project Manager should periodically inquire about the status of the project.

Prior to submitting a “shelf project” to the Specifications and Estimates Unit for processing, the Project Manager must review the plan/proposal package and determine the amount and extent of revisions required to update the package. If a project has been on the shelf a significant amount of time the Project Manager may consider holding another OEC Meeting.

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14.60 SUBMISSION OF COMPLETED PLANS

14.60.01 General

The final plan/proposal package should be submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit on or before the date listed under the heading “_-Week Projects Sent to S & E Unit” included in the calendar year’s schedule of Letting and Board Dates. This date should not be confused with “Plan Completion Date.” Plan completion date occurs before the OEC Meeting and is the date when 100% of the plan should be completed. A copy of the letting schedule is located on the Plan Development Services intranet website. The schedule generally incorporates the following time periods:

Schedule OEC Meeting	28 weeks prior to letting
Hold OEC Meeting	26 weeks prior to letting
Turn into Specifications and Estimates	8 weeks prior to letting
Advertisement*	5 or 6 weeks prior to letting

* The Supervisor of the Specifications and Estimates Unit will determine which projects are candidates for letting with 3 or 4 week advertisements. Projects proposed for 3 week advertisements must have the approval of the Engineer of Design (except for Capital Preventive Maintenance and Pavement Marking projects).

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14.60.02 Requirements

All plan/proposal package submittals should include at least the following, in addition to the plans:

1. One print of the title sheet
2. Generate Bid Based Prices Report (TRNS•PORT)
3. Submission of Final Plan/Proposal Package to Specifications & Estimates (Form 0269)
4. Advertising Data (Form 0256)
5. Final QA/QC Checklist verified by the Project Manager
6. Proposal level cost summary (TRNS•PORT)
7. Unique special provisions (approved) including maintaining traffic
8. Frequently used supplemental specifications and special provisions (package and checklist)
9. Required permits
10. Utility Relocation Status Report (Form 2286)
11. Utility Charge Estimate (Form 0223) - for bridge projects
12. ROW Certification for Advertising (Form 0725I or Form 0725N)
13. Coordination clauses
14. Completed and signed Certification & Acceptance (Form 0265)
15. Notices to Bidder
16. Progress schedule with any incentive/disincentive clauses
17. Road Cost Estimating Check List (Form 0268) (with any changes from the OEC Meeting marked in red)
18. Exception with a memorandum signed by the Region Engineer acknowledging the risks and a completed Exception Risk Analysis (Form 2912).
19. Structure Lump Sum Items Worksheet (Form 2911) if applicable

The Project Manager must get approval - signature on the Submission of Final Plan/Proposal Package to Specifications & Estimates (Form 0269) - from the Supervisor of the Specifications and Estimates Unit prior to submitting a final package without ALL of the above items.

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14.60.03 Exceptions

There are some exceptions to the above minimum requirements for submittal of plan/proposal packages to the Specifications and Estimates Section. Exceptions are permitted in the following areas:

• Permits
• ROW Certification on non-federally funded projects
• Local Agency agreements
• Unique Special Provisions

In order to submit a package to the Specifications and Estimates unit with an allowable exception, the following steps must be followed:

• Perform a risk analysis for each appropriate exception.
• Invite appropriate experts for each exception to the OEC Meeting.
• Send the Exception Risk Analysis (Form 2912) along with the other required documents to the OEC participants (two weeks prior to the meeting).
• If the participants at the OEC meeting agree with your request for an exception, have them initial the Exception Risk Analysis (Form 2912).
• If the participants disagree with the need for an exception, they must attach written comments to the Exception Risk Analysis (Form 2912).
• The Exception Risk Analysis (Form 2912) along with any comments should be forwarded to the Region Engineer for their signature. The form is placed in the Supporting Documents folder in ProjectWise when the plan/proposal package is submitted to the Specifications and Estimates unit.
• If the exception is a permit, include a Notice to Bidders that a permit is required, the projected date of permit approval and identify any restrictive conditions.

Specifications and Estimates will not process the package without an approved exception.

Once a project is submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit the Project Manager can check ProjectWise for the status of a project.

Upon receipt of the plan/proposal package for processing, the Specifications and Estimates Unit may ask to review the project with the Design Unit in order to gain an insight into the type of work involved to determine if any additional special provisions and/or supplemental specifications are required.

The Specifications and Estimates Unit processes projects in the same sequence as they are submitted. Expedited or other projects requiring special attention should be brought to the attention of the Supervisor of the Unit prior to submittal. This includes projects without all the material described above.

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14.60.04 QA/QC Review

It is the responsibility of the Project Manager to perform a QA/QC review of the entire plan/proposal package prior to submittal to the Specifications and Estimates Unit. As a minimum, in addition to those items listed under Section 14.60.02, the following items must be correct:

• Quantities and pay items on plan sheets must match those in TRNS•PORT.
• All Unique Special Provisions with a pay item must have a matching pay item in the plans and in TRNS•PORT.
• All 7000 numbers in TRNS•PORT must have a Unique Special Provision in the proposal.
• Any Frequently Used Special Provision with a pay item must have a matching pay item in the plans and in TRNS•PORT.
• All Frequently Used Special Provisions and Specifications include in the package are the latest version.
• TRNS•PORT files must be complete and correct.
• All references to standard plans and special details are the latest version.

