This message is being sent on behalf of Brian G. Thompson, P.E., Director, Bureau of Design.

Please see the attached Strike-Off Letter regarding ADA Design-Build Curb Ramps and Changed Condition Clause. 

If you have any questions on the attached Strike-off Letter, please do not hesitate to e-mail or call Kelly at (717) 787-5810 or Mr. Daniel B. Stewart, P.E., at (717) 787-0456.

See SOL pdf

This message is being sent on behalf of Daryl R. St. Clair, P.E., Acting Director, Bureau of Highway Safety and Traffic Engineering (BHSTE).

Please see the attached Step 2 clearance transmittal and attachments regarding the PennDOT Publication 191 “Guidelines for the Maintenance and Operations of Traffic Signals” Modifications.”  If you have any questions, please contact Dan Farley at (717) 783-0333 or dfarley@state.pa.us.

Publication 191 (Step 2)

Harrisburg – Governor Edward G. Rendell today released results of a poll that tested Pennsylvanians’ attitudes toward their transportation infrastructure and its funding needs.

It was taken by noted Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who also appears as a Fox News television analyst, and Jefrey Pollock, a Democratic pollster from Global Strategy Group.

The poll found that an overwhelming number of Pennsylvanians believe that the quality of our transportation infrastructure matters to our state’s economy — 95 percent — and that they are concerned about the condition of roads and bridges – 87 percent, with 51 percent saying they were very or extremely concerned.

The poll also found that Pennsylvanians were willing to support revenue options that will increase funding to meet those transportation needs.

Seventy-four percent of Pennsylvanians support a new tax on the profits of oil companies that would close existing loopholes and pay for transportation improvements.

Pennsylvanians also support increasing vehicle and driver fees in accord with inflation to fund transportation infrastructure needs – 48 to 45 percent.

The Governor said the poll reinforces his belief that the time is now to properly fund the state’s growing transportation challenges, and that the public – even in the current economic atmosphere – support reasonable revenue increases to meet those needs.

New Plan Anticipates Dramatic Drop in Spending for Transportation

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The state Transportation Commission today approved an update to the 12-Year Transportation Program that reflects an expected 24-percent reduction in funding for improvements for highways, bridges, transit, aviation and rail freight. The new plan anticipates $51.6 billion being available over the next 12 years, well below the $67.9 billion outlined in the 2009 plan update.

“The message Governor Edward G. Rendell is delivering around the state is right on the mark,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E., who also is commission chairman. “Pennsylvania is falling far short of making the needed investments just to keep our system in a state of good repair. The reductions outlined in the new 12-Year Program are a dramatic example of where we are headed.”

Last week, Governor Rendell made 20 visits to communities across the state to call attention to the unmet transportation needs. The Governor convened a special session of the General Assembly on transportation on May 4, and he has asked legislators to reconvene the special session Aug. 23 to work on solutions.

Uncertainty about the future direction of federal funds, as well as the effects of inflation and the lack of additional resources, has squeezed the latest update to the program, Biehler noted. Congress has yet to enact a new six-year authorization bill to pay for transportation in Pennsylvania and across the nation. The 12-Year Program update assumes 1-percent growth in federal funds in 2011 and 2012 and 4 percent in 2013-14. Further cuts may be needed depending on funding levels in the new reauthorization bill. The federal government also rejected Pennsylvania’s request to toll Interstate 80, leaving a roughly $500 million- a-year hole in the state’s transportation budget.

In the 12-Year Program, which takes effect Oct. 1, highway and bridge projects in the first four years total $10.2 billion, compared to $12.2 billion in the 2009 Program. Public transit is in line for $6.3 billion compared to the current $7.5 billion; aviation, $602 million compared to the current $604 million and rail freight, $228 million compared to the current $234 million.

PennDOT has been posting lists of projects that were deferred because of funding reductions at www.FundPaTransportationNow.com. The site also shows what projects can be done with various levels of additional funds, should the General Assembly agree to authorize additional funding.

Eight Rural Planning Organizations and 15 Metropolitan Planning Organizations partnered with PennDOT in the review and development of the update. It will now be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for review and approval. The Federal Highway Administration coordinates with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the plan’s conformity with air quality requirements.

Highway funds listed in the 12-Year Program are distributed across the state according to a formula that weighs population, lane miles and vehicle miles traveled. Bridge funds are distributed based on the condition of each region’s structures.

The State Transportation Commission consists of 10 appointed citizens and the majority and minority chairpersons of the state House and Senate Transportation committees.

State law dictates that the commission review and update the 12-Year Program every two years. No project can move forward unless it is included in the 12-Year Program.

For more information about the 12-Year Program, visit: http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/pdCommissCommitt.nsf/TransCommissHomepage?OpenFrameset

This Document is being sent on behalf of Rebecca S. Burns, P.E., Acting Director, Bureau of Construction and Materials.

