VTRANS Standards

"These Standards present the physical design parameters and guidelines of bridges and roadways in Vermont. In some cases they change and in other cases they augment the Standards previously used by the VAOT, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) ... The overriding theme throughout the Standards is the allowance of considerable flexibility in the application of standards to specific projects."

1.0 Introduction

The Purpose of Design Standards
How the Standards Were Developed
Roadway Classification System
Project Planning Standards: Linkage to the Project Development Process
Transportation Design in the Vermont Context
.....Large Towns and Cities
.....Small Towns and Villages
.....Suburban Commercial/Residential Corridors
.....Rural Corridors
General Use of the Standards
Use By Municipalities
Special Design Guidelines and Their Role in the Standards
Design Exceptions

1.1 The Purpose of Design Standards

The following Vermont State Standards for Construction, Reconstruction, and (where specified) Rehabilitation of Roadways and Bridges have been designed with two purposes in mind:

> To provide clear technical direction to the designers of transportation projects in Vermont.
> To achieve roadway and bridge designs which provide access, mobility and safety for users, and which are also sensitive to the social and environmental context of Vermont.

These Standards reflect changes to transportation policy on the state and national levels as initiated by the Federal government in the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) legislation, the goals of the 1995 Vermont State Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), modifications of the Project Development (Scoping) Process, and inter-agency planning agreements between the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VAOT), the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (VANR), the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation (VTDHP), and others.

These Standards present the physical design parameters and guidelines of bridges and roadways in Vermont. In some cases they change and in other cases they augment the Standards previously used by the VAOT, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). In the following chapters, design standards are organized by roadway functional classification. For each classification geometric values and "Special Design Guidelines" are presented for specific guidance for the design of roadways in sensitive situations.

The Standards have been designed to be flexible and to allow and encourage creative methods to minimize impacts on scenic, historic, archaeological, environmental and other important resources. This will give the VAOT greater ability to conform to State and Federal statutes, rules and regulations, to ensure that projects are designed to fit the Vermont context, to ensure that projects minimize environmental impacts, and to maximize the public benefit of transportation improvement investments. The inclusion of Rehabilitation Projects within these standards is intended to augment both "Preservation" and "3R" Standards which are a separate document. These standards apply in both philosophy and, where specified in detail to those standards.
These Vermont State Standards are based upon the assumption that contextual and situational issues for each project must be identified early in the design process, before geometric values are selected. These issues are then considered at each step throughout the design process. This process will allow for the successful integration of both "quantitative" parameters and "qualitative" issues.

All transportation projects in Vermont must be designed to minimize negative impacts on natural resources, historic, scenic or other community values, while also providing reasonable roadway widths, grades, sight distances, etc. At the same time, roadway improvements have the potential to positively contribute to the local, regional and state-wide economy of Vermont. By providing for the efficient movement of goods and services and by building facilities that provide access to and complement and enhance the State's historic and visual character, the State's economic interests are furthered. In order for this to be accomplished, the design of new transportation facilities in Vermont must balance multiple factors:

> The physical attributes of roadways which are important for user safety.
> The transportation planning policies guiding the region and community.
> The need for access to, and mobility along, a roadway.
> The presence of historic sites and districts.
> The presence of natural resources and environmental factors.
> The social context of the communities within which the facility exists.
> The economic development needs of the community, region, and state.

1.2 How the Standards Were Developed

The standards presented in this document represent the work of the Vermont Design Standards Committee, established in 1994 as a part of the Long Range Transportation Plan. The group met regularly for over 21 months between April 1994 and January 1996. The meetings were focused on completing recommendations for revised standards based upon input from engineering, planning, and resources perspectives. The Design Standards Committee was comprised of representatives including VAOT staff from the engineering and planning divisions and legal units, the Agency of Natural Resources, the Division of Historic Preservation, Regional Planning Commissions, the Vermont Council on the Arts, the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Federal Highway Administration. Numerous private citizens, from lay person to professional, also served on the committee.

1.3 Roadway Classification System

Organization of the standards is based upon the State's "Functional Classification of Roads and Highways" currently in use by the VAOT. The Classifications include:

> Freeways
> Principal Arterials
> Minor Arterials
> Collectors
> Local Roads

For each classification, the user is provided with a narrative of the overall description of the classification as well as a series of general objectives and design issues inherent with the need to integrate the roadway design with the Vermont context.
The overriding theme throughout the Standards is the allowance of considerable flexibility in the application of standards to specific projects. For example, Freeways, which are a special class of Arterials, have mobility as the primary functional purpose. As functional classification changes from Arterials, through Collectors, to Local Roads, the emphasis gradually shifts from a mobility orientation to one of land access, and provides for greater flexibility in design.

1.4 Project Planning Standards: Linkage to the Project Development Process

The VAOT is obligated to be responsive to the legal and jurisdictional issues that exist within many roadway and bridge design projects including historical, archaeological, and environmental resources. The Agency has also committed itself through the Transportation Planning Initiative and Long Range Transportation Plan to work closely with local communities and regional planning commissions to consider local and regional issues in the development of roadway and bridge projects. This commitment has developed a public expectation that VAOT projects will balance multiple issues and interests, and address problems and opportunities that may go beyond conventional roadway design and engineering.

The primary tool for achieving responsive roadway and bridge design for a specific project relies initially on a systematic assessment of the community, land use, visual, historical, natural resource and cultural characteristics of the road and its surrounding corridors. Commitments made in the Project Development process need to be carried through the design process. However, in that some VAOT projects do not formally go through Project Development, the Project Development Process or a similar process should be followed to guide decisions made by project designers to anticipate the broad set of considerations that may arise in all types of road and bridge projects, including 3R, Preservation and other project categories.

Being responsive to local issues and the situational context is the responsibility of every VAOT project designer/design team.

1.5 Transportation Design in the Vermont Context

It is essential that all transportation facilities be designed as part of the total environment. Whatever the type of transportation facility or project, sound planning, engineering, and environmental design principles should be applied. Roads and bridges should be designed to specifically fit into the situational context of the area within which each will be constructed, i.e., city, town, village, suburban and rural areas.

In Vermont, the public has indicated a strong desire for roadway projects to respond to the natural, scenic, and cultural landscape. To provide optimum consideration of these elements, the natural and human "built environment" features in the vicinity of a specific project should be inventoried and analyzed to guide the roadway design development process. The inventory should include: topographical and physical characteristics; natural resources; recreational uses; potential, existing and future residential uses; historical resources; visual and aesthetic resources; landmarks; and existing and potential land uses. The analysis should draw relevant conclusions as to the needs for specific resource protection measures as well as opportunities to integrate those features into the roadway or bridge project at the earliest possible point in the design process. These factors should then be integrated with the geometric standards. The presence of some of these features allow for possible reductions or modifications to the geometric standards through "Special Design Guidelines". Those guidelines are described in this section and Section 1.8. The final design should reflect consideration of all these factors to produce a safe and attractive transportation facility that is compatible with the environment and the character of the community.

All concerned disciplines should collaborate at every stage of the transportation project planning, design, and construction process to realize the maximum potential from the project. The exchange of information and expertise is critical throughout project development. This shall include the full range of highway components or features, such as the roadway (the travel surface itself), the roadside (remainder of the right-of-way, with any natural vegetation and/or plantings), ancillary structures (such as bridges, culverts, and retaining walls), and highway appurtenances (such as fences, signs, lights, and traffic barriers). Community acceptance of a transportation project is often strongly influenced by the visual elements of the project as seen both in views from the project (the road view as seen by users), and view of the project (the road view as seen by project neighbors). All of these components must be properly coordinated with the existing cultural, historical, ecological, physical, and aesthetic considerations.

The following is an outline of design context situations in general categories that describe a range of land use contexts within which roads exist. With each situation, general themes and goals are provided to give the designer an initial framework to address roadway or bridge design in community context. These goals should be confirmed in coordination with local officials and the public, as well as with State and Federal agencies. Many of these goals are specifically derived from Vermont legislation (ACT 200, ACT 250 decisions, etc. ) and are an important translation from VAOT, VANR, DCA and other agencies' policies into specific actions.

1.5.1 Large Towns and Cities

Roadway design projects in Vermont's large towns and cities present complex situations where the needs of through-traffic as well as destination traffic converge. In existing downtowns, the balance between mobility and the economic and cultural issues of "city streets" will need to be addressed. Frequently, road corridors in towns and cities are congested with multiple users (cars, trucks, pedestrians, bikes, etc.). Major corridor projects will continue to be expected to integrate all those users. At the same time, town and city roads function as a complete network; frequently individual problem areas are linked to others nearby and/or more distant contributing conditions.

New and reconstructed roads need to be compatible with the adjacent land uses and reflect the urban characteristics of the location. Elements of roads that should be included in engineering decisions are: preservation or enhancement of on-street parking; new or redefined pedestrian walkways and crossings; pedestrian scale and roadway lighting; coordinated VAOT, public street and other signage; preservation and enhancement of street tree plantings; and landscaping of adjacent public spaces and facilities.

Additionally, roadway projects along existing corridors entering large towns and cities may feature existing strip-development. New projects should be responsive to avoid proliferation of strip-development patterns by integrating roadway design features and land use development regulations. Fringe areas of large towns and cities with strip-developments should incorporate design treatments to reduce curb-cuts, promote safe pedestrian and bicycle traffic and establish urban character with appropriate street trees, lighting, and signage.

Frequently there are conflicts between driver speed, pedestrian safety and economic viability along roadway corridors in Vermont's cities and large towns. Speed control (traffic calming) techniques should be employed to moderate roadway speed. This may be accomplished through the use of visual elements in the street design, by providing channelizing islands or roundabouts, through proper placement and design of pedestrian crossings and through alignment modifications. Both roadway and bridge designs should use visual elements that define urban area gateways where roadway character and land use character changes coincide.

1.5.2 Small Towns and Villages

Throughout the state, small towns and villages have historically been sited along road corridors. Many of these roads are the "Main Streets" and "Elm Streets" that are the principal public streets that share uses for both through-traffic and local traffic. The identity of individual small town and village centers is an especially important characteristic in Vermont. For aesthetic, as well as safety reasons, it is essential for drivers to reduce speed in small town and village centers. Appropriate design techniques should be used to reinforce this behavior. Pedestrian circulation and on-street parking should be maintained or enhanced. By creative variation of highway alignment and cross-section, driver behavior can be influenced, scenic and community values reinforced, and greater safety achieved.

Small towns and villages in Vermont are of historic significance, minimizing the impacts on the historic character is extremely important. Preservation of this character may include maintaining existing street trees and other landscape features, providing new street trees and landscaping and altering infrastructure including utilities, drainage, and overhead utility lines. Providing curbs should be employed where required to allow preservation of existing streetscape elements and narrower clear zones.
Establishing appropriate road sections should address the difference between the various types of streets commonly found in small towns and villages such as:

> Built-up "Main" streets with on-street parking, sidewalks and commercial blocks.
> Residential "Elm" streets with generous building setbacks, yards and continuous street trees.
> Intersections that include village public spaces with parks, churches, public buildings, etc.

Many of the design objectives of cities and large towns also apply to small towns and villages, but on a smaller scale. Those techniques may be employed in addition to those listed in this section.

1.5.3 Suburban Commercial/Residential Corridors

Between the 1950s and late 1980s, many Vermont communities experienced commercial growth and development along major road corridors. As that development increased, along with increased population growth and changing patterns of commercial markets in the State, traffic conditions have deteriorated. Frequent turning movements, the use of undefined turning lanes, and the extensive lengths and numbers of curb cuts all combine to create higher levels of congestion with higher accident rates.
Roadway projects along these commercial corridors should be combined with local and regional planning efforts and land use regulations to improve traffic safety and reduce congestion, while still providing access to adjacent properties and improvements to corridor aesthetics.

Design treatment to reduce curb-cuts, promote safe pedestrian and bicycle traffic, preserve or provide new street trees, lighting, and signage should be employed along suburban corridors. Speed control (traffic calming) techniques including: channelizing islands, roundabouts, defined pedestrian crossings, alignment modifications and streetscape designs should be used to moderate roadway speed. Roadways with higher functional classifications through suburban corridors should create or redefine pedestrian walks and crossings and include streetscape elements. These elements may include: pedestrian scale and roadway lighting, coordinated street and other signage, tree plantings and other landscape features. In addition, access from the roadway to major public spaces and facilities should be defined through the use of these elements.

1.5.4 Rural Corridors

The vast majority of Vermont roads lie within rural corridors. The most prominent rural settings are: agricultural valleys, wooded hillsides and river valleys, and mountainous areas. Each of these situations has implications for roadway design that should be linked to aesthetic, topographical and land use considerations.

