Code of Vermont Rules › Agency 14 - AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION › Sub-Agency 050 - MOTOR VEHICLES DEPARTMENT › Chapter 048 - CLASS 2 TOWN HIGHWAY CLASS 2 REHABILITATION PROGRAM › Section 14 050 048 - CLASS 2 TOWN HIGHWAY CLASS 2 REHABILITATION PROGRAM

Current through June, 2024
I
			 PURPOSE
To rehabilitate certain class 2 municipal highways in
				accordance with the provisions of
				19
				V.S.A. Section 306(h),
				utilizing a combination of state and municipal funds. The intent of this
				program is to provide grants to municipalities for the rehabilitation of
				existing class 2 roads which are also rural major collectors, as defined in
				these rules, to improve the function and extend the useful service life of
				these highways to the maximum extent practicable.
II DESCRIPTION
Municipalities may apply for grants to perform roadway
				improvements. Any municipality receiving a grant award is then responsible to
				perform all actual work on a project, including scoping, design, obtaining
				permits, and construction.
Eligible activities include improvements to roadway conditions,
				within or immediately adjacent to the existing footprint of the roadway, at an
				increased level of treatment over that which can be obtained via the class 2
				paving program. Projects are limited to roadway improvements only, and do not
				include ancillary activities such as water, sewer, electricity, or other
				utility improvements.
III
			 DEFINITIONS
ADT Annual Average Daily Traffic
AOT Vermont Agency of Transportation
Approved grant agreement amount
The allotment is the amount as specified in section 13 of the
				grant agreement signed by the municipality and the Secretary of Transportation
				or designee.
Class 2 town highway
A town highway which has been selected by the legislative body
				and AOT as one of the most important highways in a municipality, generally with
				the purpose of securing trunk lines of improved highways from town to town and
				to places which by their nature have more than a normal amount of traffic (
				19 V.S.A. Section
				302(a)(2) ).
District Transportation Administrator
The person in charge of an Agency of Transportation Maintenance
				District (abbreviated DTA).
Legislative body
The elected or appointed board authorized to make transactions
				for the Municipality.
RPC Outside of Chittenden County, the regional planning
				commission which contains a given municipality. Within Chittenden County, the
				Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Rural major collector
A road which has been designated by the Federal Highway
				Administration and AOT as serving or linking traffic generators of intra or
				inter county importance which are not served by road systems of higher
				classification.
Municipality A Town, City or Incorporated Village.
Project Work to be done according to approved plans and
				specifications in accordance with a written agreement signed and agreed to by
				the proper authorities involved.
Secretary The appointed head of the Agency of
				Transportation.
Sufficiency rating
A numerical system used by AOT for comparative evaluation of
				different sections of highway.
IV PROCEDURES
A. Funding
State funds only (no Federal funds) will be used to provide
				grants to municipalities.
Grant eligibility will be limited to class 2 town highways
				which are also rural major collectors, having a sufficiency rating of 50 or
				less and an ADT of 400 or more. In order to assure consistency and
				comparability between different roadway segments, sufficiency ratings and ADTs
				will be taken from the most recent AOT report on sufficiency ratings of major
				collector class 2 town highways. AOT will make an updated report available by
				March, 1999.
The maximum grant will be at the rate of $ 150,000 of state
				funds per mile of project. State funding liability will be strictly limited to
				this amount. Cost overruns or additional costs will be the sole responsibility
				of the municipality.
When necessary, grants may be awarded in two phases. The first
				phase will consist of project scoping, design, and obtaining permits. The
				second phase will consist of project construction.
Each project phase must be completed within 24 months of grant
				award. Municipalities will not be eligible for reimbursement for projects which
				are not completed within the 24 month time period.