Please see attached PennDOT Clearance Transmittal (CT) C-10-017 regarding Publication 222 – Geotechnical Investigation Manual (formerly titled “Subsurface Boring, Sampling and Testing Contract”); and the Excel Spreadsheet Comment Form for your review and comments. 

The Due Date for comments is September 1, 2010. Due to an oversight on my part you were not included on the original cc-list.  Since you are receiving this late, please contact me if you need more time to review and comment.  Thank you for your review.

C-10-017_Pub_222_Geotechnical Investigation Manual _Clearance_Transmittal_Comment_Form_20100810

PUB 222 CT cover

Pub 222 – 2010 Draft ver01

This message was generated by the Bureau of Design’s Course Notification System. The Bureau of Design is sponsoring and funding the following course(s).

Department Personnel can register through their local Training Coordinators.

Non-PennDOT Personnel should use the Training Calendar’s automated, self-registration process. Click the link at the bottom of this announcement to take you to the course. Then on the “Course Information” screen, click the class you wish to attend. On the “Class Information” screen, click the Scroll to Business Partner Information button to register.

Click here to get more information about this course from PennDOT’s Technical Training Calendar.

The Summer 2010 issue of PennDOT’s Project Delivery Quarterly newsletter is available. In this issue you will find articles on the status of our project delivery with the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – ARRA”; “Cost Estimating Accuracy is Part of Quality” and “Putting People To Work” – ARRA; Monthly Employment Reporting, along with information about the status of our project delivery; the Accelerated Bridge Program; and PennDOT’s Transportation Program for 2009 up through the second quarter of 2010.

We hope the PDQ provides information that is relevant to our business partners.  Please feel free to forward this e-mail to other parties whom you know might have an interest in receiving the PDQ-News Quarterly.

Comments on the newsletter are welcome and may be submitted via e-mail at pdq-news@state.pa.us.

To access the Summer 2010 issue and all previous issues of the Project Delivery Quarterly, use the following link: www.dot.state.pa.us/PDQNews.

Read the latest issue here.

This message is being sent on behalf of Brian G. Thompson, P.E., director of the Bureau of Design.

The Bureau of Design’s Highway Quality Assurance Division is releasing the June 2010 Edition of the Standards for Roadway Construction (Pub 72M). See strike-off letters affected: pub72m062810

Hardcopies of the RC Standards are issued only through the PennDOT Publications Sales Store. The RC Standards are available in electronic format (.pdf files) free of charge by downloading the files through the Department’s ftp site at: ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/Bureaus/design/PUB72M

This message is being sent on behalf of Brian G. Thompson, P.E., Director, Bureau of Design

This Step 1 Clearance Transmittal is being sent for comments on changes to DM-2, Chapter 6. The changes clarify the Department’s policy regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Utility work in the street, HOP requirements and Maintenance Agreements. This is being tracked with tracking number D-10-053.

Please return all comments to David Melville as per the attached CT cover sheet at c-damelvil@state.pa.us by July 15, 2010.

Clearance Transmittal: CT for DM-2 Chapter 6 changes 6-24-10

Publication 13M (DM-2), Chapter 6: DM2 Chap06 Proposed Changes for CT 6-24-10 to WEB version from SOL 11-14-2008

Comment Form: DM2 Chapter 6 Clearance Transmittal Comment Form 6-24-10

This message is being sent on behalf of Brian G. Thompson, P.E., Director, Bureau of Design

This Step 1 Clearance Transmittal is being sent for the new draft edition of Publication 10, Design Manual Part 1, Transportation Program Development and Project Delivery Procedures.

This new draft edition of Design Manual Part 1 has been expanded to incorporate the Linking Planning and NEPA process.  As a result, DM-1 has been updated and expanded to also include Part 1A, Pre-TIP and TIP Program Development Procedures; Part 1B, Post-TIP NEPA Procedures; Part 1C, Transportation Engineering Procedures; and Part 1X, Appendices to Design Manuals 1, 1A, 1B, and 1C. These documents will replace in their entirety Publications 10 & 10A (DM 1 & 1A).

Please record all comments on  the Microsoft Excel file entitled “Clearance Transmittal FormPub10DesignManual1.xls” which is included with the electronic draft DM-1 files by July 26, 2010.   Please download the spreadsheet, populate it with your comments, save it with a new file name and return to Bureau of Design.

Also note that large Figures in the documents are designed as 11×17. When printing out a .pdf you need to make sure that you have the page scaling set to “None” and that the box “Auto Rotate and Center” is selected and also the box “Choose paper source by PDF page size” is selected. Online viewing should set the zoom level to 100% for full size reading

View CT

R. Wayne Willey, P.E. I Chief

PA Department of Transportation

Bureau of Design I Highway Quality Assurance Division

400 North St. Harrisburg, Pa. 17105

PennDOT has established a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program in accordance with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, 49 CFR Part 26.

See details: DBE Policy Statement 05-27-10

This strike-off letter defines the policy and procedures related to proper registration of engineering firms working on Design-Build projects as part of the contractor team.

This message is being sent on behalf of Rebecca S. Burns, P.E, Acting Director, BOCM.

Read strike-off letter: 422-10-07

Click here to view the PennDOT site.

Harrisburg – A new report by the state Transportation Advisory Committee underscores the dramatic unmet needs the General Assembly and Governor Edward G. Rendell addressed in a special legislative session to deal with transportation funding.

The TAC report recommends an additional $3.5 billion in annual funds to maintain existing state and local highway and bridge systems and public transit. The TAC report was accepted and adopted today by the State Transportation Commission. “New sources of revenue need to be identified, and existing sources need to be reexamined to provide funding that meets the enormous investment need,” said Louis C. Schultz Jr., P.E., chairman of the TAC Transportation Funding Task Force. “Pennsylvania must shift away from outmoded methods of generating transportation revenue and toward methods that are more predictable, equitable and in sync with inflation.”

The report follows up on findings released in November 2006 by the nine-member, bipartisan Transportation Funding and Reform Commission, which Governor Rendell created in 2005. The TFRC determined that the state was spending $1.7 billion per year less than was needed to keep its transportation systems in good repair.

The General Assembly developed Act 44 in response, which was expected to generate on average $946 million a year over the first 10 years for transportation. Increased tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike underwrote part of the additional revenue, but the other portion was to come from implementing tolls on Interstate 80 under a 50-year lease between the Department of Transportation and the Turnpike Commission. The U.S. Department of Transportation rejected the I-80 tolling plan on April 6.

The TAC study concluded that despite $2.5 billion in additional revenue from Act 44 since 2007 and the infusion of $1.026 billion from last year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, transportation remains critically under funded.

“The crisis is the result of several factors, particularly the sheer expanse and age of Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure,” Schultz said. “Compounding the problem, existing ways of raising revenue are being quickly outmoded by changes in technology, vehicle efficiency, and soaring construction costs.”

Producing the required funds will allow Pennsylvania to cut the percentage of structurally deficient bridges from roughly 23 percent to 5 percent in 20 years, put pavement improvements on an appropriate cycle, modernize traffic signals to cut congestion, keep public transit in a state of good repair with some expansions, eliminate freight bottlenecks and improve safety.

Governor Rendell addressed a joint session of the General Assembly at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, to outline the transportation funding challenges and urge immediate legislative action on remedies.

Media contact: Rich Kirkpatrick, 717-783-8800 Editor’s Note: Copies of the TAC’s executive summary and report are available online at: www.dot.state.pa.us/internet/web.nsf/TranAdvCommittee?OpenFrameSet

Special Session Joint Session Announcement

Special Session Proclamation

This message is being sent on behalf of Rebecca S. Burns, P.E., Acting Director, BOCM

Please see the attached Strike-off Letter regarding ARRA Contractor and Consultant Employment Reporting. If you have any questions, contact J. Michael Long, P.E., Chief, Contract Management Division at (717) 787-7894.

422-10-06

ACEC/PA and District 8 will be offering an opportunity to interact in the near future.  Below are notes from the recent planning meeting.

ACEC/PA and District 8 Workgroup Planning Minutes

This e-mail is being sent on behalf of Brian G. Thompson, P.E., Director, Bureau of Design.

The Clearance Transmittal (CT) for Publication 584, “PennDOT Drainage Manual” is attached. Please review the electronic versions of proposed Chapters 4, 6 and 19, and revised Chapters 1 and 13.

CT_D-10-22_PDM_Chapters_1_4_6_19

I wanted to update you on some items that have come up at recent meetings with PennDOT.

At the February PennDOT Task Force meeting, the Department stressed the importance of scope identification, cost effective solutions, and PennDOT’s measurement of how many projects are completed within the original TIP budgets.

Another issue is ACEC/PA and the Department’s commitment to QBS, pertaining to not using price as a factor in selection.  Any agreement that comes through the Consultant Agreement Section is selected on qualifications, and neither the Department nor the Consultant can make ANY reference to the cost of services during the selection process. This includes, but is not limited to, references to low overhead or returning money to the district.

The Department is planning to issue a Clearance Transmittal for updates to PUB 93 later this year.  ACEC/PA has insisted that there needs to be ONE and ONLY ONE Pub 93, and it is our understanding that the new Pub will be a single document.

We post Clearance Transmittals on the main ACEC/PA page.  The most recent is a strike-off letter about the DBE Good Faith Effort.

I speak with Chris Drda of the Consultant Agreement Section on a regular basis, and we try to meet face to face every other week to ensure that we are staying on top of issues.

