Register July 2023 No. 811
Chapter Trans 205
COUNTY TRUNK HIGHWAY STANDARDS
Trans 205.02 Definitions.
Trans 205.03 County trunk highway standards.
Trans 205.035 Use of alternative “3R" standards.
Trans 205.04 Exceptions to design standards.
Trans 205.05 Project review.
Ch. Trans 205 Note
Note: Chapter Hy 34 as it existed on December 31, 1986 was repealed and a new chapter Trans 205 was created effective January 1, 1987.
Trans 205.01(1)(1)
Pursuant to s.
84.01 (9) (b), Stats., the department of transportation adopts these rules relating to projects for constructing or reconstructing and relating to processes incidental to building, fabricating or bettering a county trunk highway, but not relating to maintenance of a county trunk highway. Maintenance includes all those measures and activities necessary to preserve a highway, as nearly as possible, in the condition of its construction. Maintenance generally involves no change in horizontal alignment, roadway widths or grade.
Trans 205.01(2)
(2) Any county trunk highway improvement project, on which construction is started after January 1, 1987, shall follow this chapter.
Trans 205.01 History
History: Cr.
Register, December, 1986, No. 372, eff. 1-1-87.
Trans 205.02
Trans 205.02 Definitions. As used in this chapter:
Trans 205.02(1)
(1) “Average daily traffic" or “ADT" means the average 24-hour traffic volume during a stated period divided by the number of days in that stated period; unless otherwise specified, the stated period is one year.
Trans 205.02(2)
(2) “Bridge design load" means the maximum vehicle loading that a bridge is designed to accommodate without exceeding the allowable working capacity of any structural member or group or system of structural members.
Trans 205.02(3)
(3) “Design speed" means the maximum safe speed that can be maintained over a specified section of highway when conditions are so favorable that the design features of the highway govern.
Trans 205.02(5)
(5) “Functional classification" has the meaning set forth in
ch. Trans 76.
Trans 205.02 Note
Note: Chapter Trans 76 was repealed.
Trans 205.02(6)
(6) “HS20" has the meaning set forth in the American association of state highway and transportation officials (AASHTO) standard specifications for highway bridges, 13th edition 1983, as amended by interim specifications-bridges 1984 and 1985, published by AASHTO.
Trans 205.02 Note
Note: The AASHTO standard specifications for highway bridges are available from AASHTO, 444 North Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Copies of the relevant portion of the AASHTO standard are on file at the offices of the department of transportation, secretary of state, and legislative reference bureau.
Trans 205.02(6m)
(6m) “Region director" means a Wisconsin department of transportation, division of transportation system development, region office director.
Trans 205.02 Note
Note: The department of transportation region offices and addresses are as follows:
-
See PDF for table 
Trans 205.02(7)
(7) “Regional engineer" means a Wisconsin department of transportation division of highways central office design chief road design engineer.
Trans 205.02(8)
(8) “Rehabilitation" means replacing a major structural element of an existing highway to extend its service life for a substantial period of years and to enhance safety.
Trans 205.02(9)
(9) “Restoration" means returning an existing highway to an acceptable condition to extend its service life for a substantial period of years and to enhance safety.
Trans 205.02(10)
(10) “Resurfacing" means installing new or additional layers of surfacing on existing highway pavement to extend its service life for a substantial period of years and to enhance safety.
Trans 205.02(11)
(11) “Roadway" means the portion of a highway, including shoulders, for vehicular use.
Trans 205.02 Note
Note: Under this definition, a divided highway has 2 or more roadways.
Trans 205.02(12)
(12) “Shoulder" means that portion of a roadway that is contiguous to the traveled way and is used primarily for vehicle stopping in an emergency.
Trans 205.02(13)
(13) “Traveled way" means the portion of the roadway designed for movement of vehicles, exclusive of the shoulders.
Trans 205.02 History
History: Cr.
Register, December, 1986, No. 372, eff. 1-1-87; renum. (7) to (9) to be (11) to (13), cr. (7) to (10),
Register, February, 1992, No. 434, eff. 3-1-92; correction in (4) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., and renum. (4) to (6m) under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats.,
Register February 2013 No. 686.
Trans 205.03(1)(1)
The design standards for urban county trunk highway improvement projects shall conform with the applicable department of transportation criteria, and, if applicable, with the federal criteria for the class of highway involved. The minimum design standards for rural county trunk highway improvement projects shall be as set forth below for each of the rural county trunk highway functional classifications. The functional classification for a particular rural county trunk highway segment shall be that shown for the segment on the most current department of transportation rural functional system map prepared under
ch. Trans 76 for local transportation aids purposes or, if applicable, on the most current federal aid system map.
Trans 205.03 Note
Note: Chapter Trans 76 was repealed.
Trans 205.03 History
History: Cr.
Register, December, 1986, No. 372, eff. 1-1-87.
Trans 205.035(1)(1)
The standards in s.
Trans 205.03 shall be used for all county trunk highway improvement projects, unless a region director expressly authorizes, in writing, the use of the department's “Design Criteria for Resurfacing, Restoration, and Rehabilitation Projects," also known as “3R" standards, for a resurfacing, restoration, or rehabilitation project on an existing highway located in his or her region.
Trans 205.035 Note
Note: Examples of improvement projects which may be appropriate for “3R" standards include resurfacing highway pavement; grinding and repairing pavement joints; replacing or recycling pavement; widening lanes and shoulders; replacing bridge elements to correct structural deficiencies; bridge deck overlays; and other related improvements such as minor incidental subgrade work and correction of minor drainage problems.
Trans 205.035(2)
(2) A region director may not authorize or approve the use of the department's “3R" standards for the construction of a new highway or for the complete reconstruction of an existing highway.
Trans 205.035(3)
(3) A request to use the department's “3R" standards in lieu of the standards in s.
Trans 205.03 may be submitted to a region director only by a county highway commissioner, or by a county highway commissioner's designee.
Trans 205.035(4)
(4) A region director shall grant or deny a request to use the department's “3R" standards within 90 days after receiving a request.
Trans 205.035(5)
(5) In determining whether to grant or deny a request to use the department's “3R" standards in lieu of the standards in s.
Trans 205.03, a region director shall consider all of the following:
Trans 205.035(5)(e)
(e) Social and economic impact, including dislocation or relocation of property owners.
Trans 205.035 History
History: Cr.
Register, February, 1992, No. 434, eff. 3-1-92.; corrections in (1) to (5) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats.,
Register February 2013 No. 686.
Trans 205.04(1)(1)
After a region director has decided whether to use either the design standards in s.
Trans 205.03 or the alternative “3R" standards in s.
Trans 205.035, the regional director may expressly authorize, in writing, exceptions to either of these standards, if federal or state funds are not used for the improvement project.
Trans 205.04(2)
(2) Exceptions to either the design standards in ss.
Trans 205.03 or
205.035 for improvement projects using federal or state funds must be approved in writing by a regional engineer and, when federal funds are used, by the division administrator of the federal highway administration.
Trans 205.04(3)
(3) In determining whether to authorize exceptions to the construction standards in s.
Trans 205.03 or the alternative “3R" standards in s.
Trans 205.035, a region director shall consider all of the following:
