understanding the specifications• design guidance documents: i&ims, regional preferences, etc....
TRANSCRIPT
UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIFICATIONS
AND STANDARDSNovember 18, 2019 – Thornburg
What are the Specifications?
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• The Road and Bridge Specifications is a
document containing the materials, construction
methods, and payment for all VDOT standard
pay items
• The specifications are legal requirements
• Latest specifications book was released in
December 2015 with Supplemental
Specifications through 2019
• Stay tuned – anticipate a new specifications
book in 2020
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• The Road and Bridge Standards are the
standard drawings that contractors must
follow on all VDOT construction projects,
unless otherwise directed in the contract
documents
• Primarily intended as a construction tool
• Modifications to standards must be signed
and sealed by a PE
• Now in electronic-only format and is no
longer provided in printed versions.
What are the Standards?
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• The Specifications and Standards go hand-in-hand
• The content of the two must match
• Ideally the content should never be duplicated in both
Relationship between the Specifications and Standards
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STANDARDS
SPECS
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• Establish uniform technical criteria
• Be constructible
• Be unambiguous and enforceable
• Maximize safety
• Address long-term maintenance needs
• Result in quality end product
• Where feasible, specify end goals instead of
means & methods
• Be good stewards of taxpayer dollars
• Minimize claims/disputes
VDOT’s Goals for the Specifications and Standards
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• Supplemental Specifications
• Special Provisions (SPs)
• Special Provision Copied Notes (SPCNs)
• Standard Pay Items
• Non-VDOT standards (MUTCD, NEC)
• Design guidance documents: I&IMs, Regional Preferences, etc.
Related Documents
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1. Special Provision Copied Notes (SPCNs)
2. Pay Items and Pay Units
3. Special Provisions
4. Plans
5. Supplemental Specifications
6. Specifications
7. Standard Drawings
Need to also incorporate regional preferences,
where appropriate
Priority Order
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Highest
Governing Item
Least
Governing Item
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• Design Plans
• No-Plans
• SPCNs
• SPs
• Supplemental Specs
• Insertable Sheets
• Pay Items
• The Contract
What constitutes the “Contract Documents?”
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• Most insertable sheets used in
conjunction with the 2008 Standards
were incorporated into the 2016
Standards
• Insertable sheets are no longer required
in the contract documents for the revised
or new standards
• Special designs not incorporated into
the standards but available for certain
projects
• Specific sheets typically included in
most plan assemblies
Insertable Sheets
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• Standards and specs do not apply in all
situations
• Engineering judgment still required
• Project-specific standard drawings or special
provisions may be appropriate
Standards and Specifications – not Always the Answer
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• FHWA reviews all Specifications
• Input from other stakeholders are also considered
Vetting Process
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• It is important for designers to be aware of the
effective dates
• Updates usually do not apply to projects that
have already been advertised
• Effective dates are approximately 3-6 months
after updates are released
• For example, revisions to the Standards released on
2/16/2017 are required for all projects going to ad on
9/12/17.
• Designers can incorporate updates sooner
Effective Dates for Updates
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• Pre-Approved Traffic Control Device
Listing
• Materials Approved Lists
• Special Products Evaluation List
(SPEL)
• NCHRP-350 VDOT Approved
Products
• Items on all lists (except SPEL list)
must meet Standards/Specifications
• VDOT Business Center
• virginiadot.org/business/
Approved Products List
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• Standards/Specs that explicitly or implicitly call for
a proprietary item
• Approvals may be based on one of the following needs:
• Necessary for synchronization (e.g. signal hardware, ITS,
aesthetics)
• Unique product
• Experimental or research purposes
• Proprietary/sole source items can be approved on project,
Regional, or statewide level
• Seek Construction Division approval early
in final design
• Additional information can be found in
IIM-CD-2015-01.01
Proprietary Items and Processes
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• Valuable resource for designers of
signs, markings, signals and lighting
• Includes plan development and design
guidance
• http://www.virginiadot.org/business/locd
es/traffic-engineering-manual.asp
Traffic Engineering Design Manual (TEDM)
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• 2016 Road & Bridge Standards
http://www.virginiadot.org/business/locdes/vdot_road_and
_bridge_standards.asp
• 2016 Road & Bridge Specifications
http://www.virginiadot.org/business/const/spec-default.asp
• 2019 Supplement to the 2016 Spec Book (Latest
Revisions to 2016 R&B Specifications)
http://www.virginiadot.org/business/resources/const/2019_
Supplement_to_the_2016_Specifications.pdf
Where can I find these resources?
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• 2016 Road & Bridge Standards
http://www.virginiadot.org/business/locdes/vdot_road_and
_bridge_standards.asp
• 2016 Road & Bridge Specifications
http://www.virginiadot.org/business/const/spec-default.asp
• 2019 Supplement to the 2016 Spec Book (Latest
Revisions to 2016 R&B Specifications)
http://www.virginiadot.org/business/resources/const/2019_
Supplement_to_the_2016_Specifications.pdf
Where can I find these resources?
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Questions/Discussion
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Audio of full audience participation was not captured,
so you will experience muffled discussion and
short pauses in audio during
audience discussions and Q&A.
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