Section Trans 209.03 - Definitions(1) "Central office" means the transportation administrative office located in Madison.(2) "Deficiency" means a less than standard condition in one or more of a number of highway or bridge physical or operating conditions or characteristics.(3) "Department" means the Wisconsin department of transportation.(4) "Federal aid" means the aids that the federal government makes available to Wisconsin for highways.(5) "Geometrics" means the horizontal (width, curvature) and vertical (grade) design elements of highway and bridge facilities.(6) "Improvement level" means the type of construction improvement. It can range from resurfacing to complete reconstruction of a highway and either rehabilitation or replacement for bridges.(a) "Resurfacing" means placing a new surface on existing roadway to provide a better all weather surface, a better riding surface, and to extend or renew the pavement life. It generally involves no improvement in capacity or geometrics. Resurfacing may include some elimination or shielding of roadside obstacles, culvert replacements, signals, marking, signing and intersection improvements. Usually no additional right-of-way is required; except possible minor acquisition for drainage and intersection improvements.(b) "Recondition" means work in addition to resurfacing. Minor reconditioning includes pavement widening and shoulder paving. Major reconditioning includes improvement of an isolated grade, curve, intersection or sight distance problem to improve safety. Major recondition projects may require additional right-of-way.(c) "Reconstruction" means total rebuilding of an existing highway to improve maintainability, safety, geometrics and traffic service. It is accomplished basically on existing alignment, and major elements may include flattening of hills and grades, improvement of curves, widening of the roadbed, and elimination or shielding of roadside obstacles. Normally reconstruction will require additional right-of-way.(d) "Bridge rehabilitation" means the preservation or restoration of the structural integrity of an existing bridge as well as work to correct safety defects.(e) "Bridge replacement" means the building of a new bridge to replace an existing bridge.(7) "Interstate project" means projects constructed on an interstate designated highway.(8) "Major project" means projects that result in new or significantly altered highways. Such projects typically involve the continuous relocation of a highway segment 2.5 miles or more in length; the addition of traffic lanes 2.5 miles or more in length; or unusually high cost.(9) "Pavement serviceability index" (PSI) means a numerical measure of the quality of a car ride on a given pavement as determined by an electro/mechanical instrument. It ranges from poor (0-1) to excellent (4-5).(10) "Policy planning" means the analysis of the many issues that may affect the State's transportation system and the development of the department's policies in regard to those issues.(11) "Program" means a multi-year schedule of proposed projects.(12) "Programming process" means the detailed assessment of specific policy and program choices necessary to develop a program.(13) "Project" means a proposed improvement to a segment of a state trunk highway or a bridge.(14) "Project alternatives" means the varying improvement levels that are identified as relevant for a project.(15) "Project development" means the process from inception of a project to the contracting for construction of the project. It includes data collection, deficiency analysis, surveys, design, preparation of plans and contract documents and right-of-way acquisition.(16) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of transportation.(17) "System planning" means system-wide analysis of highway facilities and assessment of system deficiencies and potential improvements in light of a range of assumptions about the future.(18) "Transportation region office" means one of the departmental administrative offices under the division of transportation system development located throughout the state.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Transportation Trans 209.03
Cr. Register, September, 1981, No. 308, eff. 10-1-81; correction in (18) made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 6, Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686.