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14.60.05 TRNS•PORT Files

Listed below are some directions/reminders concerning TRNS•PORT files:

• Proposal ID should be “C.S.-J.N.”, with no extra spaces or characters, job number does not have an “A” or any other suffix
• County number is filled in
• Spec year is correct, both at proposal and project level
• Section and Line number have been run
• Primary Region has been filled in
• Section List indicate “Road Work” or “Bridge Work”
• Long description entered using standard wording
• Number of plan sheets filled in
• Contract type is filled in
• All Pre-established prices have been marked
• Funding distribution adds to 100%
• Each Lump Sum item adds to 1.00
• Administrative unit has been filled in
• Beginning and Ending termini have been filled in
• CE percentage is correct
• Project should be identified as J.N. with A (######A)
• Control group changed to ”DS” in the Project and Proposal level
• The unit price is fixed for all dollar items
• Project start date and completion date filled in
• The supplemental description for all 7000 items is the same as the pay item in the Special Provision.

Listed below are some common oversights of plan/proposal packages submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit:

• Copies of Special Details not included in the plans.
• Undefined pay items. Every pay item used on the project must be covered by the Standard Specifications for Construction, Special Provision or Supplemental Specification.
• Identical pay items in both the road and bridge sections. These should be revised to appear in only one section. This eliminates the possibility of a Contractor bidding differently on the same pay item.
• Packaging of projects. Packages with road, bridge, utilities, signals, signing, etc. should be packaged prior to submittal to the Specifications and Estimates Unit.
• Project cost not within MFOS funding limits.
• Construction completion date exceeding a permit’s expiration date.
• Missing or incorrect Mobilization maximum amount.
• Funding for Incentive/Disincentive clause not programmed or quantity not properly entered in TRNS•PORT.
• Quantities for a Contractor Staking Special Provision not included in the plans and/or TRNS•PORT.

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14.61 PRE-LETTING BRIEFING

Pre-Bid Meetings are held for Contractors on complex or unique projects. These meetings are usually recommended by the Project Manager, Unit Leader or Engineer of Design, although others may propose the meeting be scheduled. Responsibility for arranging the meeting rests with the Project Manager. The Project Manager is also responsible for notifying the appropriate MDOT representatives (Construction, Utility- Permits, Traffic and Safety, Contracts, etc.) as well as outside agencies (cities, villages, counties, etc.) of the time and place. The Contracts Division will advertise the briefing.

The briefing consists of a presentation of the project by a spokesman of the Department before interested Contractors. The briefing is opened to questions after the presentation. Minutes should be recorded and distributed to the attendees.

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14.61.01 Procedure

1. The Project Manager determines the need for a Pre-Bid Meeting. Projects with one or more of the following should be considered for a Pre-Bid Meeting:
   • a major project with programmed cost of $20 million or more.
   • a high impact project with a complex progress schedule.
   • a project with an expedited schedule, incentive/disincentive or increased liquidated damages.
   • project with complex traffic control and staging requirements.
   • project with extensive, new or unusual special provisions.
   • project in an environmentally sensitive areas (i.e. superfund site).
   • other projects which are unique, complex or experimental in nature.
     Also, a determination as to whether the Pre-Bid Meeting is mandatory must be made at this time. Mandatory Pre-Bid Meetings should be rarely used.
2. Project Manager requests approval for Pre-Bid Meeting from Supervisor of the Specifications and Estimates Unit prior to advertisement of project, who reviews the request with Engineer of Design and notifies Project Manager and Financial Services (approvals only) of decision.
3. Project Manager arranges time and location of meeting. Pre-Bid Meetings should be scheduled a minimum of three weeks prior to letting to allow incorporation of any necessary changes by addendum. When selecting a location, consideration should be given as to whether the potential bidders may need/wish to visit the construction site.
4. Project Manager prepares a Notice to Bidders for inclusion in the proposal. This should be submitted with the plan/proposal package.
5. Project Manager identifies attendees (from MDOT) and notifies each of time and location of meeting.
6. Project Manager conducts meeting including preparation of agenda, distributing material to attendees, and taking notes at the meeting. For meetings which require attendance, a list of bidders in attendance must be submitted to Financial Services. Contractors must complete and sign the registration form to certify attendance.
7. Project Manager submits any changes (if required) to the Specifications and Estimates Unit for issuance of addendum.

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14.62 CONTRACTOR INQUIRIES

During the advertising period, Contractors may contact the Department for clarification of plan/proposal material. Each proposal has a Notice to Bidders that includes the name of a contact person and their contact information. All Contractor inquiries are to be directed to the contact person by e-mail. This is to insure that all Contractors are given the same information (answers) and, therefore, an equal opportunity to bid the project. The designated contact person is usually the Project Manager. The e-Proposal web site displays a link to the Project Manager listed in MPINS (pulled from the MAP database) as the contact person for the project. The contact person is also listed in a "Notice to Bidders" in the proposal.

The contact person will evaluate each inquiry and determine if it will have a significant impact on the bids and if an addendum is required. These inquiries may identify errors or oversights in the bidding document. If an addendum is required, the contact person will submit the necessary information to the Specifications and Estimates Unit for review and distribution. The following information is intended to give some direction in dealing with Contractor Inquiries.

For each Contractor inquiry the contact person must complete a Notice to Bidders Inquiry Response in the Notice to Bidders Inquiry System (NTB Inquiry) on the e-Proposal web site detailing the nature of the inquiry and the action taken, if any. Questions will be posted anonymously and a direct response will be e-mailed to the inquirer.

