Chapter Trans 209

Trans 209.03 History History: Cr. Register, September, 1981, No. 308, eff. 10-1-81; correction in (18) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686.

Trans 209.04 Trans 209.04 Policy goals.

Trans 209.04(1) (1) The overall goal for the department shall be to address highway transportation needs as efficiently as possible to achieve optimum utilization of available funds. This shall be accomplished by:

Trans 209.04(1)(a) (a) Maximizing the use of existing highways and bridges and thus minimizing the need for new highways and facilities.

Trans 209.04(1)(b) (b) Utilizing a highway’s surface life before improving the facility, where practical.

Trans 209.04(1)(c) (c) Determining the appropriate level of improvement to achieve optimum effectiveness from the highway system.

Trans 209.04(1)(d) (d) Emphasizing the correction of safety-deficient segments of the highway system.

Trans 209.04(1)(e) (e) Seeking to resolve facility-related problems that inhibit economic vitality and growth.

Trans 209.04(1)(f) (f) Encouraging the staging of improvement projects to minimize the initial investments required while maintaining flexibility to meet longer range needs at a later date.

Trans 209.04(1)(g) (g) Utilizing federal aids to the greatest extent reasonable.

Trans 209.04(1)(h) (h) Minimizing negative effects on the surrounding communities and on the natural environment.

Trans 209.04 History History: Cr. Register, September, 1981, No. 308, eff. 10-1-81.

Trans 209.05 Trans 209.05 Process objectives.

Trans 209.05(1) (1) The department shall perform project evaluation and selection as a necessary component of its programming process in the following general areas: bridge projects, 3R (resurfacing, recondition and reconstruction) highway projects, interstate projects, and major projects. The objectives of the programming process shall be to:

Trans 209.05(1)(a) (a) Provide policy and program choices for the department by evaluating and comparing the benefits and costs of various alternatives for preserving, rehabilitating and improving the highway system.

Trans 209.05(1)(b) (b) Furnish information to assess whether available revenues can provide adequate highway and bridge facilities over the long term.

Trans 209.05(1)(c) (c) Define a specific program as a target for departmental efforts that ensures efficient use of staff and funds and which accounts for the lead times involved in project development.

Trans 209.05(1)(d) (d) Ensure that investment decisions are consistent with statewide objectives by developing systematic criteria and procedures for identifying deficiencies, developing proposed solutions, and selecting projects.

Trans 209.05(1)(e) (e) Facilitate the implementation of the department’s policy and system plans.

Trans 209.05(1)(f) (f) Inform the public of the department’s intentions and provide an opportunity for public review and comment.

Trans 209.05(1)(g) (g) Provide a basis for coordinating the department’s efforts with the planning, programming and budget activities of other state, national, regional, and local agencies.

Trans 209.05 History History: Cr. Register, September, 1981, No. 309, eff. 10-1-81.

Trans 209.06 Trans 209.06 Programming guidelines.

Trans 209.06(1) (1) The department shall develop a program within estimated levels of revenue for a prescribed time period as part of a four level decision-making process that includes broad policy planning, system planning, programming and project development (Figure 1).

Trans 209.06(2) (2) The programming process shall define a means of project evaluation and selection utilizing the following basic guidelines where appropriate:

Trans 209.06(2)(a) (a) Considering alternative program levels to illustrate the cost impacts and benefits of varying program levels.

Trans 209.06(2)(b) (b) Utilizing indicators that measure deficiencies to identify candidate improvement projects and the appropriate level of improvement, considering the variation in fund availability.

Trans 209.06(2)(c) (c) Achieving adequate surface renewal projects to preserve the overall system serviceability and rideability. The level of surface renewal mileage is defined through analysis of the pavement serviceability index and pavement age.

Trans 209.06(2)(d) (d) Replacing or rehabilitating deficient bridges by considering load carrying capacity, physical condition and restrictive or dangerous widths, clearances or approach roadways and coordination with other programmed work.

Trans 209.06(2)(e) (e) Distributing funds equitably statewide.

Trans 209.06(2)(f) (f) Considering major projects where benefit/cost analysis is favorable, where there is the possibility of significant social and economic benefits and where there is a high degree of public support and acceptability.

Trans 209.06 History History: Cr. Register, September, 1981, No. 309, eff. 10-1-81.

