Main Page
This DelDOT Project Development manual has been developed to serve as a task-oriented guide to be referenced throughout the project development process to promote consistent, transparent, and efficient project delivery which adheres to all pertinent state and federal requirements.
Enhanced Table of Contents
This enhanced table of contents was created to assist staff in locating and then accessing the project development related information they are seeking. This enhanced table of contents provides a brief description of the individual sections of the manual and purposefully includes key words to make it simple to quickly search.
This chapter defines the project development process and its goals. The section introduces its subsections which outline the manual’s intended uses, limitations, and update process.
Section 1.1 – Federal and State Requirements: This section presents the framework of the laws, regulations, and other regulatory agency policy or advisory guidance at both the state and federal level which direct the DelDOT project development process. The section introduces the FHWA Federal-aid Highway Program and the DelDOT and FHWA Stewardship and Oversight agreement and its role in defining the DelDOT project development process.
Section 1.2 - Applicability to Local Public Agencies: This section establishes the manual’s applicability to local public agencies.
Section 1.3 - References to Other Resources: This section clarifies that the manual is not intended to replace other source documents referenced throughout the manual.
Section 1.3.1 - DelDOT Developed Resource Documents: This section lists and describes the resource documents DelDOT utilizes including manuals, Design Guidance Memorandums (DGMs), Policy Implements (PIs), Engineering Instructions (EIs), formal memorandums, and other guidance documents. The section also provides several considerations for the assigned update team when revising these DelDOT developed resource documents.
Section 1.4 - Developing and Maintaining the Project Development Manual: This section outlines the process and committees used to develop the DelDOT Project Development Manual and establishes the process which DelDOT will use to maintain the Project Development Manual.
This chapter details the process that DelDOT uses to plan and prioritize projects.
Section 2.1 - Planning Standards: This section describes the federal planning standards that a state must follow to be eligible for federal funding through the Federal-aid Highway Program.
Section 2.1.1 - Contributing Organizations: This section defines the entities involved in the federal planning and programming process as well as describes their responsibilities.
Section 2.1.1.1 - Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Section 2.1.1.2 - Regional Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs) and Local Governments
Section 2.1.2 - Performance-Based Approach : DelDOT is required to utilize a performance-based prioritization process in accordance with state and federal requirements. This section defines these requirements and describes the processes DelDOT has implemented.
Section 2.1.3 - Public Involvement : Public involvement is required in the transportation infrastructure planning and programming process as their outcome has significant impact on communities. This section defines the public involvement processes DelDOT has implemented to ensure proactive and well-thought-out public engagement.
Section 2.1.4 - Deliverables : DelDOT’s planning process will result in the creation of numerous deliverables. This section describes the two deliverables required of DelDOT by federal and state law.
Section 2.1.4.1 - Long-Range Transportation Plan : This planning deliverable is intended to guide DelDOT in creating principles, policies, and performance measures meeting the State’s long-range economic, transportation, development, and sustainability goals over the forecast period.
Section 2.1.4.2 - Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) : This planning deliverable defines a staged, multi-year, statewide intermodal investment program comprised of transportation projects and programs that are consistent with the Long-Range Transportation Plan.
Section 2.2 - Programs Generating DelDOT Projects : DelDOT maintains multiple programs across its Divisions which each have their own process for generating and prioritizing projects. This section defines the programs and the processes that are used to generate DelDOT projects.
Section 2.2.1 - Entities Outside of DelDOT : This section describes entities and programs outside of DelDOT which have potential to generate DelDOT projects.
Section 2.2.2 - Division of Planning : DelDOT’s Division of Planning undertakes various planning level studies which could generate DelDOT projects. This section describes the individual planning programs overseen by the Division of Planning that may generate DelDOT projects.
Section 2.2.2.1 - Corridor Capacity Preservation
Section 2.2.2.2 - Multi-Modal Program : This section introduces its subsections which describe the individual programs managed within DelDOT’s Multi-Modal program.
Section 2.2.2.2.1 - Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
Section 2.2.2.2.2 - Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
Section 2.2.2.3 - Transportation Improvement Districts (TIDs)
Section 2.2.2.4 - Aviation Planning
Section 2.2.3 - Bridges and Structures Program : This section describes the three programs DelDOT uses to evaluate, plan, and prioritize structure maintenance throughout the State.
Section 2.2.3.1 - Bridge Program
Section 2.2.3.2 - Overhead Sign and High Mast Lighting Structures Program
Section 2.2.4 - Pavement Management Program
Section 2.2.5 - Traffic Engineering and Traffic Operations : This section introduces the specific strategic programs that DelDOT uses to identify operational and mobility deficiencies and potential safety related infrastructure improvement needs.
Section 2.2.5.1 - Traffic Calming Program
Section 2.2.5.2 - MUTCD Compliance
Section 2.2.5.3 - Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) : This section describes DelDOT’s federally required HSIP program and the individual programs it includes.
Section 2.2.5.3.1 - Hazard Elimination Program (HEP)
Section 2.2.5.3.2 - High-Risk Rural Roads Program
Section 2.2.5.3.3 - Highway Rail Grade Crossing (HRGX) Safety Program
Section 2.2.5.4 - Railroad Program : This section introduces the individual programs that are included within DelDOT’s Railroad Program.
Section 2.2.5.4.1 - Statewide Railroad Rideability Program
Section 2.2.5.5 - Intelligent Transportation Management Systems (ITMS)
Section 2.2.6 - Division of Maintenance and Operations (M&O) : This section introduces the programs that are managed by DelDOT’s Division of Maintenance and Operations.
Section 2.2.6.1 - Community Transportation Fund
Section 2.2.6.2 - Transportation Facilities Program
Section 2.2.6.3 - Subdivision Street Pavement Management Program
Section 2.2.7 - Sustainability : This section describes the individual programs that DelDOT uses to plan and prioritize its sustainability program.
Section 2.2.8 - Transit Systems (Delaware Transit Corporation)
This chapter documents the numerous tasks that a section must perform as part of the project initiation process once assigned a project.
Section 3.1 - Establishment of the Design Team This section defines the role of the DelDOT Project Manager and the technical design staff assigned to develop a project. The section also provides considerations to be evaluated when assembling the design team.
Section 3.1.1 - Support Sections : This section defines DelDOT’s support sections and describes their role in the project development process.
Section 3.2 - Project Baselining : This section introduces the concept of project baselining and introduces its subsections.
Section 3.2.1 - Initial Project Baselining : This section establishes the interrelated elements of the initial project baselining effort.
Section 3.2.2 - Project Re-Baselining : This section emphasizes the importance of re-baselining projects and introduces its subsections.
Section 3.2.2.1 - Re-Baselining at Milestone Submissions : This section describes DelDOT’s policy of re-baselining projects within Unifier at each milestone submission.
Section 3.2.2.2 - Spend Updates : This section describes DelDOT’s policy of evaluating the actual rate of project expenditures compared to the expected expenditure rate in order to evaluate the accuracy of a project’s spending plan.
Section 3.3 - Project Number Request : This section describes the process to obtain a project number through DelDOT’s Unifier software.
Section 3.4 - Professional Services : This section introduces the concept of professional services.
Section 3.4.1 - Professional Services Procurement : This section introduces DelDOT’s Professional Services Procurement Manual and divides the project development professional services DelDOT procures into two categories.
Section 3.4.1.1 - Design Related Professional Services : This section introduces the professional service indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts DelDOT utilizes for the typical project development services the Department requires. The section also describes the process DelDOT uses to setup tasks under an IDIQ professional service agreement.
Section 3.4.1.2 - Design Support Related Professional Services : This section discusses the design support related professional services DelDOT utilizes (i.e., soil borings, utility designation, test holes etc.). The section also describes considerations for using a design related professional services agreement for performance of this work.
Section 3.4.2 - Professional Services Management : Professional Services Management: This section summarizes the Project Manager’s responsibilities for managing professional service tasks.
Section 3.4.2.1 - Project Tracking : This section presents project tracking techniques that can be used by the Project Manager to forecast future project milestone submittal dates and associated costs. Techniques presented included performing regularly scheduled task progress meetings and invoice tracking. The section also describes the approval process for extra work.
Section 3.4.2.2 - Invoicing : This section outlines DelDOT’s procedures for verifying the accuracy of invoices within specified timeframes, as well as the processes involved in circulating and approving professional service invoices.
Section 3.4.2.2.1 - Fiscal Year End : This section notifies the Project Manager and DelDOT’s contracted professional service vendors to the end of the State fiscal year finance system shut down.
Section 3.4.2.3 - Quality Assurance : This section summarizes the Project Manager’s responsibility to perform quality assurance on project deliverables, to review and evaluate the services of the vendor annually, and to document the vendor’s performance at the end of the contract.
Section 3.4.2.4 - Closeout : This section establishes the process to closeout tasks upon completion or when DelDOT has decided to terminate the service before its completion.
Section 3.5 - Establishment of Project Directory : This section establishes the importance of using consistent project directories and describes DelDOT’s typical project development related directories.
Section 3.6 - Project Scoping : This section describes the best practices for performing project scoping and arriving at a preferred alternative for further design. The section also introduces the concept of scope management which ensures the project remains consistent with its original objectives.
Section 3.6.1 - Define the Project Objective : This section encourages the development of explicit and clear project objectives that indicate why a project is being undertaken and what the project is intended to achieve. The section also introduces the concept of “purpose and need” statements to assist in refining a project’s scope and subsequent objectives.
Section 3.6.2 – Develop the Scoping Process : This section encourages the design team to tailor the scoping process to suit an individual project’s needs.
Section 3.6.2.1 – NEPA Class Requirements : This section describes how the NEPA class of a proposed action will affect the project scoping phase.
Section 3.6.2.2 – Scoping Meetings : This section describes strategies and considerations for conducting meetings with project stakeholders at strategic points in the scoping phase.
Section 3.6.2.3 – Public Involvement : This section describes how public involvement can be used to generate public consensus by providing a forum for users to express their needs, ideas, concerns, and perspectives relating to the transportation system while giving DelDOT the opportunity to educate the public about transportation issues, services, and projects.
Section 3.6.3 – Establish Preliminary Design Controls and Criteria : This section describes the process for determining the transportation user groups to accommodate and for selecting associated design controls and criteria to ensure the development of suitable alternatives.
Section 3.6.4 – Establish Project Constraints : This section details several common project constraints and limitations that must be vetted within the project scoping phase.
Section 3.6.4.1 – Transportation Operation
Section 3.6.4.2 – Environmental
Section 3.6.5 – Alternatives Development : This section describes the process used to develop conceptual alternatives that meet the project’s objectives while considering the project’s constraints and associated design controls and criteria.
Section 3.6.5.1 – Alternative Types : This section describes the array of solutions that can be applied to rectify identified transportation deficiencies and meet the project’s objectives.
Section 3.6.6 – Alternativities Assessment : This section describes the process used to evaluate the feasible alternatives developed.
Section 3.6.7 – Process Documentation : This section provides recommendations on how to summarize the early project level decisions so they can be effectively referenced later in the project development process.
Section 3.6.8 – Additional Scoping Phase Considerations : This section describes the parameters and considerations to be evaluated once a preferred alternative has been selected.
Section 3.7 – Existing Site Investigation : This section describes the existing site investigation and data collection techniques available and their associated request process.
Section 3.7.1 – GIS Datasets : This section describes the uses for and associated limitations of the GIS datasets most frequently utilized during the project development process.
Section 3.7.1.1 – DelDOT Gateway
Section 3.7.1.2 – NPDES Viewer
Section 3.7.1.3 – DNREC Stormwater Assessment Study GIS
Section 3.7.2 – Topographic Field Survey : This section describes the process for requesting topographic field surveys performed through DelDOT’s Survey section and describes considerations and standards related to topographic field surveys.
Section 3.7.2.1 – Survey Standards
Section 3.7.2.2 – Other Surveying Methods
Section 3.7.2.3 – Pedestrian Connection Survey Considerations
Section 3.7.3 – Traffic Data and Functional Classification Designation
Section 3.7.4 – Property Rights Research
Section 3.7.6 – Utility Designation
Section 3.7.7 – Pavement Corings
Section 3.7.8 – Traffic Counts
Section 3.7.9 – Pipe Video Inspection
Section 3.7.10 – Soil Borings : This section outlines applications that require soil borings and introduces its subsections.
