| (a) Criteria. For the purposes of this chapter, a major
transportation project is the planning, engineering, right of way
acquisition, expansion, improvement, addition, or contract maintenance,
other than the routine or contracted routine maintenance, of a bridge,
highway, toll road, or toll road system on the state highway system
that fulfills or satisfies a particular need, concern, or strategy
of the department in meeting the transportation goals established
under §16.105 of this subchapter (relating to Unified Transportation
Program (UTP)). A project may be designated by the department as a
major transportation project if it meets the criteria specified in
23 U.S.C. 106(h).
(b) List of projects. The list of major transportation
projects, if any new major transportation projects are designated
by the department, will be annually updated and incorporated into
the unified transportation program in accordance with §16.105
of this subchapter.
(c) Benchmarks. The progress of a major transportation
project will be tracked and evaluated in accordance with §16.202
of this chapter (relating to Reporting System for Delivery of Individual
Projects) based on benchmarks for planning, implementation, and construction
of the project and timelines developed for that project. The benchmarks
will include the:
(1) environmental clearance issued by the applicable
federal or state authority;
(2) acquisition or possession of right of way parcels
sufficient to proceed to construction in accordance with planned construction
phasing;
(3) adjustment of utility facilities or coordination
of adjustment sufficient to proceed to construction in accordance
with planned construction phasing;
(4) 100 percent completion of plans, specifications,
and estimates or to the level of completion sufficient to proceed
with the award of a design-build contract in accordance with §9.153
of this title (relating to Solicitation of Proposals);
(5) award of construction contract by the commission;
and
(6) completion of construction.
(d) Critical benchmarks.
(1) The first year of the unified transportation program
is designated as the implementation phase of the UTP and a major transportation
project may be listed in this phase only if the project:
(A) is listed in the statewide long-range transportation
plan and the applicable metropolitan transportation plan; and
(B) has environmental clearance issued by the applicable
federal or state authority.
(2) The executive director may approve an exception
to the requirements contained in paragraph (1) of this subsection
if:
(A) the project satisfies a time sensitive critical
need of the department related to safety, system connectivity, a hurricane
evacuation route, reconstruction of a large infrastructure facility,
or other similar need; and
(B) there is a reasonable likelihood that environmental
clearance for the project will be issued and the other required development
benchmarks will be timely accomplished to permit an award of a construction
contract within the one year implementation phase of the UTP.
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