Preserving rural quality should be closely integrated with roadway design techniques. The relative location of the road may either enhance or detract from the landscape. Also, the materials and construction techniques employed may have similar positive or negative results. Some of the techniques that may be used to maximize the "fit" between the road and rural landscapes are: alignments that complement the natural topography; avoid bisecting open fields, agricultural lands, critical natural habitats and wetlands by aligning the road to fringe areas; avoiding the placement of guardrail that blocks extensive views and vistas; use of landscape features to blend roadways and bridges into the natural setting; use of locally available materials (stone and plant materials) to blend colors and textures into the setting; and, methods to protect, create and enhance vegetative buffers along shore lines and adjacent to wetlands and important natural habitats. Alternative strategies for slope retention should be employed to minimize visual impacts of crushed stone slopes through the use of more natural appearing treatments. Grading easements or additional right-of-way should be used to allow blending of roadway side slopes with the adjacent landscape. Bridge designs should consider the effects of: intrusion into the State's waterways; visual and public access to waterways; and appropriate pedestrian and bicycle crossings.

1.6 General Use of the Standards

These Standards present geometric values for the design of roadways and bridges in Vermont. In addition to the flexibility within the geometric values presented throughout these Standards there is a recognition that each project will have its own set of opportunities and constraints. Many of these opportunities and constraints may be addressed within the geometric values built into these Standards. These Standards also include tools for use by the designer to prevent or mitigate impacts to the natural and built environment and to make the best of the opportunities, and to work within the constraints of the project.

These Standards represent a new philosophy that the designers must follow when selecting geometric values for the design of roadways. The designer needs to consider the selection of geometric values in two ways. First, the geometric values included in these Standards may be considered minimum values. Factors which may affect the selection of geometric values need to be considered. Such factors may include: accident histories, design traffic volumes, driver expectancy, percent of truck traffic, future use of the roadway and other corridor characteristics. If the analysis of these factors indicate that a higher geometric value is necessary to provide an acceptable level of safety then the designer should document the use of a higher value.

Second, some projects may require that further consideration be given to easing the geometric values given in these Standards in order to avoid or reduce impact to the natural and built environments. Should such situations become unavoidable then an exception to ease these Standards may be appropriate.

1.7 Use By Municipalities

The Vermont Design Standards are not intended to apply where communities are using their own funding to perform work on roads and bridges, unless a community chooses to use them as guidance. However, when Federal or State funds are being used, the standards generally apply. Specifically, the Vermont Design Standards apply to all direct or subcontracted transportation work performed in the State of Vermont using Federal funds, where the Vermont Agency of Transportation is responsible for assuring federal eligibility of fund expenditures. For transportation projects using Vermont state funds, where primary responsibility rests with the Agency of Transportation, the Vermont Design Standards apply. For projects within the jurisdiction of Act 140, the standards apply. For other programs using Vermont state funds distributed by formula or by grant, where primary responsibility rests with the municipalities, (eg. the bridge and culvert program and other similar annual grant programs), the municipalities should use the Vermont Design Standards as guidance, at their discretion.

1.8 Special Design Guidelines and Their Role in the Standards

The Special Design Guidelines included with each Functional Classification, are presented to assist the designer in avoiding, minimizing, or mitigating negative impacts upon the environment and other sensitive resources as well as to enhance the design to fit the context of the project site. The Special Design Guidelines note the importance of the individual resources and suggest tools which may be used in the development of a design which recognizes the resource at the proper level of importance. Under various Functional Classification there are guidelines for:

> Historic/Archaeological Resources
> Natural Resources
> Recreational Resources
> Scenic Resources
> Village or City Entrance Considerations
> Economic Vitality Considerations

When such resources (as listed above) are present within a project site, and the use of the tools suggested do not provide an adequate protection of the resources, then the design may be eligible for reductions in geometric values as described in the individual roadway classifications. The decision to pursue reductions in the standards is subject to approval in accordance with the "VAOT Design Exception Policy".

1.9 Design Exceptions

These Vermont State Standards reflect the need for transportation projects to provide safe and convenient travel for road users, and at the same time, to fit appropriately within the adjacent natural and built environments. In some instances, the geometric design flexibility provided in these Standards may not be sufficient to adequately protect important resources or values. In such cases, these Vermont State Standards will assist the designer in recognizing and documenting the need for an exception to the Standards, and in proposing mitigation to maintain an appropriate measure of safety. The actual process for obtaining approval for exceptions to the Standards is described in the Agency's "Guidelines for Preparation of Design Exceptions".