Section 3.7.10.1 – Borings Performed Through On-Call Drilling Agreements : This section describes the process for requesting soil borings through DelDOT’s on-call drilling agreements.
Section 3.7.10.2 – Borings Performed Under Other Professional Service Agreements : This section outlines the process to follow when soil borings are to be performed under a professional services agreement other than DelDOT’s on-call drilling services agreement.
Section 3.1.1 - Support Groups : This section defines DelDOT’s Support Groups and establishes their role in the project development process.
Section 3.2 - Project Baselining : This section introduces the concept of project baselining and introduces its subsections.
Section 3.2.1 - Initial Project Baselining : This section establishes the interrelated elements of the initial project baselining effort and introduces its subsections which defines each element and its associated considerations in more detail.
Section 3.2.2 - Project Re-Baselining : This section emphasizes the importance of re-baselining projects and introduces its subsections which describe two specific re-baselining activities.
Section 3.2.2.1 - Re-Baselining at Milestone Submissions : This section describes DelDOT’s policy of re-baselining projects within Unifier at each milestone submission.
Section 3.2.2.2 - Spend Updates : This section describes DelDOT’s policy of evaluating the actual rate of project expenditures compared to the expected expenditure rate in order to evaluate the accuracy of a project’s spending plan.
Section 3.3 - Project Number Request : This section describes the process to obtain a project number through DelDOT’s Unifier software.
Section 3.4 - Professional Services : This section introduces the concept of professional services and introduces its subsections.
Section 3.4.1 - Professional Services Procurement : This section introduces DelDOT’s Professional Services Procurement manual and divides the project development professional services DelDOT procures into two categories which are discussed further within its subsections.
Section 3.4.1.1 - Design Related Professional Services : This section introduces the professional service indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts DelDOT utilizes for the typical project development services the Department requires. The section also describes the process DelDOT uses to setup tasks under an IDIQ professional service agreement.
Section 3.4.1.2 - Design Support Related Professional Services : This section discusses the design support related professional services DelDOT utilizes (i.e., soil borings, utility designation, test holes etc.). The section also describes the process DelDOT uses to setup tasks under an IDIQ professional service agreement.
Section 3.4.2 - Professional Services Management : This section’s subsections summarize the Project Manager’s responsibilities for managing professional service tasks.
Section 3.4.2.1 - Project Tracking : This section presents project tracking techniques that can be used by the Project Manager to forecast future project milestone submittal dates and associated costs. Techniques presented included performing regularly scheduled task progress meetings and invoice tracking. The section also describes the approval process for extra work.
Section 3.4.2.2 - Invoicing : This section describes the time window and processes that DelDOT uses to verify invoice accuracy and then circulate and approve professional service invoices.
Section 3.4.2.2.1 - Fiscal Year End : This section notifies the Project Manager and DelDOT’s contracted professional service vendors to the end of the State fiscal year finance system shut down.
Section 3.4.2.3 - Quality Assurance : This section summarizes the Project Manager’s responsibility to perform quality assurance on project deliverables, to review and evaluate the services of the vendor annually, and to document the vendor’s performance at the end of the contract.
Section 3.4.2.4 - Closeout : This section establishes the process to closeout tasks upon completion or when DelDOT has decided to terminate the service before its completion.
Section 3.5 - Establishment of Project Directory : This section establishes the importance of using consistent project directories and introduces its subsections which describe DelDOT’s typical project development related directories.
Section 3.6 - Project Scoping : This section describes the best practices for performing project scoping and arriving at a preferred alternative for further design. The section also introduces the concept of scope management which ensures the project remains consistent with its original objectives.
Section 3.6.1 - Define the Project Objective : This section encourages the development of explicit and clear project objectives that indicate why a project is being undertaken and what the project is intended to achieve. The section also introduces the concept of “purpose and need” statements to assist in refining a project’s scope and subsequent objectives.
Section 3.6.2 – Develop the Scoping Process : This section encourages the design team to tailor the scoping process to suit an individual project’s needs. The section’s subsections outline scoping phase considerations and describe scoping phase tools.
Section 3.6.2.1 – NEPA Class Requirements : This section describes how the NEPA class of a proposed action will affect the project scoping phase.
Section 3.6.2.2 – Scoping Meetings : This section describes strategies and considerations for conducting meetings with project stakeholders at strategic points in the scoping phase.
Section 3.6.2.3 – Public Involvement : This section describes how public involvement can be used to generate public consensus by providing a forum for users to express their needs, ideas, concerns, and perspectives relating to the transportation system while giving DelDOT the opportunity to educate the public about transportation issues, services, and projects.
Section 3.6.3 – Establish Preliminary Design Controls and Criteria : This section describes the process for determining the transportation user groups to accommodate and for selecting associated design controls and criteria to ensure the development of suitable alternatives.
Section 3.6.4 – Establish Project Constraints : This section introduces its subsections which detail several common project constraints and limitations that must be vetted within the project scoping phase.
Section 3.6.4.1 – Transportation Operation
Section 3.6.4.2 – Environmental
Section 3.6.5 – Alternatives Development : This section describes the process used to develop conceptual alternatives that meet the project’s objectives while considering the project’s constraints and associated design controls and criteria.
Section 3.6.5.1 – Alternative Types : This section describes the array of solutions that can be applied to rectify identified transportation deficiencies and meet the project’s objectives.
Section 3.6.6 – Alternativities Assessment : This section describes the process used to evaluate the feasible alternatives developed.
Section 3.6.7 – Process Documentation : This section provides recommendations on how to summarize the early project level decisions so they can be effectively referenced later in the project development process.
Section 3.6.8 – Evaluate Ancillary Considerations : This section introduces its subsections which describe the parameters and considerations to be evaluated once a preferred alternative has been selected.
Section 3.7 – Existing Site Investigation : This section introduces its subsections which describe the existing site investigation and data collection techniques available and their associated request process.
Section 3.7.1 – GIS Databases : This section introduces its subsections which describe the uses for and associated limitations of the GIS databases most frequently utilized during the project development process.
Section 3.7.1.1 – DelDOT Gateway
Section 3.7.1.2 – NPDES Viewer
Section 3.7.1.3 – DNREC Stormwater Assessment Study GIS
Section 3.7.2 – Topographic Field Survey : This section describes the process for requesting topographic field surveys performed through DelDOT’s Survey section and introduces its subsections which describe considerations and standards related to topographic field surveys.
Section 3.7.2.1 – Survey Standards
Section 3.7.2.2 – Other Surveying Methods
Section 3.7.2.3 – Pedestrian Connection Survey Considerations
Section 3.7.3 – Traffic Data and Functional Classification Designation
Section 3.7.4 – Property Rights Research
Section 3.7.6 – Utility Designation
Section 3.7.7 – Pavement Corings
Section 3.7.8 – Traffic Counts
Section 3.7.9 – Pipe Video Inspection
Section 3.7.10 – Soil Borings : This section outlines applications that require soil borings and introduces its subsections.
Section 3.7.10.1 – Borings Performed Through On-Call Drilling Agreements : This section describes the process for requesting soil borings through DelDOT’s on-call drilling agreements.
Section 3.7.10.2 – Borings Performed Under Other Professional Service Agreements : This section outlines the process to follow when soil borings are to be performed under a professional services agreement other than DelDOT’s on-call drilling services agreement.
This chapter introduces the concept of coordinating with stakeholders both internal and external to DelDOT and emphasizes its importance within the project development process. The section introduces the chapter’s subsections and describes the components of effective stakeholder management. The section also prescribes best practices to follow when the design team is required to provide files to project stakeholders.
Section 5.1 – Public Engagement: This section lists outcomes that can be expected when public engagement is performed properly. The section also emphasizes the importance of developing a public involvement plan that is tailored to an individual project.
Section 5.1.1 – Project Initiation Letter: The section describes the significance of, and considerations associated with DelDOT’s standard Public Involvement Initial Outreach letter.
Section 5.1.2 – Public Project Stakeholder Considerations: This section defines public project stakeholders and provides a list of typical public project stakeholders.
Section 5.1.2.1 – Legislative Coordination: This section describes the importance of, and considerations associated with legislative coordination. The section introduces its subsections which describe the specific processes that DelDOT utilizes to keep area legislators informed of project developments.
Section 5.1.2.1.1 – Legislative Briefings
Section 5.1.2.1.2 – Quarterly Legislative Reports
Section 5.1.2.1.3 – Award Notifications
Section 5.1.2.2 – Emergency Responders: This section describes considerations and procedures for coordinating with emergency responders as part of the project development process.
Section 5.1.2.3 – Advisory Committees: This section introduces the premise and benefits of establishing advisory committees to obtain feedback and recommendations from a representative cross-section of stakeholders as part of the project development process.
Section 5.1.2.4 – Schools: This section describes the importance of, and considerations associated with coordinating with area schools during the project development process.
Section 5.1.2.5 – Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Considerations: This section summarizes considerations and procedures for maintaining compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through the public engagement process. The ADA requires that state and local governments provide individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all government programs, services, and activities.
Section 5.1.2.6 – Public Involvement for Traditionally Underserved Communities: This section describes the requirements for, and importance of engaging with traditionally underserved communities during the project development process. The section identifies mechanisms to investigate demographic data to assess the presence of traditionally underserved communities within the project’s limits.
Section 5.1.3 – Public Engagement Methods: This section and its subsections introduce the typical methods that DelDOT utilizes to engage the public. The section provides guidance on engagement method(s) selection based on the purpose and subsequent goals of the public engagement. The section also outlines general guidance, best practices, and associated considerations for engaging with the public.
Section 5.1.3.1 – Project Websites: This section introduces how project websites can be used to communicate information about a project to the public. The section includes guidance on when the project website should be developed and on the information that the project website should provide.
Section 5.1.3.2 – Property Owner Meetings: This section presents how property owner meetings can be used within the project development process to engage with stakeholders and to obtain direct feedback and insight on the property owners’ concerns and wishes. The section establishes topics that can be discussed at these meetings, their ideal timing relative to other public engagement methods, as well as the staff members from DelDOT that should be included.
Section 5.1.3.3 – Public Workshops: This section defines public workshops and how they are used within the public engagement process to provide information and to solicit feedback. The section lists the typical information that is presented at DelDOT public workshops.
Section 5.1.3.3.1 – Federal Requirements: This section summarizes the federal requirements for providing a public workshop within the project development process. The section further defines the requirements for providing a public workshop based on NEPA class of action.
Section 5.1.3.3.2 – Format and Timing: The section provides guidance on selecting a public workshop format as well as the ideal timing for holding the public workshop within the project development process based on the purpose and associated goals of the public workshop.
Section 5.1.3.3.2.1 – Virtual Public Workshop: This section describes considerations for, and best practices associated with conducting virtual public workshops.
Section 5.1.3.3.2.2 – Hybrid Public Workshop: This section describes considerations for, and best practices associated with conducting a public workshop with an in-person and virtual component.
Section 5.1.3.3.2.3 – In-Person Public Workshop: This section describes considerations for, and best practices associated with conducting an in-person public workshop.
Section 5.1.3.3.2.4 – In-Person Public Hearing: This section outlines the federal requirements for holding an in-person public hearing as well as their associated best practices.
Section 5.1.3.3.3 – Visualizations: This section describes best practices for creating clear and informative visualizations that will strengthen stakeholder participation, thereby helping obtain desired public engagement results.
Section 5.1.3.3.4 – Key Stakeholder Notification: This section outlines DelDOT’s preference and procedures for notifying key stakeholders in advance of a public workshop so that they are informed and in a better position to answer the questions they may receive.
Section 5.1.3.3.5 – Public Notification: This section establishes DelDOT’s advanced notification requirements, the methods that can be used to notify the public of an upcoming public workshop, as well as the information that is to be included in the notification.
Section 5.1.3.3.6 – Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): This section identifies the requirements associated with conducting public meetings in accordance with the Delaware Code.
Section 5.1.3.3.7 – DelDOT Attendance: This section describes considerations for including staff from across DelDOT at public workshops to maximize the benefit of the public engagement.
Section 5.1.3.3.8 – Public Information Meetings: This section describes considerations for holding a public information meeting where the goal of the meeting is to inform the public rather than solicit feedback.
Section 5.1.4 – Night Work Surveys: This section outlines DelDOT’s practices for distributing night work surveys for cases where DelDOT reasonably expects the use of night work.
Section 5.1.5 – Public Engagement During Construction: This section describes the tasks that the design team will be responsible for performing during the construction phase of a project to ensure that the public stays informed of DelDOT’s activities.
Section 5.2 – Other Public Traveled Way Owners: This section establishes that other public entities own and maintain roads within the State and asserts the importance of determining the entities that possess existing rights and maintenance responsibilities within a project’s limits. The section further establishes DelDOT’s typical role and responsibilities on public transportation projects performed throughout the State.
Section 5.2.1 – Agreement Types: This section identifies and describes several of the common agreement types that DelDOT utilizes as well as their relationship to the project development process.
Section 5.2.2 – Maintenance Responsibility and Existing Agreement Assessment: This section outlines a methodology to assess DelDOT’s jurisdiction and associated maintenance responsibilities within a project’s limits.
Section 5.2.3 – Agreement Development Process: This section identifies best practices for developing agreements when required within the project development process. The section’s subsections describe processes and associated considerations for several of the more common agreements that DelDOT enters into as part of the project development process.
Section 5.2.3.1 – Town Agreements
Section 5.2.3.2 – Traffic Signal Agreements
Section 5.2.3.3 – Stormwater Management Joint Use Agreements
Section 5.3 – Environmental: : This section introduces the processes and procedures that DelDOT employs to ensure that the State’s transportation needs are met in a way that minimizes impacts to the surrounding environment. The section introduces DelDOT’s Environmental Stewardship Office (ESO) as well as outlines various deliverables that are created through the environmental coordination process.
Section 5.3.1 – Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL): This section introduces Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) strategies that can be employed to inform transportation decision-making in a way that considers environmental, community, and economic goals early in the transportation planning process, and then uses that information, analysis, and products developed to inform the environmental review process. The section also presents the concept of PEL studies which can be used to document the project level planning and environmental analysis that has been conducted prior to the formal start of the NEPA process.
Section 5.3.2 – National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process: This section outlines the general requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and identifies implementation responsibilities both at the state and federal level for maintaining compliance with the act. The section also identifies several key elements of the NEPA process and provides general guidance for developing NEPA documents.
Section 5.3.2.1 – Classes of Actions: This section presents the classes of actions that are defined by the regulations implementing NEPA.
Section 5.3.2.1.1 – Categorical Exclusions (CEs): This section defines the actions which are considered to be categorically excluded under NEPA. The section also introduces the programmatic agreement maintained between DelDOT and the FHWA regarding the processing of actions classified as categorical exclusions for Federal-aid Highway Program projects and defines the paths for obtaining approval under the programmatic agreement.
Section 5.3.2.1.2 – Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):This section defines the actions which are considered to have a reasonably foreseeable significant effect on the quality of the human environment, thereby requiring the development of an environmental impact statement. The section also identifies the procedures and activities that are to be performed under this class of action to obtain an approved environmental document.
Section 5.3.2.1.3 – Environmental Assessment (EA): This section defines the actions which require the development of an Environmental Assessment. The section also provides a general overview of the Environmental Assessment process.
Section 5.3.2.2 – Protected Resources: This section and its subsections identify environmental protections that have been put into place at either the federal or state level. The section also describes the sequencing order for mitigating potential impacts in accordance with federal regulations.
Section 5.3.2.2.1 – Human and Built Environment: This section defines human and built environment resources and introduces its subsections which define the state and federal level protections and associated considerations for these environmental resources. The section also describes procedures to be followed if unmarked human burial and human skeletal remains are found during either design or construction.
Section 5.3.2.2.1.1 – Community Cohesion
Section 5.3.2.2.1.2 – Historic Preservation
Section 5.3.2.2.1.3 – Publicly Owned Parkland and Other Publicly Owned Recreational Areas
Section 5.3.2.2.1.4 – Air Quality
Section 5.3.2.2.1.5 – Noise
Section 5.3.2.2.1.6 – Hazardous Material
Section 5.3.2.2.1.7 – Land Use
Section 5.3.2.2.1.8 – Right-of-Way
Section 5.3.2.2.1.9 – Other Social Impacts
Section 5.3.2.2.2 – Natural Environment: This section defines natural environment resources and introduces its subsections which define the state and federal level protections and associated considerations for these environmental resources.
Section 5.3.2.2.2.1 – Water Quality
Section 5.3.2.2.2.2 – Fish and Wildlife
Section 5.3.2.2.2.3 – Wetlands
Section 5.3.2.2.2.4 – Coastal Locations
Section 5.3.2.2.2.5 – Floodplains
Section 5.3.2.2.2.6 – Farmland
Section 5.3.2.2.2.7 – Forestland and Trees
Section 5.3.2.3 – Re-Evaluation: This section establishes the need for and purpose of environmental document re-evaluations.
Section 5.3.3 – Project Permitting: This section describes the need for obtaining permits and defines DelDOT’s process for coordinating with regulatory agencies as needed to obtain permits. The section also introduces its subsections which define considerations associated with the individual permits that DelDOT most typically obtains as part of the project development process.
Section 5.3.3.1 – United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Section 5.3.3.1.1 – Mitigation Requirements
Section 5.3.3.2 – United States Coast Guard (USCG)
Section 5.3.3.3 – DNREC Wetlands and Waterways
Section 5.3.3.4 – New Castle County
Section 5.3.3.5 – City of Wilmington
Section 5.3.3.6 – DNREC Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)
Section 5.4 – Utilities:This section identifies the public benefit that is realized by allowing utilities within the public right-of-way which then creates the need to coordinate activities between DelDOT and utility owners. The section briefly describes the need for utility companies in Delaware to obtain a master franchise agreement which will then dictate future interaction.
Section 5.4.1 – Utility Coordination Process: This section outlines the process which DelDOT utilizes to coordinate its programmed projects with utility owners. The section also introduces the DelDOT Utilities section and its roles and responsibilities within the project development process.
Section 5.4.1.1 – The Utility Permit Application (UPA): This section introduces DelDOT’s Utility Permit Application (UPA) website and defines how the website is used within the project development process to facilitate coordination activities.
Section 5.4.1.2 – Supplying Electronic Files: This section describes considerations associated with supplying electronic design files to utility stakeholders within the project development process.
Section 5.4.1.3 – Coordination Meetings: This section describes how coordination meetings can be used within the project development process and their associated considerations and recommended topics for discussion.
Section 5.4.1.4 – Power Service Request: This section describes the process for requesting a power service hook-up from a utility company when a power source is required for DelDOT’s infrastructure.
Section 5.4.1.5 – Composite Utility Map: This section describes a deliverable that can be used to help further facilitate the utility coordination process.
Section 5.4.1.6 – Utility Company Design and Markup Responsibility: This section identifies the markups, comments, and other information that utility companies are required to provide as part of their review of the of the deliverables that the design team provides.
Section 5.4.2 – Locating Existing Utilities: This section outlines procedures and considerations associated with determining the presence and proximity of existing utilities within the project area. The section introduces topics associated with subsurface utility engineering (SUE) which is the discipline of engineering that manages risk associated with mapping utilities. The section additionally provides guidance on selecting the appropriate amount of SUE for a project.
Section 5.4.2.1 – Existing Utility Records (QL-D): This section defines Quality Level D (QL-D) mapping and presents its associated considerations. The section also outlines the methods in which DelDOT typically obtains Quality Level D information.
Section 5.4.2.2 – Topographic Field Survey (QL-C): This section defines Quality Level C (QL-C) mapping and presents its associated considerations.
Section 5.4.2.3 – Utility Designation (QL-B): This section defines Quality Level B (QL-B) mapping information, which is commonly referred to as utility designation, and presents its associated considerations. The section also describes the methods that are commonly used to obtain Quality Level B mapping information.
Section 5.4.2.3.1 – Utility Designation Requests: This section describes the process that is used to request utility designation as part of the project development process.
Section 5.4.2.4 – Test Holes (QL-A): This section defines Quality Level A (QL-A) mapping information, which is commonly referred to as test holes, and presents its associated considerations.
Section 5.4.2.4.1 – Test Hole Requests: This section describes the process that is used to request utility test holes as part of the project development process.
Section 5.4.3 – Conflict Assessment: This section outlines procedures and considerations for identifying conflict points. The section also describes the process of working with stakeholders to eliminate, minimize, and mitigate project risk associated with the identified conflicts.
Section 5.4.4 – Utility Company Reimbursement: This section identifies the need to assess financial obligation among stakeholders for utility work that is required as part of a project. The section summarizes the circumstances in which the required utility work becomes reimbursable by the State in accordance with the Delaware Code. The section also outlines the information that is required from the utility owner when the utility work is determined to be reimbursable.
Section 5.4.4.1 – Vertical Adjustment of Nonmunicipal Utility Covers: This section describes DelDOT’s authority to perform vertical adjustments of nonmunicipal utility covers.
Section 5.4.5 – Utility Coordination Deliverables and Approvals: This section introduces its subsections which describe the common utility coordination deliverables and approvals required as part of the project development process.
Section 5.4.5.1 – Utility Agreement: This section describes the circumstances which necessitate the development of a utility agreement between DelDOT and a utility owner as well as considerations associated with developing the utility agreement.
Section 5.4.5.2 – Adjustment and Relocation Plans: This section describes the need to create and, considerations associated with creating utility adjustment and relocations plans.
Section 5.4.5.3 – Utility Statement: This section describes the need to develop a utility statement and outlines the information which must be included in the utility statement.
Section 5.4.5.4 – Utility Relocation Checklist: This section describes the need to complete a Utility Relocation Checklist.
Section 5.5 – Right-of-Way: This section outlines the need for transportation agencies to assess their existing property rights as part of the project development process and to acquire additional property rights when required. The section briefly outlines DelDOT’s right-of-way process.
Section 5.5.1 – Existing Right-of-Way Mosaic Creation: This section outlines the project tier system that DelDOT utilizes to determine the level of existing right-of-way verification that is required as part of the right-of-way mosaic development process.
Section 5.5.1.1 – Existing Right-of-Way Source Documents: This section summarizes the tools and datasets that are available and the source documents that are used to develop the existing right-of-way mosaic.
Section 5.5.1.2 – Common Existing Land Rights and Restriction Types: This section defines the existing land rights and restrictions that may be encountered while performing research on DelDOT’s existing land rights within the project area.
Section 5.5.1.3 – Existing Right-of-Way Mosaic Creation: This section and its subsections describe the information which should be included as well as the processes and best practices that are to be used when developing a project’s right-of-way mosaic. The section also emphasizes the importance of monumentation in the right-of-way mosaic creation process.
Section 5.5.1.3.1 – Existing Right-of-Way Baseline Creation: This section describes best practices for establishing the existing right-of-way baselines within the project area.
Section 5.5.1.3.2 – Existing Boundary Line Creation: This section introduces its subsections which describe best practices for including existing boundary lines within the right-of-way mosaic.
Section 5.5.1.3.2.1 – Frontage Boundary Lines
Section 5.5.1.3.2.2 – Parcel Sideline Boundary Lines
Section 5.5.1.3.2.3 – Government Boundary Lines
Section 5.5.1.3.2.4 – Easement, Dedication, and Reservation Boundary Lines
Section 5.5.1.3.3 – Ownership Verification: This section establishes practices for verifying ownership as part of the right-of-way mosaic development process.
Section 5.5.1.3.4 – Resolve Discrepancies: This section establishes procedures for resolving discrepancies encountered during the right-of-way mosaic creation process.
Section 5.5.1.3.5 – Document Mosaic Creation Process: This section summarizes DelDOT’s practices for documenting the right-of-way mosaic creation. The section introduces its subsections which provide additional documentation guidance based on the entity tasked with developing the right-of-way mosaic.
Section 5.5.1.3.5.1 – Projects Developed by Staff Internal to DelDOT
Section 5.5.1.3.5.2 – Projects Developed Under a Professional Services Agreement
Section 5.5.2 – Determination of Property Rights to be Acquired: This section and its subsections describe the process which is used to assess the amount and type of property rights that must be acquired for a project.
Section 5.5.2.1 – Fee Simple Right-of-Way
Section 5.5.2.2 – Permanent Easement
Section 5.5.2.3 – Temporary Construction Easement
Section 5.5.2.4 – Right to Enter
Section 5.5.2.5 – Denial of Access
Section 5.5.3 – Determine Proposed Right-of-Way Monumentation: This section outlines the locations where proposed right-of-way monuments should be placed.
Section 5.5.4 – Right-of-Way Approval Process: This section outlines the process that is used to obtain final right-of-way approval before acquisitions can take place unless advanced acquisitions are performed.
Section 5.5.4.1 – Existing Right-of-Way Mosaic Verification: This section describes the process which is used to review and verify the existing right-of-way mosaic.
Section 5.5.4.2 – Proposed Right-of-Way Verification: This section describes the process which is used to review and approve proposed right-of-way acquisitions.
Section 5.5.5 – Acquisition Support and Right-of-Way Certification: This section introduces its subsections which summarize the support that the design team provides during the acquisition phase as well as the considerations associated with right-of-way certification ahead of a project’s PS&E.
Section 5.5.5.1 – Support Documents: This section introduces its subsections which define several right-of-way acquisition support documents that may need to be developed to assist in the acquisition process.
Section 5.5.5.1.1 – Parcel Impact Forms
Section 5.5.5.1.2 – Property Description
Section 5.5.5.1.3 – Additional Support Documents
Section 5.5.5.2 – Right-of-Way Stakeout: This section describes the process for requesting a right-of-way stakeout survey which will show the limits of the proposed acquisition within the requested area.
Section 5.5.5.3 – Right-of-Way Revisions: This section establishes the type of changes to final right-of-way plans after approval which necessitate a revision as well as the process that is used to approve the revision.
Section 5.5.5.4 – Right-of-Way Certification: This section outlines the federal requirements for obtaining right-of-way certification prior to advertisement and defines the levels of certification permitted.
Section 5.6 – Railroad: This section identifies the groups which are tasked with coordinating DelDOT activities with railroads based on railroad application affected. The section highlights the need for coordination and establishes that the coordination process is generally dictated by master agreements that DelDOT maintains with the individual railroads operating within the State.
Section 5.6.1 – Design Team Notification to DelDOT Railroad Section: This section introduces the circumstances when the design team should initiate the railroad coordination process with the appropriate DelDOT railroad coordination group.
Section 5.6.2 – DelDOT Notification to Railroad: This section and its subsections describe the process that is used to contact affected railroads to begin coordination and agreement development.
Section 5.6.2.1 – DelDOT Notification to Freight or Excursion Rail
Section 5.6.2.2 – DelDOT Notification to Passenger Rail
Section 5.6.3 – Design Phase Coordination: This section describes the review that host railroads will perform as part of the design phase of the project development process.
Section 5.6.4 – Construction Phase Agreement Development: This section highlights the need to develop construction phase agreement(s) with affected railroads and introduces its subsections which outline several of the required components of the construction phase agreement.
Section 5.6.4.1 – Division of Construction Work
Section 5.6.4.2 – Cost Sharing
Section 5.6.4.3 – Right-of-Way
Section 5.6.4.4 – Future Maintenance Obligations
Section 5.6.5 – Agreement Modification: This section outlines the process for modifying project agreements with railroads after the agreement has been executed.
Section 5.6.6 – Railroad Statement and Contract Language: This section describes the federal requirement for providing a statement on the status of the railroad coordination prior to contract advertisement as well as DelDOT’s practice for including contract language summarizing the contractor’s responsibilities and associated work stipulations related to railroads within DelDOT’s contracts.
Section 5.6.7 – Railroad Coordination Considerations: This section introduces its subsections which outline several considerations for the design team related to railroad coordination.
Section 5.6.7.1 – Federal Agency Involvement
Section 5.6.7.2 – Indemnification
Section 5.6.7.3 – Entering Railroad Property Prior to Construction
Section 5.6.7.4 – Railroad Protective Services
Section 5.6.7.5 – Insurance
Section 5.6.7.6 – Railroad Invoices
Section 5.6.7.7 – Crossing Surface Upgrades
Section 5.6.7.8 – Railroad Drainage
Section 5.6.7.9 – Signalization Interconnection
Section 5.6.7.10 – Railroad Design
Section 5.7 – Developer Coordination: This section establishes that land use along DelDOT’s roadside is constantly evolving which creates the need for the design team to monitor roadside development within the project area. The section introduces DelDOT’s Development Coordination section as well as how the group typically interacts with DelDOT’s project development staff.
Section 5.7.1 – Access Management Authority: This section identifies the importance of access management and references DelDOT’s regulatory authority to manage access to state-maintained highways.
Section 5.7.2 – Coordination Considerations: This section and its subsections summarize several elements of the development coordination process that are most relevant to DelDOT’s project development process and provides supplemental information describing best practices and strategies associated with the coordination process.
Section 5.7.2.1 – Exchange of Funds: This section and its subsections outline the ways that a developer and DelDOT can exchange funds as part of the project development process.
Section 5.7.2.1.1 – Reimbursement
Section 5.7.2.1.2 – Contribution
Section 5.7.2.2 – Electronic Design Data Coordination: This section describes considerations associated with supplying electronic design files to developers within the project development process.
Section 5.7.2.3 – Eminent Domain Authority: This section establishes the limited authority that DelDOT is provided to utilize eminent domain to obtain right-of-way on developer projects.
Section 5.7.2.4 – Contingency Planning: This section emphasizes the importance of contingency planning due to the uncertainty typically associated with development activities.
Section 5.8 – Finance: This section provides a brief overview of DelDOT’s financial obligations and funding sources as well as introduces DelDOT’s Division of Finance and their responsibilities. The section presents the vital role that the DelDOT Project Manager performs in managing DelDOT’s finances and introduces several accounting controls and restrictions in-place at both the state and federal level to ensure financial integrity.
