Section Tra 501.10 - Design and Review; Municipally-Managed Projects(a) Design of a municipally-managed project may be performed by municipal staff, or by a consultant, provided the designer is a licensed professional engineer registered in the applicable branch classification, including, but not limited to, requiring a structural engineer for bridge design.(b) The department shall notify the municipality in writing if it determines that a proposed project is: (1) Simple in its scope, including, but not limited to, the resurfacing of a road or the replacement of a culvert, a municipality shall not be required to provide to the department an engineering study, preliminary plans, and final plans for the proposed project; or(2) More complex than the type of project described in (1) above, including, but not limited to the reconstruction of a road, the widening of a road, the rebuilding of an intersection, or the addition of turning lanes, a municipality shall provide an engineering study, preliminary plans, and final plans for the proposed project to the department for review.(c) The engineering study shall contain the following elements:(1) A description of existing conditions, including:a. Description of the existing bridge and roadway;b. Length and width of existing structures;c. Type of bridge superstructure and substructure;d. Alignment of the approach roadway; ande. Any significant geometric or topographical conditions;(2) A list of the relevant design criteria and manuals to be used, including, but not limited to:(3) A description of the methodology and reasoning used to develop the proposed roadway alignment, including: a. Horizontal and vertical curves;b. Travel way and shoulder widths;c. Effects upon environmentally sensitive areas, such as wetlands;d. Effects upon utilities;e. Effects upon any existing structures; andf. Effects upon private property;(4) A description of the methodology and reasoning used to develop the proposed bridge type, including: a. A narrative comparison of the bridge types studied;b. A plan of the recommended bridge type, in plan, elevation and typical section, portraying: 1. Components of the superstructure;2. Components of the substructure;3. Materials to be used in construction;5. Dimensions of pavement and curbs;(5) The number and content of any boring logs taken, if deemed necessary by the responsible professional engineer, to present a reasonably accurate picture of subsurface conditions at the site;(6) A description of the methodology and reasoning used to present the hydrologic and hydraulic parameters present at the site, including: b. Design flood event and volume;d. Elevations of drainage area;(7) An itemized cost estimate for the proposed bridge type and roadway alignment, consistent with the standard specifications, item names, and definitions published in the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction (2006);(8) A description of the environmental resources that may be affected by each of the alternatives considered, including: a. Natural resources protected by state or federal environmental protection laws; andb. Cultural, historical, social, and economic resources protected by state or federal laws;(9) A description of meeting(s) held with the New Hampshire division of historical resources in order to identify potential historical or archeological concerns that should be investigated to determine the possible impact of the project on cultural resources; and(10) A description of how traffic control and constructability issues will be addressed during construction.(d) The preliminary plans shall contain the following elements: (1) A location plan, on a minimum scale of one inch equals one mile;(2) A general plan, depicting the elevation of the bridge structure;(3) A cross section of the approach roadway adjacent to the bridge;(4) A cross section of any roadway, water course, or other area spanned by the bridge;(5) A cross section of the bridge structure;(6) General notes, depicting: c. Allowable foundation loads;f. Seismic design calculations; andg. Any other condition that, in the opinion of the presenting engineer, is worthy of note to the reviewing engineer;(7) Hydrologic and hydraulic data, including drainage area and design taking into account flood volume, velocity, and elevation;(8) Existing and proposed roadway layout plan;(9) Profiles of all roadways affected by the project;(10) Critical Cross section;(11) Boring logs and locations, if available;(12) A comparison of existing and proposed channel contours, including proposed channel and slope protection; and(13) Engineer's estimate of cost of construction for the complete proposed project.(e) The department shall review the engineering study and preliminary plans. Following receipt of the department's comments on the engineering study and preliminary plans, the municipality shall submit final design plans and an updated cost estimate to the department for review and approval. After approval of the final design plans and cost estimate by the department, the municipality shall prepare contract plans, specifications, and a contract proposal.(f) Contract plans, specifications, and proposals shall bear the licensed professional engineer stamp of the professional engineer who prepared the plans and contract proposal, or under whose direct supervisory authority the plans and contract proposal were prepared. Before finalized plans and contract proposals are submitted, it shall be independently checked in detail by a structural and highway designer, other than the original designer, and reviewed by the consultant's supervising engineer charged with responsibility for the project.N.H. Admin. Code § Tra 501.10
Amended by Volume XXXVI Number 10, Filed March 10, 2016, Proposed by #11037, Effective 2/22/2016, Expires 2/22/2026.