The contact person may have to go to several sources to get an answer. If the answer is only a clarification of proposal or plan material that will not give the Contractor an unfair advantage in bidding the project, the contact person can simply provide the answer.

If the answer will give the Contractor an unfair advantage in bidding the project, the item is reviewed with the Supervisor of the Specifications and Estimates Unit to determine if an addendum should be issued.

If an addendum is required, the contact person must take the necessary steps to ensure one is issued and informs the Contractor of the action taken.

If it is too late to issue an addendum, the contact person informs the Contractor to bid the item to the best of their ability or to bid the item as proposed. If the error or omission is significant enough, the project may have to be postponed or withdrawn from letting. See Section 14.64.

Although all inquiries are supposed to be made a minimum of one week prior to the letting date (as stated in the proposal), they can still occur during the last week. Occasionally, these require a late addendum. The decision to require a late addendum should be discussed with the Supervisor of the Specifications and Estimates Unit. Late addenda must be approved by the Quality Assurance and Lettings Engineer prior to publishing.

Addenda are sent to prime Contractors only. If a Subcontractor makes an inquiry that results in an addendum, the addendum is sent only to the prime Contractor. MDOT is not responsible for notifying Subcontractors or suppliers.

Contractors may ask for additional information not contained in the plans such as exact locations of miscellaneous quantities on the note sheet or approval to substitute materials. These are examples of information the contact person should not provide. Answers should be concise and only clarify, not expand the content of the plan/proposal material.

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14.63 ADDENDA

Changes to the contract (plans, specifications and special provisions) are sometimes necessary when they affect the way a Contractor bids a project. Notification to Contractors is sent out by the Contract Services Division in the form of an addendum (an amendment to the contract documents as advertised). Changes most often originate by Contractor Inquiry. Addenda are issued at the request of the Project Manager, after a project is advertised but before the opening of the bids Once the plans and proposal have been sent to the Contract Services Division, for advertising, the plan/proposal package cannot be changed except by addendum..

The Project Manager should determine if changes are necessary by determining the effect on the way the work will be bid. The Project Manager should consult with the Supervisor of the Specifications and Estimates Unit to determine the effects. If there is no effect on the bidding, an addendum may not be necessary. This type of change can be handled by a plan revision after the project is let.

If an addendum is needed, it is initiated by supplying the required information to the Specifications and Estimates Unit. Detailed instructions and templates for submitting an addendum request can be found in ProjectWise or on the Plan Development website.

Typically there are three types of changes made to the Contract Documents by an addendum. Pay item, proposal, and plan changes require the following information:

1. If Pay Items are Affected:

The proposal line number, pay item number, pay item description, and quantity and units as specified in the Schedule of Items in the Proposal.

2. If the Proposal is Affected:

The proposal page number of the document affected along with the change in the document if not supplying a new document.

3. If Plan Sheets are Affected:

The sheet numbers that need to be altered, the exact description of the change and any additional sheets as necessary.

The FHWA must give prior approval for all addenda involving FHWA oversight projects before they can be published. The Project Manager is responsible for obtaining FHWA approval. E-mail approval from the FHWA Area Engineer is sufficient documentation.

Addenda issued no later than four days prior to letting require the approval of the Specifications and Estimates Supervisor. Addenda issued after this date must also be approved by the Quality Assurance and Lettings Engineer. All approvals are facilitated by the Specifications and Estimates Unit.

Project Managers should make every attempt to minimize the number of addenda requests, especially those within the final five days prior to the letting date. Addenda must NOT be used as a process for completing the design of a project after advertisement.

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14.64 POSTPONEMENT, WITHDRAWAL, OR REJECTIONS FROM LETTING

The Project Manager will be notified by the Specifications and Estimates Supervisor of any project that requires the following action:

1. Postponement from Letting

Is usually a delay to the next available letting. The Contractor retains the plans and proposal and an addendum will be issued.

The Project Manager will make the required changes and submit an addendum request to the Specifications and Estimates Unit.

2. Withdrawal from Letting

Is usually a delay of more than one letting. The Contractor will dispose of the existing plans and proposal documents. The plans and proposal will be modified by the Project Manager and turned back in to Specifications and Estimates for re-advertising.

Original plans and proposal material will be returned to the Project Manager by the Specifications and Estimates Unit

3. Rejection from Letting

Takes place after letting and Executive Bid Review. If rejected, the original plans and proposal will be returned to the Project Manager by the Specifications and Estimates Unit.

A copy of the memo signed by the Director of the Bureau of Highway Development will be sent to the Director of the Bureau of Finance and Administration for appropriate action.

The Project Manager has the responsibility to pursue whatever contract changes are necessary and turn the project back in to Specifications and Estimates for re-advertising. 14.64 (continued)

4. Bid Rejections Less Than 10% Over the Engineer’s Estimate

1. The Project Manager contacts the Specifications and Estimates Unit with concerns that the bids received are not reflective of previous projects with similar scope and type of work or that the project cannot be built as advertised.
2. The Specifications and Estimates Unit and the Project Manager review the proposal package to document why the bids are not acceptable. The Project Manager, in cooperation with the Region Engineer, recommends that bids be rejected to the Director of the Bureau of Highway Development.
3. If the decision is made to reject all bids, a memo is sent to the Director of the Bureau of Finance and Administration from the Director of the Bureau of Highway Development requesting rejection of all bids with an explanation why the bids should be rejected.

