Section 209.07. Candidate project identification process.

 

(1)   General description. Candidate project identification is accomplished within the overall framework of developing the highway and bridge improvement program. The department shall identify both the surface, structure, safety, geometric or capacity deficiencies, singly or in combination, and the alternative improvement levels to correct or reduce the deficiencies.

(2)   Responsibilities. The transportation region offices, with the guidance from the central office, shall take the lead role in identifying candidate projects for the resurfacing, reconditioning, reconstruction, interstate, major and bridge program areas. The regions shall provide the regional and local viewpoints and knowledge of unique local conditions to program development.

(3)   Collect and develop data. The department shall maintain a system of uniform data collection for segments of the highway system. This data shall be used for comparison and evaluation purposes to assist in determining that the most appropriate and beneficial candidate projects and improvement levels are selected. This data shall be updated, as necessary, for the recycling of the program. The following data will be collected and developed where appropriate:

(a) Highway data

1. Pavement surface type

2. Year surfaced

3. Widths: right of way, travel lane, pavement, shoulders, median, and parking lane

4. Lanes: travel and parking

5. Driveways

6. Posted speed

7. Pavement serviceability index (PSI)

8. Accident information

9. Curves with limited stopping sight distance

10. Steep grades

11. Percent no passing zone

12. Average daily traffic

13. Forecast average daily traffic

14. Hourly vehicle data and hourly capacity

15. Parking restrictions

16. Terrain

17. Access control

18. Maintenance problems

(b) Bridge data

1. Deck condition: expansion and construction joints

2. Superstructure: main load carrying members, floor system

3. Substructure condition: abutments, piers, bents

4. Waterway condition: adequacy of opening, flooding, debris present

5. Approaches condition: roadway condition, horizontal and vertical sight distance

6. Capacity condition: design, inventory and operating load, posting, maximum vehicle weight, load rating basis, overburden depth

7. Field inspection and office appraisal rating

(c) Historically collected environmental, social and economic data

1. Land use

2. Right-of-way required

3. Housing and business units required

4. Farms affected

5. Land required: agricultural, wetland and upland habitat

6. Habitat replaced

7. Endangered species

8. Air quality effects

9. Noise level impacts

10. Energy consumption

(4)   Identify candidate projects. Candidate projects may originate from the following sources:

(a) Segments which have one or more deficiencies based on the analyses of the data collected and developed.

(b) Projects considered or included in the last programming cycle.

(c) Projects which address problem areas identified by departmental staff.

(d) Projects recommended by elected officials, citizens, local units of governments, regional planning commissions, county highway committees, county traffic safety commissions, etc.

(e) Projects coordinated with planned development.

(f) Projects that must be coordinated with other projects.

(g) Projects identified as a part of the interstate cost estimate.

(h) Projects which constitute a gap in an existing system.

(i) Projects in high priority corridors with large past investment.

(j) Projects that are eligible for special discretionary federal funding.

(k) Projects that are compatible with and serve to implement state or local transportation plans.

(5)   Project deficiency analysis. Candidate projects shall be analyzed at the transportation region office for resurfacing, reconditioning and reconstruction projects and at the central office for bridge, interstate and major projects. Primary criteria used to indicate deficiencies on candidate projects are:

(a) Accident rate or occurrence that is greater than the statewide average.

(b) Volume to capacity ratio that is greater than .8 in the 100th hour at level of service "C'.

(c) No passing zone that is greater than 50% of the project length.

(d) Pavement serviceability index that is less than 2.5 on the interstate system, less than 2.25 on a road functionally classified principal arterial or less than 2.0 on all other roads.

(e) Pavement age that is more than 20 years on portland cement concrete or more than 15 years on bituminous pavements.

(f) Pavement width that is less than 21 feet.

(g) Shoulder width that is less than 4 feet.

(h) Bridges that have a sufficiency rating less than 50 or have a condition or load rating of 3 (basically intolerable condition requiring high priority of repair).

(6)   Develop alternative project improvement types and cost estimates. The department shall identify a range of practical improvement types for each candidate project. The range of alternatives for highway projects may include: patching and maintenance resurfacing (the equivalent of the "no build" option); improvement resurfacing; minor and major reconditioning; and reconstruction (See Figure 2). Alternatives for bridges shall be: maintenance; rehabilitation; or replacement.

(a) The department shall consider the following factors for the range of alternative improvement levels of a given project:

1. The nature, number and severity of the deficiencies present;

2. The overall budget available;

3. The cost estimate for each alternative;

4. The associated federal-aid eligibility requirements;

5. The existence of other related projects;

6. The probable project effects concerning safety, energy consumption, economic development and the social and natural environment;

7. The traffic volumes served by the proposed project.

History: Cr. Register, September, 1981, No. 309 , eff. 10-1-81; corrections in (2), (5) (intro.) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6. , Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686 . - See PDF for diagram