B. Selection criteria
Selection criteria will include but may not be limited
				to:
* Overall condition of the roadway and need for project
* Reasonableness of proposed activity and overall project
				cost
* Extent to which the proposed activity improves the function
				and extends the useful life of the roadway
* Whether a municipality has been awarded previous grants in
				this program
* Whether or not projects can be constructed during the current
				season, including receipt of all necessary permits
C. Selection process
Municipalities will prepare and submit an application to the
				RPC on an annual basis. AOT will establish an annual deadline for applications,
				and notify municipalities of the date.
The application must be submitted using a form provided by AOT,
				defining the work proposed. If a grant is awarded, the application form will
				become an integral part of the agreement between AOT and the municipality, and
				will define the responsibilities of the municipality and AOT in seeing the
				project through to completion. A separate application form must be used for
				each proposed project.
The RPC will review the application form for completeness,
				assess the overall reasonableness of the application in light of the selection
				criteria, and select and prioritize candidate project(s) to be funded.
Candidate projects will be passed to a review committee
				appointed by the Secretary. This review committee will contain five members:
				two from the AOT maintenance division, and one each from the budget office,
				technical services division, and policy and planning division. The review
				committee will review the entire pool of applications submitted by the RPCs,
				assess the applications in light of the selection criteria and available
				funding, and make recommendations to the Secretary about grant awards.
Over time, the review committee will attempt to provide
				equitable distribution of funds throughout the state.
D. Project Scoping
The purpose of project scoping is to identify alternative
				treatments for a proposed project, discuss the merits of different
				alternatives, and choose a preferred treatment. Because of the nature of this
				program, a greatly simplified version of the AOT project scoping process may be
				used.
The simplified scoping process for this program shall include
				four steps:
1. Background information.
			 The municipality will gather any necessary background information regarding the
			 proposed project, in preparation for a field meeting.
2. Field meeting. The municipality will hold
			 a field meeting. Invitees will include the municipal legislative body, RPC,
			 DTA, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont Division for Historic
			 Preservation, and any other potentially concerned regulatory entities, such as
			 the Army Corps of Engineers, the Act 250 District Administrator, or the
			 Department of Agriculture. At the field meeting, participants will view the
			 length of the project and discuss the proposed improvements. The intent of the
			 field meeting is to arrive at an overall project approach which is satisfactory
			 to all participants in the meeting.
3. Public hearing. The municipality will hold
			 a duly warned public hearing subsequent to the field meeting, to discuss the
			 project and invite public comment.
4. Confirming letter. The municipality will
			 write a confirming letter to AOT, with copies to all participants in the field
			 meeting and attendees at the public hearing, confirming the issues discussed
			 and the conclusions reached regarding the overall project approach. Design of
			 the project will be consistent with this letter.
Scoping is an eligible project cost.
E. Permits
The Municipality will be responsible for consulting with all
				permitting entities as necessary, and obtaining all permits and other
				clearances necessary to construct the project, and for complying with permit
				conditions.
F. Plans and
			 Specifications
The need for and the extent of plans and specifications will be
				determined by the DTA in consultation with local officials and based on the
				results of the scoping process. Any necessary plans and specifications
				resulting from this process will be developed by the municipalities using
				qualified engineers or engineering firms.
Generally recognized design and construction standards shall be
				used.
AOT reserves the right to review these documents prior to the
				start of any construction.
AOT must be satisfied that the municipality's arrangements for
				project inspection are adequate.
G. Eligible Project Costs
Eligible project costs include the following:
* Preliminary engineering (scoping, development of plans, and
				obtaining permits).
* Construction.
* Construction inspection.
H. Reimbursement
The Municipality will be reimbursed up to 2/3 of actual project
				cost, not to exceed the limit of the approved grant.
Payment will be made after acceptance of the completed project
				phase by AOT.
I.
			 Contaminated Soils
The handling, treatment and disposal of petroleum contaminated
				soils and other hazardous material contamination in existence prior to
				construction will be the sole responsibility of the Municipality, and is not an
				eligible project cost.
J.
			 Re-Submittal of Applications
Each year of the program will begin a new application and
				selection process.
Applications from previous years may be updated as necessary
				and resubmitted.