5. Bid Rejections More Than 10% Over the Engineer’s Estimate

1. Design Division’s Specifications and Estimates Unit reviews the bid tabulation with the Project Manager to determine what items caused the bid amounts to exceed the engineer’s estimate.
2. The Specifications and Estimates Unit and the Project Manager reviews the proposal package to see if the bid amount is reasonable. The Project Manager, in cooperation with the Region Engineer, recommends that bids be rejected or accepted to the Director of the Bureau of Highway Development.
3. If bids are rejected, a memo is sent to the Bureau of Finance and Administration from the Director of the Bureau of Highway Development requesting rejection of all bids.
4. If bids are accepted, a “Justification Memo” is sent to the Bureau of Finance and Administration from the Director of the Bureau of Highway Development with reasons why the bids should be considered reasonable and be awarded to the low bidder.
5. If the low bid is $500,000 or greater, the justification memo is placed on the next State Transportation Commission agenda for approval, before it is submitted to the State Administrative Board agenda for approval.

6. Single Bid Rejection less than 10% over the Engineer’s Estimate

1. If the single bid is not acceptable, the Project Manager contacts the Design Division’s Specifications and Estimates Supervisor with concerns that the low bid received is not reflective of previous projects with similar scope and type of work or that the project cannot be built as advertised.
2. The Specifications and Estimates Supervisor and the Project Manager review the proposal package to document why the single bid is not acceptable. The Project Manager, in cooperation with the Region Engineer, recommends the bid be rejected to the Director of the Bureau of Highway Development.
3. If the decision is made to reject the bid, a memo is sent to the Director of the Bureau of Finance and Administration from the Director of the Bureau of Highway Development requesting rejection of the bid with an explanation why the single bid should be rejected.
4. If the single bid is deemed acceptable, the Bureau of Finance and Administration will process the bid in the normal manner. This includes the extra step of reporting the single bid contract to the State Transportation Commission agenda for approval.

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14.65 REFERENCE INFORMATION DOCUMENTS

The Reference Information Document (RID) process provides availability of electronic data files through the e-Proposal website. RID files are non-contractual items for contractor use prior to bidding on construction projects. They include design files, survey deliverable files, miscellaneous files and the RID Index.xlxs.

Milestone reviews by MDOT RID Support are intended to be on the same timeline as other reviews mentioned in the previous sections. RID files will be submitted to the Specifications and Estimates Unit and MDOT RID Support for review prior to final turn in. The files are subsequently published at the same time as the Proposal and Plans. Any changes made to the RID files after this time, due to an addendum, will be the responsibility of the Project Manager. Each published ‘set’ released after the original publication shall include a revised RID Index.xlxs using the Project Changes tab that includes only the changed files and a brief explanation of the changes made to the files.

See the Design Submittal Requirements for more information.

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14.66 TABULATIONS OF BIDS

Approximately one week after the letting, bid tabulations with the Engineer’s Estimate, the low bid Contractor and the other prime Contractor’s bids are posted to the MDOT website. Some projects require an additional review and may take longer. The Tabulation of Bids can also be accessed through the Bid Letting System on the Plan Development website by selecting the appropriate letting date and letting item number.

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14.67 TABULATIONS OF BIDS

A pre-construction meeting is usually held with the low-bid contractor, subcontractors, and MDOT representatives after the letting and award of a project. Participants usually include (when applicable):

• Contractor
• Subcontractor(s)
• Resident/Delivery Engineer
• Project Manager/Designer/Consultant
• Soils Engineer
• Traffic Engineer
• Utility/Permits Engineer
• Region/TSC Materials Engineer
• Utility Companies
• Counties and/or Municipalities
• Railroad Companies
• FHWA Area Engineer

The agenda may include:

• Introduction of attendees
• Recording of Minutes & Attendance record
• Project description
• Designation of Supervisors
• Proposal (including any addenda)
• Subcontractors
• Real Estate
• Utilities and Railroads
• Affected Municipalities and or Counties
  • Haul routes and hours
  • Special use permits
  • local ordinances
• Testing Order
• Soils/Materials
• Traffic
• Progress Schedule
• Safety Program/Issues
• Work Orders and Contract Modifications
• Labor Compliance
• OJT/EEO/DBE Requirements
• Miscellaneous
• Erosion Control

The Project Manager should be invited to all pre-construction meetings. However, due to the limited time to schedule and hold the meeting, advanced notification may be short. Also, the Project Manager may want to contact the Resident/Delivery Engineer prior to the meeting to discuss the need for their participation. In some instances attendance at the pre-construction meeting is not required on the simplest, most straightforward projects.

Minutes at this meeting are recorded by a Region/TSC representative and copies are distributed to the Engineer of Construction Field Services Division, Region Engineer, TSC Manager, and all participants.

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14.70 DESIGN PROJECT RECORD

As soon as a project has been assigned, the Project Manager should begin to compile a Design Project Record. This is done by maintaining a chronological record of any events affecting plan development which:

1. Affect the cost of design or construction of the project
2. Change the scheduled dates (plan completion, ROW or letting).

After the project is awarded, the contract bid price, design cost, percent cost (design cost divided by the construction cost) and the number of plan sheets are also entered on form #216. A copy is sent to the Design Supervising Engineer and the original placed in the project file and becomes part of the project’s permanent files submitted to the file room during the closeout of design files.

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14.71 PLAN REVISIONS

Occasionally plans must be revised after a contract is let and, in extreme instances, after construction has begun. Changes issued by Design Division are done on a Revision of Plans (Form 0291). A Plan Revision Distribution (Form 0211) should accompany the Revision of Plans (Form 0291). No other letters of transmittal are required.