As always, members are encouraged to contact ACEC/PA with concerns about any business partner: 717-540-6811 or ahilt@acecpa.org.

Andy

This message is being sent on behalf of Brian G. Thompson, P.E., Director, Bureau of Design.

The due date for comments is April 23, 2010. 

SOL Pub 93C Good Faith Effort

SOL Good Faith Effort Attachment Pub 93C

CT-DBE

Tucker Ferguson Presentation to ACEC/PA Central Chapter

NECEPT Expiration Date Letter

Rate will be reduced to 50 cents per mile effective January 1

The IRS recently announced that the 2010 standard mileage rate for the use of a car will be 50 cents per mile for business miles driven.

Section 2.5 of Manual 230.1, Commonwealth Travel Procedures Manual, provides that the commonwealth’s personal vehicle mileage reimbursement rate is equivalent to the rate established by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). While the GSA has not yet announced its new rate; we anticipate that the GSA rate will also be 50 cents per mile.

Therefore, effective January 1, 2010, commonwealth reimbursement for personal vehicle mileage will be 50 cents per mile. Any mileage claims in SAP for travel occurring on or after January 1, 2010 will be calculated at the new rate. Travelers need only enter the actual number of miles on their travel expense reports.

This Message is being sent on behalf of Brian G. Thompson, P.E., Director of the Bureau of Design.

The Bureau of Design’s Highway Quality Assurance Division is releasing a new Appendix G, Point-of-Access, to the July 2009 edition of Publication 10A (Design Manual, Part 1A).

Should you have any questions or need additional information please contact R. Wayne Willey, P.E., Acting Chief, Highway Quality Assurance Division, Bureau of Design, at 717-787-5023.

432-09-08

Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration Scott Christie announced that the 2010 construction program will be $1.8 billion.  Also of interest, the Department used Design Build on 28% of projects in 2009 (contract dollars)  42% of ABP projects and 43% of  ARRA projects were Design Build.

Please see the attached strike-off letter regarding American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  Agreement Addendum.

If you have any questions, please contact Christopher A. Drda, P.E.,  at 717-783-9309.

Strike-Off-Letter 433-09-06

cost criteria sol with attachment

Please see attached signed Strike-Off Letter 421-09-04 with attached Acid Bearing Rock Policy for your records.  If you need additional information, please contact Kerry Petrasic, P.E. at (717) 787-4319 or at kpetrasic@state.pa.us.

2516 – SOL 421-09-04 ABR-AcidBearingRockPolicy Attachment for Ltr 2516

2516 Memo – SOL 421-09-04 ABR-AcidBearingRockPolicy Ltr 2516

Please see the attached Strike-off letter regarding ARRA Employee Reporting for Contractors and Consultants. If you have any questions, contact Mike Long, P.E., Chief, Contract Management Division at 717-787-7894.

422-09-14

Pub70M 2009 Ed CT Sheet

Daniel B. Stewart, P.E.

Chief, Highway Quality Assurance Division

PennDOT Bureau of Design

DM-2 Release Letter

The Bureau of Design’s Highway Quality Assurance Division is releasing the August 2009 Edition of Design Manual Part 2 (Publication 13M). The August 2009 Edition of Design Manual Part 2 more closely correlates to the 2004 Edition of the AASHTO publication A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets and the 2006 Edition of the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide

DM-1A Issuance Approval Letter

4320906 Full Implementation of OP Policy for Design Projects

How States and Territories Fund Transportation: An Overview of Traditional and Nontraditional Strategies

• PennDOT’s Smart Transportation Web Site
• E-PennDOT Digest
• Turnpike I-80 Web Site
• ECMS Bulletins
• Rebuild PA Bridges
• PennDOT’s Smart Transportation Guidebook
• PA Business Issues Brochure

• Clearance Transmittal – Limited Design Review SOL
• Process Control
• Appendix B

• PennDOT Pub 93-C “Procedures for the Administration of Consultant Agreements”

• SOL Pub 213 Revisions 2A
• Appendix A Temporary Traffic Control Signal Documentation
• PATA 26e

• Temporary Traffic Signal SOL
• 901
• Pedestal Mounted
• Trailer Mounted

• PO and Non-PO-based Process Map (PowerPoint)
• FT Project Overview (PowerPoint)
• Matrix Location Codes
• Supplier Communication New Mailing Addresses

• CCL Design Build letter
• Request for Consideration for Engineering Involvement Restrictions
• Engineering Involvement Restrictions Guidelines Pub. 93C
• Engineering Involvement Restrictions Pub. 442
• CCL Express Supplement Term Modification Letter and Agreement

SOL: Design Exception Approval Delegation for Certain Minor PennDOT Oversight Projects

2010 DBE Methodologies & Goals