Trans 209.07 Trans 209.07 Candidate project identification process.

Trans 209.07(1) (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.

Trans 209.07(2) (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.

Trans 209.07(3) (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:

Trans 209.07(3)(a) (a) Highway data

Trans 209.07(3)(a)1. 1. Pavement surface type

Trans 209.07(3)(a)2. 2. Year surfaced

Trans 209.07(3)(a)3. 3. Widths: right of way, travel lane, pavement, shoulders, median, and parking lane

Trans 209.07(3)(a)4. 4. Lanes: travel and parking

Trans 209.07(3)(a)5. 5. Driveways

Trans 209.07(3)(a)6. 6. Posted speed

Trans 209.07(3)(a)7. 7. Pavement serviceability index (PSI)

Trans 209.07(3)(a)8. 8. Accident information

Trans 209.07(3)(a)9. 9. Curves with limited stopping sight distance

Trans 209.07(3)(a)10. 10. Steep grades

Trans 209.07(3)(a)11. 11. Percent no passing zone

Trans 209.07(3)(a)12. 12. Average daily traffic

Trans 209.07(3)(a)13. 13. Forecast average daily traffic

Trans 209.07(3)(a)14. 14. Hourly vehicle data and hourly capacity

Trans 209.07(3)(a)15. 15. Parking restrictions

Trans 209.07(3)(a)16. 16. Terrain

Trans 209.07(3)(a)17. 17. Access control

Trans 209.07(3)(a)18. 18. Maintenance problems

Trans 209.07(3)(b) (b) Bridge data

Trans 209.07(3)(b)1. 1. Deck condition: expansion and construction joints

Trans 209.07(3)(b)2. 2. Superstructure: main load carrying members, floor system

Trans 209.07(3)(b)3. 3. Substructure condition: abutments, piers, bents

Trans 209.07(3)(b)4. 4. Waterway condition: adequacy of opening, flooding, debris present

Trans 209.07(3)(b)5. 5. Approaches condition: roadway condition, horizontal and vertical sight distance

Trans 209.07(3)(b)6. 6. Capacity condition: design, inventory and operating load, posting, maximum vehicle weight, load rating basis, overburden depth

Trans 209.07(3)(b)7. 7. Field inspection and office appraisal rating

Trans 209.07(3)(c) (c) Historically collected environmental, social and economic data

Trans 209.07(3)(c)1. 1. Land use

Trans 209.07(3)(c)2. 2. Right-of-way required

Trans 209.07(3)(c)3. 3. Housing and business units required

Trans 209.07(3)(c)4. 4. Farms affected

Trans 209.07(3)(c)5. 5. Land required: agricultural, wetland and upland habitat

Trans 209.07(3)(c)6. 6. Habitat replaced

Trans 209.07(3)(c)7. 7. Endangered species

Trans 209.07(3)(c)8. 8. Air quality effects

Trans 209.07(3)(c)9. 9. Noise level impacts

Trans 209.07(3)(c)10. 10. Energy consumption

Trans 209.07(4) (4) Identify candidate projects. Candidate projects may originate from the following sources:

Trans 209.07(4)(a) (a) Segments which have one or more deficiencies based on the analyses of the data collected and developed.

Trans 209.07(4)(b) (b) Projects considered or included in the last programming cycle.

Trans 209.07(4)(c) (c) Projects which address problem areas identified by departmental staff.

Trans 209.07(4)(d) (d) Projects recommended by elected officials, citizens, local units of governments, regional planning commissions, county highway committees, county traffic safety commissions, etc.

Trans 209.07(4)(e) (e) Projects coordinated with planned development.

Trans 209.07(4)(f) (f) Projects that must be coordinated with other projects.

Trans 209.07(4)(g) (g) Projects identified as a part of the interstate cost estimate.

Trans 209.07(4)(h) (h) Projects which constitute a gap in an existing system.

Trans 209.07(4)(i) (i) Projects in high priority corridors with large past investment.

Trans 209.07(4)(j) (j) Projects that are eligible for special discretionary federal funding.

Trans 209.07(4)(k) (k) Projects that are compatible with and serve to implement state or local transportation plans.

Trans 209.07(5) (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:

Trans 209.07(5)(a) (a) Accident rate or occurrence that is greater than the statewide average.