Plan revisions should contain a concise and accurate description of the work involved so as to be understood by anyone not associated with the project. The following are some guidelines for preparing a plan revision:

• The use of revised plan sheets should be avoided whenever possible. If the changes can be described easily and adequately on the Revision of Plans (Form 0291), revised plan sheets do not need to be included in the distribution. However, if the changes are complicated and extensive, revised plan sheets should accompany the Revision of Plans distribution.
• When making changes in dimensions or quantities the old figures should be lightly crossed out (not erased) and new figures added above or adjacent to the old figures.
• Plan revisions involving FHWA Oversight projects must be reviewed and approved by the FHWA prior to distribution. A note stating FHWA concurrence (and by whom) should be included on the Revision of Plans (Form 0291).
• Plan revisions are numbered in ascending order with a letter prefix for the section issuing the revision (R-Road, B-Bridge, U-Utilities). The first plan revision distribution by Road Design would be R-1, the next R-2.
• Quantities should be exact. If exact quantities cannot be determined until after the work is completed, they should be estimated as accurately as possible.
• Do not revise the quantity sheet. This will be corrected with the authorizations (Recommendation and Authorization for: form) submitted by the project office.
• If most of the plan sheets are affected, the complete set should be reissued to avoid possible confusion.
• If the RID files need to be changed submit the revised files consistent with the Design Submittal Requirements.

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14.71.01 Procedure

The following general procedure should be used when preparing and distributing plan revisions:

1. Revise the plan sheet(s) affected (if required).
2. Complete Revision of Plans (Form 0291) and Plan Revision Distribution (Form 0211).
3. Discuss the proposed changes with the FHWA (FHWA Oversight).
4. Gather the following signatures:
   • Project Manager/Development Engineer
   • Resident/Delivery Engineer
5. Combine completed forms 0211 and 0291 with the revised sheets in Adobe Acrobat format and name the file PLANREV1.pdf (or subsequent numerical naming if multiple). Save the file in the ProjectWise sub-folder entitled "Plan Revisions and Shop Drawings". If this sub-folder has not been created, contact the local or central office ProjectWise Administrator for assistance.
6. Distribute electronic copies per the instructions on each form. Copies must also be sent to any affected agencies and/or the FHWA (FHWA Oversight).

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14.72 POST-CONSTRUCTION MEETING

A post-construction meeting should be held on all projects. At the meeting, the project is reviewed with discussions centering on problems or oversights encountered during the construction phase, the solutions used, and possible methods to avoid similar reoccurrences in the future. The meeting usually includes the Resident/Delivery Engineer, Project Manager, prime contractor, sub-contractors, the Region/TSC Utilities/Permits Engineer and the Region/TSC Traffic and Safety Engineer.

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14.72.01 Recommendations and Authorizations

During construction of a project there may be changes in, or extras to plans or changes in the quantity of work. To accommodate these, recommendations are made that remain a recommendation until signed (authorized) by the Engineer of Construction Field Services Division. The recommendation becomes a part of the contract after being authorized (signed).

The four basic types of recommendations are:

• Changes in Contract - Alters the existing quantity of existing contract items.
• Extras to Contract - For additional work not established in the original contract. Payment for extra work may be made with a negotiated price or by force account.
• Adjustment to Contract - Provides for increased or decreased payments to the contract when neither a change nor an extra apply.
• Extension of Time - Revises the contract open to traffic date and/or completion date.

Once a project has been closed out and the Project Manager receives a marked up (as-built) set of plans, it is often beneficial to review copies of all Recommendations and Authorizations distributed for a project. Major contract modifications are sent to the Project Manager during the construction phase. These include:

• Changes in the scope or character of work
• Changes in the geometric design or structural capacity
• Changes in project limits
• Changes in the traffic control plan
• Changes in specifications
• An extension of time on projects with incentive/disincentive clauses
• A significant error or omission
• Changes to an item that increases or decreases the cost by more than $25,000
• Cumulatively increases the cost of a major line item by either $100,000 or a minimum 10% of the original cost
• Contract modification generated due to a Construction Office Review (COR) or Region Office Review (ROR)

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14.73 MARKED FINAL PLANS

As Built Plans, also referred to as As Constructed Final Plans (ACFP), or Marked Final Plans, are original awarded project plan sheets that have been updated to show changes, corrections and comments made during construction.

After construction is complete, the Resident/Delivery Engineer’s office is responsible for creating and placing marked As Built Plans in ProjectWise

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14.73.01 Mark-Up Standards

Use the following guidelines to capture the As Built changes and corrections made to the As Let Plans:

Horizontal Control: Changes in alignment, bearings, PC’s, PI’s, PT’s, curve data, government corner witnesses, witnesses to alignment monuments, right-of-way monuments and boxes, and right-of-way fence should be shown on plan sheets.

Vertical Control: Changes in vertical curves, benchmarks, grade changes, structure grade changes, and changes in elevation and/or percent grade of ditch flow line should be shown on profile and plan sheets where applicable.

Drainage and Topography: Changes in location, elevation, length and size of culverts, sewers, edge drain, manholes, and catch basins should be shown on plan and profile sheets. This information should include stationing, offset from centerline, flow line elevation, types, sizes, lengths, and quantities. Other topography changes including guardrail, slopes, drives (location and width) utility changes such as water main, lighting, etc. should also be shown.

