Highway Design Development Checklist

This technical brief presents a working checklist on design development activities in advancing a highway construction project through formal design and construction.

PROJECT ASSESSMENT

Establish Project extents, traveled way cross section, functional class, and design speed.  Determine area utility providers – electric, gas, water, sewer, communications.
Identify impacted stakeholders (schools, public safety agencies, landowners
Determine visible (above ground) and subsurface utility conflicts from field review and consult of records on file (request as necessary) through franchise/license agreements.
Determine new right-of-way required for Project completion.
Identify Project planned/programmed budget and evaluate against opinion of cost in target construction year; determine excess funding if necessary and source/availability of funds.

PROJECT SURVEY DATA

Perform site survey or mapping to Design Engineer requirements. Accepted methods:
- Manual – leveling instruments or total stations
- Automated – aerial LiDAR mapping
Review and certify surveying data and work products through professional land surveyor.

DESIGN PROCESS

Document succinct Project construction goal (e.g., “This Project will construct…”)
Declare design standards including but not limited to Mohave County Standard
Specifications and Details and Mohave County Drainage Design Manual; establish design standard for any design element not addressed in County adopted standards with preference toward identifying pertinent ADOT or alternatively FHWA standard.
Set design criteria
- Functional classification
- Design speed
- Design traffic volume and truck percentage FHWA Class 4 – 7 and Class 8 – 13
- Cross sectional elements – traveled way, border area (shoulder, curb and gutter, sidewalk, clear zone), ditch, and daylighting slope.
- Design traffic load, subgrade classification and stiffness, and pavement design standard
Establish Design Engineer responsibilities – e.g., survey, utility clearance, right-of-way clearance, geometric and earthwork design, hydrologic and hydraulic design, and pavement design.
Prepare preliminary schedule including task order milestones and performance periods for stakeholder collaboration and public interaction as necessary.

DESIGN TASK ORDERS

Stage 1: Project Assessment
- Kick-off
- Project needs
- Risk assessment
- Project Management Plan
Stage 2: Geometric Design
- 30% construction documents
- Finalize design criteria and decisions
- Project estimate
Stage 3: Constructability
- 60% construction documents
- Resolve utility, right-of-way, and drainage conflicts
- Update project estimate
Stage 4: Pre-Contract
- 95% construction documents
- Final review and approvals
- Verify all pay items included and quantities correct
- Update project estimate
Stage 5: Contract Document
- Sealed plans, specifications, and estimate
Stage 6: Contract Bidding
- Response to bidder questions
- Technical support to Invitation For Bids amendments
v Stage 7: Project Close Out
- As-built plans

PS&E DELIVERABLES

Contract Plans

Title and layout sheet with map, project length, index, legend, and design designation and criteria
Typical roadway sections
Summary sheets with summaries of individual pay items and summary of total estimated quantities
Plan and profile sheets
Computer generated models
Various other detail and/or layout sheets
Various as required plans and details such as temporary and permanent traffic control, structures, erosion control, staging area, materials sources, and fences, gates, and cattle guards

Construction Documents

Final design cross-sections
Earthwork design computations and other relevant design computations and drawings
Mass haul curve plot
Staking data for slope stakes and blue tops
Index of supplementary specifications required to supplement the MAG Standard Specifications and Detailed, latest edition
Special provisions required to supplement the MAG Standard Specifications and Detailed, latest edition
Final construction cost estimate