2019 -- H 5465 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC001201/SUB A/3

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HIGHWAYS - CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE

ROADS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Jacquard, Bennett, Solomon, and Chippendale

     Date Introduced: February 14, 2019

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 24-5-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-5 entitled

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"Maintenance of Town Highways" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     24-5-1.1. Alteration of roadways.

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     (a) Any person, firm, or corporation including utilities and contractors who alter a

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roadway that is subject to the provisions of this chapter shall restore that portion of the roadway

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which was altered to the same or better condition that existed prior to alteration.

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     (b) Municipalities shall adopt by ordinance standards for use of steel or other suitably

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manufactured plates on municipal roadways which shall, at a minimum, require compliance with

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the provisions specified in ยง 24-8-45.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 24-8 of the General Laws entitled "Construction and Maintenance

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of State Roads" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     24-8-45. Steel plate use.

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     (a) The director of the department of transportation shall establish rules and regulations

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for the use of steel plates on roadway surfaces used to protect an excavation. At a minimum the

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rules and regulations shall consider steel plates designed for the safety of vehicles and pedestrians

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to include:

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     (1) Steel plates shall withstand traffic loading without movement;

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     (2) When two (2) or more steel plates are used, the plates shall be welded in a manner to

 

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eliminate vertical movement;

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     (3) All steel plates shall be marked with the utility or contractor name and contact

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information;

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     (4) Steel plates shall be installed to extend a minimum of eighteen inches (18") beyond

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the edge of the excavation;

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     (5) Temporary paving with a cold asphalt mix or installation of other suitably

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manufactured equipment shall be used to feather the edges of the plate to form a wedged taper to

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cover the edges of the steel plate;

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     (6) Each corner of the steel plate shall be marked with durable and highly reflective white

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pavement marking tape no less than four inches (4") in width;

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     (7) The exposed surface area of the steel plate shall be slip resistant when required by the

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DPW director or other appropriate municipal approval authority; and

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     (8) All signage advising motorist of the steel plate shall be in compliance with the current

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addition of the manual on uniform traffic control devices.

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     (b) The director of the department of transportation may authorize use of steel plates on

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roadway surfaces which fail to comply with subsection (a) of this section in an emergency

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situation or for public safety purposes.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HIGHWAYS - CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE

ROADS

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     This act would require that the director of transportation establish rules and regulations

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for the use of steel plates on roadway surfaces. The act would also require that municipalities

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adopt by ordinance the state standards for steel plate use on municipal roadways.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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