Earthwork and Surfacing: It is not necessary to show minor changes in earthwork, sub-base or surfacing on plan and profile sheets if such changes are broken by balances on the quantity sheets. When borrow is contractor-furnished, actual earthwork balances are not important. Use the same station to station breakdown as was used for plan quantities. Undercuts also do not need to be shown as most reconstruction projects require a new soils investigation.

When capturing As Built mark-ups, adhere to the following As Built Mark-Up Standards:

• Mark-ups can be made in either CAD or by hand
• Use black ink only to mark-up plans
• Mark-ups must be clear and legible
• Hand comments must appear opaque (solid)
• Do not obliterate As Let plan data – only line out or place an “x” through item
• Final output must be PDF format in PLANHALF size of 11x17
• Plan sheets with As Built mark-ups are to be saved individually outside of the original plan set

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14.73.02 File Standards And Requirements

Once the As Built mark-ups are complete and formatted properly, use the following requirements to ensure the As Builts plans are ready for submission.

Review Mark-ups for Legibility: Ensure the As Built Plan sheets being submitted meet the data capture and mark-up requirements as outline in Section 14.73.01.

File Requirements: As Built Plans must be in PDF format. They must also be sized and scaled to the PLANHALF size of 11x17.

As Built File Naming Standards: In order to ensure consistency and proper search results, specific naming conventions must be maintained for all As Built sheets.

• File names must follow the naming conventions used in the Letting Plan or Proposal, including capitalization.
• The page number given to the sheet must be the page it represents in the PDF As Let plan set and NOT the page in the project drawing plan set.
• As Built plans sheets that are PDF pages 1-9 should be named as “01, 02, 03”… in order to keep them in proper page sequence in the folder.
• Corrected PDF plan sheets must be saved and named individually.
• Consecutive As Built sheets can be saved in a single pdf file and named according to the following format: “Road_09-22.pdf”, “Bridge_09-22.pdf”. Use this format only when the As Builts contain corrected sheets that are in sequence.

The following list provides examples of the standard naming conventions for As Builts.

• Proposal_15.pdf
• Road_01.pdf
• Bridge_22-46.pdf
• Road1_07.pdf
• Bridge1_22.pdf

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14.73.03 As Built Turn In Process

After ensuring the As Builts meet the required criteria, they are ready to be submitted. Submit the As Built Plans using ProjectWise by:

• Contacting your local ProjectWise administrator for As Built folder set-up
• Adding As Built plan sheets to the As Built folder for the designated job number
• Filling out and submitting Form 250

Detailed instructions can be found in the ProjectWise Reference documents for As Builts under the Standards and Submittal Instructions folder at:
pwname://MDOTProjectWise/Documents/Reference Documents/As Builts/~ Standards and Submittal Instructions

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14.73.04 Design Division Review and Approval Process

Upon receiving the submitted As Built plan information, the As Built Administrator reviews the As Builts to determine if they are ready to be turned to Final status or if they need further correction.

When the As Builts are approved, an electronic notification is sent to the submitter acknowledging the As Builts are approved and marked to Final status. No further action is required by the submitter.

If the administrator rejects the submitted As Builts, an electronic notification is sent to the submitter indicating the items that need to be re-addressed before the plans can be approved. Once the items have been re-addressed the submitter can re-submit the As Builts for approval.

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14.74 DOCUMENT RETENTION

Once a project has been completed and closed-out, document retention for the project is necessary.

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14.74.01 Permanent Records

Permanent, or indefinite, paper files and electronic documents, are to be stored in ProjectWise. (Permanent paper files must be scanned and saved in the PDF format prior to storing in ProjectWise.) Such documentation includes:

• PDF plan sheets with “as-built” changes and/or corrections
• Contract plans or proposal
• Agreement file
• Permit file

The following items should also be included in the permanent records as well:

• Drainage calculations
• Environmental Impact Statement
• Environmental Assessment
• Engineering Report
• Correspondence (only correspondence concerning design decisions on the project)
• Survey data (benchmark, government corner tie information only)
• Design exceptions
• Design project record

All other information, paper or electronically stored in ProjectWise, including review sets and calculations not described above, should be discarded. This specifically includes the Plan Review plans, OEC plans, design data, line and grade plans, office check plans, drainage approval plans, municipal approval plans and Health Department plans, etc.

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APPENDIX B - Critical Path Construction Time Estimates

Drainage
Cross Culverts
	Rural Highways	130	ft/day
	Expressways	165	ft/day
	Large Head Walls	5	days/unit
	Slab or Box Culverts	5	days/pour
	Plowed in Edge Drain(production type project)	15000	ft/day
	Open Graded Under drain(production type project)	4000	ft/day
Sewers
	0 - 15' (up to 60")	130	ft/day
	0 - 15' (over 60")	80	ft/day
	Over 15' (up to 60")	80	ft/day
	Over 15' (over 60")	65	ft/day
	Jacked-in-place	40	ft/day
	including excavation pit & set up	min. 5	days
Tunnels
	hand mining	25	ft/day
	machine mining	65	ft/day
	including excavation pit & set up	min. 5	days
Manholes		3	units/day
Catch Basin		4	units/day

Utilities
Water Main (up to 16")		325	ft/day
	Flushing, Testing & Chlorination	4	days
Water Main (20" - 42")		80	ft/day
	Flushing, Testing & Chlorination	5	days
Order & Deliver 24" HP Water Main		50	days/order
Gas Lines		325	ft/day

