Chapter 253
2019 -- S 1025
Enacted 07/15/2019

A N   A C T
RELATING TO HIGHWAYS - CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE ROADS

Introduced By: Senator Ryan W. Pearson
Date Introduced: June 26, 2019

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 24-5-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-5 entitled
"Maintenance of Town Highways" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     24-5-1.1. Alteration of roadways.
     (a) Any person, firm, or corporation including utilities and contractors who alter a
roadway that is subject to the provisions of this chapter shall restore that portion of the roadway
which that was altered to the same or better condition that existed prior to alteration.
     (b) Municipalities shall adopt by ordinance standards for use of steel or other suitably
manufactured plates on municipal roadways which that shall, at a minimum, require compliance
with the provisions specified in ยง 24-8-45.
     SECTION 2. Chapter 24-8 of the General Laws entitled "Construction and Maintenance
of State Roads" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
     24-8-45. Steel plate use.
     (a) The director of the department of transportation shall establish rules and regulations
for the use of steel plates on roadway surfaces used to protect an excavation. At a minimum, the
rules and regulations shall consider steel plates designed for the safety of vehicles and pedestrians
to include:
     (1) Steel plates shall withstand traffic loading without movement;
     (2) When two (2) or more steel plates are used, the plates shall be welded in a manner to
eliminate vertical movement;
     (3) All steel plates shall be marked with the utility or contractor name and contact
information;
     (4) Steel plates shall be installed to extend a minimum of eighteen inches (18") beyond
the edge of the excavation;
     (5) Temporary paving with a cold asphalt mix or installation of other suitably
manufactured equipment shall be used to feather the edges of the plate to form a wedged taper to
cover the edges of the steel plate;
     (6) Each corner of the steel plate shall be marked with durable and highly reflective white
pavement marking tape no less than four inches (4") in width;
     (7) The exposed surface area of the steel plate shall be slip resistant when required by the
DPW director or other appropriate municipal approval authority; and
     (8) All signage advising motorist motorists of the steel plate shall be in compliance with
the current addition edition of the manual on uniform traffic control devices Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
     (b) The director of the department of transportation may authorize use of steel plates on
roadway surfaces which that fail to comply with subsection (a) of this section in an emergency
situation or for public safety purposes.
     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC002861
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