SUBCHAPTER G - ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS

PART 625 - DESIGN STANDARDS FOR HIGHWAYS

Sec.

625.1 Purpose.

625.2 Policy.

625.3 Application.

625.4 Standards, policies, and standard specifications.

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 109, 315, and 402; Sec. 1073 of Pub. L. 102-240, 105 Stat. 1914, 2012; 49 CFR 1.48(b) and (n).

Sec. 625.1 Purpose.

To designate those standards, policies, and standard specifications that are acceptable to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for application in the geometric and structural design of highways.

Sec. 625.2 Policy.

(a) Plans and specifications for proposed National Highway System (NHS) projects shall provide for a facility that will:

(1) Adequately serve the existing and planned future traffic of the highway in a manner that is conducive to safety, durability, and economy of maintenance; and

(2) Be designed and constructed in accordance with criteria best suited to accomplish the objectives described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section and to conform to the particular needs of each locality.

(b) Resurfacing, restoration and rehabilitation (RRR) projects, other than those on the Interstate system and other freeways, shall be constructed in accordance with standards which preserve and extend the service life of highways and enhance highway safety. Resurfacing, restoration and rehabilitation work includes placement of additional surface material and/or other work necessary to return an existing roadway, including shoulders, bridges, the roadside, and appurtenances to a condition of structural or functional adequacy.

(c) An important goal of the FHWA is to provide thehighest practical and feasible level of safety for people and property associated with the Nation's highway transportation systems and to reduce highway hazards and the resulting number and severity of accidents on all the Nation's highways.

Sec. 625.3 Application.

(a) Applicable Standards.

(1) Design and construction standards for new construction, reconstruction, resurfacing (except for maintenance resurfacing), restoration, or rehabilitation of a highway on the NHS (other than a highway also on the Interstate System or other freeway)shall be those approved by the Secretary in cooperation with the State highway departments. These standards may take into account, in addition to the criteria described in Sec. 625.2(a), the following:

(i) The constructed and natural environment of the area;

(ii) The environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic, community, and preservation impacts of the activity; and

(iii) Access for other modes of transportation.

(2) Federal-aid projects not on the NHS are to be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with State laws, regulations, directives, safety standards, design standards, and construction standards.

(b) The standards, policies, and standard specifications cited in Sec. 625.4 of this part contain specific criteria and controls for the design of NHS projects. Deviations from specific minimum values therein are to be handled in accordance with procedures in paragraph (f) of this section. If there is a conflict between criteria in the documents enumerated in Sec. 625.4 of this part, the latest listed standard, policy, or standard specification will govern.

(c) Application of FHWA regulations, although cited in Sec. 625.4 of this part as standards, policies, and standard specifications, shall be as set forth therein.

(d) This regulation establishes Federal standards for workon the NHS regardless of funding source.

(e) The Division Administrator shall determine the applicability of the roadway geometric design standards to traffic engineering, safety, and preventive maintenance projects which include very minor or no roadway work. Formal findings of applicability are expected only as needed to resolve controversies.

(f) Exceptions.

(1) Approval within the delegated authority provided by FHWA Order M1100.1A may be given on a project basis to designs which do not conform to the minimum criteria as set forth in the standards, policies, and standard specifications for:

(i) Experimental features on projects; and

(ii) Projects where conditions warrant that exceptions be made.

(2) The determination to approve a project design that does not conform to the minimum criteria is to be made only after due consideration is given to all project conditions such as maximum service and safety benefits for the dollar invested, compatibility with adjacent sections of roadway and the probable time before reconstruction of the section due to increased traffic demands or changed conditions.

Sec. 625.4 Standards, policies, and standard specifications.

The documents listed in this section are incorporated by reference with the approval of the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51 and are on file at the Office of the Federal Register in Washington, DC. They are available as noted in paragraph (d) of this section. The other CFR references listed in this section are included for cross-reference purposes only.

(a) Roadway and appurtenances. (1) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, AASHTO 1994. [See Section 625.4(d)(1)].

(2) A Policy on Design Standards--Interstate System, AASHTO 1991. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)].

(3) The geometric design standards for resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation (RRR) projects on NHS highways other than freeways shall be the procedures and the design or design criteriaestablished for individual projects, groups of projects, or all nonfreeway RRR projects in a State, and as approved by the FHWA. The other geometric design standards in this section do not apply to RRR projects on NHS highways other than freeways, except as adopted on an individual State basis. The RRR design standards shall reflect the consideration of the traffic, safety, economic, physical, community, and environmental needs of the projects.

(4) Erosion and Sediment Control on Highway Construction Projects, refer to 23 CFR part 650, subpart B.

(5) Location and Hydraulic Design of Encroachments on Flood Plains, refer to 23 CFR part 650, subpart A.

(6) Procedures for Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise and Construction Noise, refer to 23 CFR part 772.

(7) Accommodation of Utilities, refer to 23 CFR part 645, subpart B.

(8) Pavement Design, refer to 23 CFR part 626.

(b) Bridges and structures.

(1) Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges, Fifteenth Edition, AASHTO 1992. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(2) Interim Specifications--Bridges, AASHTO 1993. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(3) Interim Specifications--Bridges, AASHTO 1994. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(4) Interim Specifications--Bridges, AASHTO 1995. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(5) AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, First Edition, AASHTO 1994 (U.S. Units). [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(6) AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, First Edition, AASHTO 1994 (SI Units). [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(7) Standard Specifications for Movable Highway Bridges, AASHTO 1988. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(8) Bridge Welding Code, ANSI/AASHTO/AWS D1.5-95,AASHTO. [See Sec. 625.4(d) (1) and (2)]

(9) Structural Welding Code--Reinforcing Steel, ANSI/AWS D1.4-92, 1992. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(2)]

(10) Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires and Traffic Signals, AASHTO 1994. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(11) Navigational Clearances for Bridges, refer to 23 CFR part 650, subpart H.

(c) Materials.

(1) General Materials Requirements, refer to 23 CFR part 635, subpart D.

(2) Standard Specifications for Transportation Materials and Methods of Sampling and Testing, parts I and II, AASHTO 1995. [See Sec. 625.4(d)(1)]

(3) Sampling and Testing of Materials and Construction, refer to 23 CFR part 637, subpart B.

(d) Availability of documents incorporated by reference. The documents listed in Sec. 625.4 are incorporated by reference and are on file and available for inspection at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., Suite 700, Washington, DC. These documents may also be reviewed at the Department of Transportation Library, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, in Room 2200. These documents are also available for inspection and copying as provided in 49 CFR part 7, appendix D. Copies of these documents may be obtained from the following organizations:

(1) American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Suite 249, 444 North Capitol Street, NW., Washington, DC 20001.

(2) American Welding Society (AWS), 2501 Northwest Seventh Street, Miami, FL 33125.

[62 FR 15398 April 1, 1997]

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