Earthwork and Grading
	Metro Exp		Rural
Embankment (CIP)	2000	yd3/day	7000	yd3/day
Excavation and/or Embankment (Freeway)	2000	yd3/day	12000	yd3/day
Excavation and/or Embankment (Reconstruction)	1000	yd3/day	5000	yd3/day
Embankment (Lightweight Fill)	400	yd3/day	800	yd3/day
Muck (Excavated Waste & Backfill)			2000	yd3/day
Excavation (Widening)			2000	ft/day
Grading (G & DS)			2500	ft/day
Subbase and Selected Subbase (up to 24'-3")			2000	ft/day
Subbase and Selected Subbase (24'-3" & over)			1500	ft/day
Subgrade Undercut & Backfill			2000	yd3/day
Subbase & Open-Graded Drainage Course			1500	ft/day

Surfacing
Concrete Pavement (24'-0")		1500	ft/day
	Including Forming & Curing	min. 7	days
Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement (24'-0")		4000	ft/day/course
Concrete Ramps (16'-0")		1000	ft/day
	Including Forming & Curing	min. 7	days
Curb (1 side)		2500	ft/day
Concrete Shoulder-Median		1400	yd2/day
Hot Mix Asphalt Shoulders (1 side per course)		2550	ft/day
Sidewalk		215	yd2/day
Sidewalk (patching)		75	yd2/day

Structures
Sheeting (Shallow)		100	ft/day
General Excavation at Bridge Site		1000	yd3/day
Excavation for Substructure (Footings)		1	unit/day
Piles (40')		15	piles/day
Substructure (Piers & Abutments)		5	days/unit
Order and Delivery of Beams
	Plate Girders	100-120	days/order
	Rolled Beams	90-120	days/order
	Concrete Beams	50	days/order
Erection of Structural Steel		3	days/span
Bridge Decks
	Form & Place Reinforcement (200 ft Structure)	15	days
	Form & Place Reinforcement (200 ft Structure)	2	days/span
	Cure	14	days
2 Course Bridge Decks
	Add 9 days for Second Course Latex
	Add 12 days for Second Course Low Slump
Sidewalks and Railings
	Sidewalks and Parapets	5	days/span
	Slip Formed Barriers	2	days/span
Clean Up		10	days
Pedestrian Fencing
	Shop Plan Approval & Fabrication	1-2	months
	Erection	1	week/bridge
Rip Rap Placement
	Bucket Dumped	500	yd3/day
	Bucket Dumped and Hand Finished	175-685	yd3/day

Retaining Walls	1	panel/day
	min. 10	days

Railroad Structures
Grade Temporary Runaround	1000	yd3/day
Ballast, Ties & Track	165	ft/day
Place Deck Plates	5	days/span
Waterproof, Shotcrete & Mastic	5	days/span

Railroad Crossing Reconstruction	10-15	work days
	Depending on if concrete base is included.

Temporary Railroad Structures
Order & Deliver Steel	55	work days
Erect Steel	1	day/span
Ties and Track	3	days/span

Pump House
Structure	9	days/ft
Order & Deliver Electrical & Mechanical Equipment	90	days
Install Electrical & Mechanical Equipment	30	days

Miscellaneous
Removing Old Pavement		200	ft/day
Removing Old Pavement for Recycling (24 ft)		1500	ft/day
Crushing Old Concrete for 6A or OGDC		1500	tons/day
Removing Trees (Urban)		15	units/day
Removing Trees (Rural)		30	units/day
Removing Concrete Pavement		550	yd2/day
Removing Sidewalk		300	yd2/day
Removing Curb & Gutter		1500	ft/day
Removing Hot Mix Asphalt Surface		1900	yd2/day
Conditioning Aggregate		3000	ft/day
Hot Mix Asphalt Base Stabilizing		3000	yd2/day
Ditching		1975	ft/day
Trenching for Shoulders		2500	ft/day
Station Grading		2000	ft/day
Clearing		9500	yd2/day
Restoration (Topsoil, Seeding, Fertilizer & Mulch)		2000	yd2/day
Sodding		2500	yd2/day
Seeding		50000	yd2/day
Guard Rail		750	ft/day
Fence (Woven Wire)		1200	ft/day
Fence (Chain Link)		500	ft/day
Clean Up		2000	ft/day
Concrete Median Barrier		1000	ft/day
	Cure	min. 7	days
Reroute Traffic (Add 4 days if 1st item)		1	day/move
Concrete Glare Screen		1500	ft/day
Light Foundations		6	units/day
	Order & Delivery	6-8	weeks/order
Remove Railing & Replace with Barrier (1 or 2 decks at a time)		4	days/side
Longitudinal Joint Repair		5200	ft/day
Crack Sealing		16000	ft/day
Joint and Crack Sealing		1650	ft/day
Repairing Pavement Joints - Detail 7 or 8		650	ft/day
Seal Coat		21000	lane ft/day
Diamond Grinding/Profile Texturing Concrete		4000	yd2/day
Rest Area Building
	Order Material	3	months
	Construct Building	9	months
Tower Lights
	Order & Deliver Towers	100	days
Weigh-in-Motion
	Order & Deliver Materials	1	mo-6 weeks
	Order & Deliver with Installation	3	months
Raised Pavement Markers		300	each/day
Attenuators		2	each/day
Shoulder Corrugations, Ground or Cut		5-6	mi/side/day
Aggregate Base		3500	yd2/day
Aggregate Shouldersb		450	yd3/day
Freeway Signing-3# Post Type		50	signs/day

