The 2002 Session of the General Assembly passed legislation that revised Section 33.1-70.1. This section of Code has become known as the Pave-in-Place legislation. The 2002 revision left the old Pave-in-Place provision (from the 1997 session) intact and added language that authorized what will come to be known as the Rural Rustic Road legislation. It is important to note that the Rural Rustic Road legislation does not replace Pave-in-Place.
Also in 2002, AASHTO published Guidelines For Geometric Design of Very Low-Volume Local Roads (ADT <= 400). Guidelines in this design manual will be incorporated in the next publication of the FHWA “Green Book”; however, the AASHTO Guidelines are already approved for use on VDOT projects. These guidelines support lower standards and more flexibility in improving low volume roads.
The Pave-in-Place and Rural Rustic Road legislation, as well as the AASHTO publication, represent an evolutionary change in the focus of VDOT’s program to improve and pave dirt roads in the Commonwealth. VDOT now has an opportunity to guide a program that is different in philosophy from what has been in use for the last 20 or so years.
Many miles of secondary roads that were paved in the 1950s, 1960s and into the 1970s have standards that are very similar to those presented in the new AASHTO publication. The roads were improved and paved to match the surrounding conditions, taking into account that nearly all the citizens using the roads were very familiar with them. Safety improvements were made in areas where there was a recognized need; however, the roads were essentially paved on the existing 30 to 40 foot right of way. In most cases these 30, 40 and 50 year old improvements are still serving us today.
VDOT went from improving roads to match the surrounding conditions in the 1950s and 1960s to building a road with finite horizontal and vertical alignment in the 1980s and 1990s. Roadway and shoulder width requirements with this more recent practice were such that it was essentially impossible in most areas of the Commonwealth to improve a dirt road on anything less than 50 feet of right of way or more. The line and grade requirements frequently dictated that construction be on an entirely new alignment.
When comparing the dirt roads paved in the last 20 years with the older roads, it is apparent that VDOT has built short sections of road connecting to narrow roads on each end. Some new roads do not match their surroundings, and some improvements made to dirt roads carrying 100 vpd are of a higher standard than several of the secondary roads a motorist will travel on after leaving that road.
VDOT has been somewhat “comfortable” in its position on improving dirt roads over the last 20 years. When these roads were built according to standards, there was little worry about liability. The improvements also progressed at a fairly slow pace because the costs of these roads were between $300,000 and $1,000,000 per mile. VDOT was the accepted expert. The General Assembly and the Boards of Supervisors generally supported VDOT standards. Most of the local citizens were happy to get out of the dust and mud, and they would provide donated land to get the work done.
The demographics and therefore the perceived needs of the people in Virginia’s rural areas have changed. Those changes were probably first reflected in local governments, which translated fairly quickly to changes in State Code and resulted in the original pave-in-place legislation in 1997. Subsequently, AASHTO and the FHWA began to adjust, which resulted in the Guidelines For Geometric Design of Very Low-Volume Local Roads (ADT <= 400). Until now VDOT has been operating under direction from May 19, 1997 that essentially changed very little from the guidelines that had been in place since 1982.
The General Assembly’s 2002 Rural Rustic Road legislation stemmed from
some frustration on the part of General Assembly members and their
constituents. They perceived that
VDOT has not been providing dirt road improvements that had been expected since
1997 when the Pave-in-Place legislation was enacted. The title of the 1997 legislation was somewhat misleading, and many
really thought VDOT would be paving roads in their “as-is” condition. Wording in the most recent legislation
leaves little room for misunderstanding. The 2002 legislation is a true pave
“as is” mandate.
The revision to Section 33.1-70.1 becomes effective July 1, 2003. VDOT must implement the program on that date and has until then to develop a program that will meet highway safety and structural needs, while at the same time being responsive to the desires of motorists. Working toward this end, VDOT has developed several pilot projects that will be improved according to both the revised Code and the new AASHTO standards. As this is happening, we are beginning to understand some of the complexities of working through this program with both the public and local elected officials. By November 1, 2002, guidelines should be in place to fully implement this program.
In summary,
The revisions to Section 33.1-70.1 are an important tool for Resident Engineers and Counties to use in meeting the needs of local citizens. A comparison of existing unpaved road mileage versus anticipated allocations makes it clear most unpaved roads cannot be hard-surfaced in the foreseeable future unless something changes. This legislation and the accompanying design standards give VDOT the tools to take the lead in addressing many more of the dirt road problems than have been possible for a number of years. Throughout the Commonwealth, this is an opportunity for VDOT to lessen impacts to the environment, improve credibility, stretch funding for road improvements, and get motorists “out of the dust and mud”.