Section 5.8.1 – Accounting Programs: This section identifies and describes the accounting programs that DelDOT and its partners use.
Section 5.8.2 – Budgeting Basics: This section and its subsections outline several departmentwide budgeting topics.
Section 5.8.2.1 – Expenses and Revenues: This section identifies and describes DelDOT’s typical expenditures as well as expected revenue sources.
Section 5.8.2.2 – Budgeting Process: This section introduces DelDOT’s operating budget as well as capital investment program known as the Capital Transportation Program (CTP). The section also highlights how projections and updates are constantly being made to ensure uninterrupted program delivery.
Section 5.8.2.3 – Project Phases: This section introduces how DelDOT and other federal administering agencies divide projects into funding phases. The section identifies and describes the funding phases that both DelDOT and the FHWA utilize to track project funding.
Section 5.8.2.4 – Obligation Plan and Redistributions: This section defines obligation and describes the significance of DelDOT’s obligation plan. The section also describes the FHWA’s August redistribution and the opportunity that it presents to advance projects.
Section 5.8.3 – Establishing Project Funding: This section describes the procedures that must be undertaken prior to setting up a project level purchase order.
Section 5.8.4 – Purchase Orders: This section defines purchase orders and describes how they are used within the State of Delaware’s accounting procedures. The section also describes methods for modifying existing purchase orders and for processing new purchase orders for a project.
Section 5.8.4.1 – Cost Plus Fixed Fee Proposal Review: This section outlines the process to be used by the Project Manager to review cost plus fixed fee proposals to ensure the scope of work and person hours are in-line with the Project Manager’s expectations.
Section 5.8.4.2 – Financial Information in a Cost Plus Fixed Fee Professional Services Proposal: This section describes the typical costs that are included in cost plus fixed fee professional services proposal.
Section 5.8.4.3 – Proposal Submittal Process: This section outlines the steps that are used to submit a task proposal for processing and subsequent purchase order creation or modification.
Section 5.8.4.4 – Purchase Order Termination: This section acknowledges that there may be occasions when purchase orders need to be terminated prior to completion of a task. The section provides procedures and considerations for these cases.
Section 5.8.5 – Invoices: This section describes how payment vouchers are used to process submitted invoices and introduces its subsections.
Section 5.8.5.1 – Processing Invoices: This section outlines DelDOT’s procedures for verifying the accuracy of invoices within specified timeframes, and the process used to circulate and approve professional service invoices. The section also describes tools that Project Managers can use to track submitted invoices.
Section 5.8.5.2 – Fiscal Year End: This section notifies Project Managers and DelDOT’s contracted professional service vendors to the end of the State fiscal year finance system shut down.
Section 5.8.6 – Communication Methods: This section defines standard communication methods that Project Managers use to communicate financial information about their projects to the Division of Finance.
Section 5.8.7 – Project Cost Increases: This section describes procedures for increasing a project’s cost estimate. The section also introduces the need to process STIP modifications and STIP amendments for projects listed in the CTP.
Section 5.8.7.1 – STIP Modifications and Amendment Procedures: This section outlines the process that DelDOT utilizes to process STIP modifications and STIP amendments.
Section 5.8.8 – Grants: This section identifies grants as a potential project funding source and summarizes several recommended best practices for developing competitive grant submissions.
Section 5.8.9 – Emergency Procedures: This section prescribes procedures for securing project funding for emergency projects that are the result of a natural disaster or other catastrophic network failure from an external cause.
Section 5.8.10 – Inactive Federally Participating Projects: This section identifies the federal requirement for states to review inactive federally participating projects which haven’t had an expenditure in over 12 months.
Section 5.8.11 – Federal Funds Expenditure Time Limits: This section outlines two common Federal-aid Highway Program funding agreement provisions related to fund expenditure time limits.
Section 5.8.12 – Closeout: This section establishes the process to closeout tasks upon completion or when DelDOT has decided to terminate the service before its completion.
Section 5.9 – Hazardous Materials: This section identifies how hazardous materials pose a threat to public health and the environment and exposes DelDOT to potential liability under federal statute. The section also summarizes the federal and state laws and regulations that govern the handling, transportation, and disposal of hazmat. The section additionally introduces DelDOT’s Hazmat section and summarizes their responsibilities within the project development process.
Section 5.9.1 – Phase 1 – Preliminary Assessment: This section describes the datasets and other resources that can be used by the design team to search for known hazmat locations within the project area as well as outlines common hazmat applications within Delaware which may not be included in a dataset. The section also outlines the process that is used by the Hazmat section to perform a preliminary site assessment to evaluate for the presence of contamination within a project’s limits.
Section 5.9.2 – Phase 2 – Site Investigation: This section describes the considerations and procedures for conducting an investigation to either confirm or refute the presence of hazmat within the project area. The section further describes the goals of the site investigation when hazmat is confirmed within the project limits as well as the activity’s ideal timing within the project development process.
Section 5.9.3 – Phase 3 – Remedial Design and Implementation: This section introduces its subsections which summarize the activities that are performed once all site investigations are complete.
Section 5.9.3.1 – Remediation Design: This section describes the process that is used by DelDOT’s Hazmat section to create a corrective work plan (or other similar document) and a site-specific Contaminated Materials Management Plan (CMMP) to guide the remedial actions when required.
Section 5.9.3.2 – Remediation Implementation: This section introduces its subsections which outline considerations for implementing planned remediations based on whether the remediation is elected to be performed either prior to or during project construction activities.
Section 5.9.3.2.1 – Remediation Performed Prior to the Construction Phase: This section includes considerations primarily related to funding remediation work that is performed prior to the project’s construction phase.
Section 5.9.3.2.2 – Remediation Performed During the Construction Phase: This section highlights the typical procedures that DelDOT utilizes when hazmat remediation is performed simultaneously with the construction phase as well as describes the language to include in the contract to detail the construction remediation work.
Section 5.10 – Electronic File Release: This section includes links to standard forms and procedures to be used to obtain approval prior to providing digital design data information to various project stakeholders. Guidance on when to complete the release is included within the pertinent sections of the manual.