Concrete Joint Repair (High Production-Projects with > 1000 patches)
Average (6 ft)	50	patches/day
Large (> 6 ft)	600	yd2/day

Bridge Painting

110

yd2/day

Pin and Hanger Replacement		3	beams/day
	Order Pin & Hanger	60	days

Bridge Repair
Scarifying (Including Clean up)			12000	yd2/day
Joint Removal (Including Clean up)			13	ft/day
	Forming & Placement		11.5	ft/day
Hydro-Demolishing			1000	ft/day
Barrier Removal			50	ft/day
	Placement		150	ft/day
Hand Chipping (other than deck)			0.3	yd3/person/day
Shoulder Corrugations, Ground or Cut			5-6	mi/side/day
Casting Latex Overlay			825	ft/day
Curing Overlay
	Regular		4	days
	High Early		1	day
Thrie Beam Retrofit			100	ft/day
Beam End Repairs
	Welded Repairs		0.75	days/repair
	Bolted Repairs		0.50	days/repair
	Bolted Stiffeners (pair)		0.25	days/repair
	Grind Beam Ends		0.25	days/repair
	Welded Stiffeners (pair)		0.25	days/repair
	H-Pedestal Repairs
		Welded Repair	0.50	days/repair
		Replacement	1	day each
Deck Removal			300	yd2/day

Surfacing-Bituminous
Metro-Primary (<20,000 tons)
	Paving	600	tons/day
	Joints	500	ft/day
	Cold Milling	4000	yd2/day
	Aggregate Shoulders	1000	tons/day
Metro-Primary (>20,000 tons)
	Paving	600	tons/day
	Joints	650	ft/day
	Cold Milling	9000	yd2/day
Metro Interstate (>20,000 tons)
	Paving	1200	tons/day
	Joints	1200	ft/day
	Aggregate Shoulders	1000	tons/day
Urban Primary (<20,000 tons)
	Paving	700	tons/day
	Joints	325	ft/day
	Cold Milling	2000	yd2/day
	Rubblizing	2000	yd2/day
	Aggregate Shoulders	500	tons/day
Urban Primary (>20,000 tons)
	Paving	1100	tons/day
	Joints	400	ft/day
	Cold Milling	2000	yd2/day
	Aggregate Shoulders	550	tons/day
Urban Interstate (>20,000 tons)
	Paving	1300	tons/day
	Joints	725	ft/day
	Cold Milling	2000	yd2/day
	Rubblizing	7000	yd2/day
	Aggregate Shoulders	700	tons/day
Rural Primary (<20,000 tons)
	Paving	700	tons/day
	Joints	400	ft/day
	Cold Milling	650	tons/day
	Crush & Shape	12000	yd2/day
	Aggregate Shoulders	700	tons/day
Rural Primary (>20,000 tons)
	Paving	1200	tons/day
	Joints	500	ft/day
	Cold Milling	900	tons/day
	Crush & Shape	12000	yd2/day
Rural Interstate (>20,000 tons)
	Paving	1400	tons/day
	Joints	725	ft/day

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APPENDIX D - ACRONYMS

Acronym	Description
ADT	Average Daily Traffic
BOH	Bureau of Highways
BTP	Bureau of Transportation Planning
CA	Certification Acceptance
CE	Construction Engineering
CFR	Code of Federal Register
COR	Construction Office Review
CPM	Critical Path Method(Network)
DBE	Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
DHV	Design Hourly Volume
DTM	Digital Terrain Model
EAU	Environmental Assessment Unit
EEO	Equal Employment Opportunity
EIS	Environmental Impact Statement
EOC	Engineering Operations Committee
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency
EPE	Early Preliminary Engineering
FHWA	Federal Highway Administration
FOIA	Freedom of Information Act
FONSI	Finding of No Significant Impacts
FUSP	Frequently Used Special Provisions
FUSS	Frequently Used Supplemental Specifications
G/DCCU	Grading/Drainage Consulting Contracting Unit
GRCU	Governmental and Railroad Coordination Unit
I/D	Incentive/Disincentive
LCCA	Life Cycle Cost Analysis
LSUM	Lump Sum
MDEQ	Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
MDNR	Michigan Department of Natural Resources
MDOT	Michigan Department of Transportation
MFOS	Michigan Financial Obligation System
MIR	Michigan Institutional Roads
MPINS	MAP Project Information System
NAVD	North American Vertical Datum
NHS	National Highway System
NPDES	National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NVD	National Vertical Datum
OEC	Omissions/Errors/Check
OJT	On the Job Training
PCS	Project Area Contamination Survey
PC	Point on Curve
PCU	Project Coordination Unit
PE	Preliminary Engineering
PI	Point of Intersection
PMS	Pavement Management System
POB	Point of Beginning
POE	Point of Ending
PPMS	Program/Project Management System
PRSC	Pavement Review Selection Committee
PT	Point on Tangent
QAQC	Quality Assurance/Quality Control
ROR	Region Office Review
ROW	Right of Way
RQFS	Road Quality Forecastting System
RRS	Region/TSC Resource Specialist
S&E	Specifications and Estimates
SLD	Special Liquidated Damages
STIP	Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan
SUE	Subsurface Utility Engineering
SUP	Special Use Permits
TRNS•PORT	None - Estimating Software/System
TSC	Transportation Service Center
URTS	Utility Relocation Tracking System
USGS	United States Geological Survey
USPLSS	United States Public Land Survey System
VE	Value Engineering
VECP	Value Engineering Change Proposal

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