Section 2: Considerations Based on Bridge Location
International Bridges
The following aspects must be accounted for when planning an international bridge:
- The Texas Transportation Commission must approve an international bridge application.
- A Presidential Permit must be acquired.
- The International Boundary and Water Commission must approve the project.
- Coordination is necessary with Mexican governmental agencies, designers, and contractors.
Section 201.612 of the Texas Transportation Code requires an entity authorized to construct or finance the construction of an international bridge over the Rio Grande to obtain approval from the Texas Transportation Commission (Commission) prior to seeking a Presidential Permit for construction. Title 43 TAC, Sections 15.70-15.76, specifies the process by which applicants submit an application.
In order to comply with the rules requiring approval by the Texas Transportation Commission of an international bridge prior to requesting a Presidential Permit and to provide the 120-day response time required by legislation, TxDOT has designated the Transportation Planning and Programming Division (TPP) as the department liaison for international bridge applications.
Bridges with Adjacent States
In crossings of the Red River and the Sabine River where they form the boundaries between Texas and Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, or New Mexico, the Bridge Division project manager serves as negotiator for necessary agreements between the states. Bridges shared with adjacent states are listed in the table below, along with the state responsible for each bridge.
Responsibl e State | Location | Highway | TX District | AR District | LA District | OK District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas | New Boston/Forman | TX 8/AK 41 | ATL | 03 | ||
Texas | Joaquin/Logansport | US 84 EB & WB | LFK | 04 | ||
Texas | Toledo Bend Reservoir | TX 21/LA 6 | LFK | 08 | ||
Texas | Burkville/Burr Ferry | TX 63/LA 8 | BMT | 08 | ||
Texas | Orange/Vinton | IH 10 | BMT | 07 | ||
Texas | Sabine Lake | TX 82/LA 82 | BMT | 07 | ||
Texas | Oklaunion/Davidson | US 70 / US 183 | WFS | 05 | ||
Texas | Burkburnett/Randlett | IH 44/US 277/281 NB | WFS | 07 | ||
Texas | Gainesville/Marietta | US 77 NB & SB/IH 35 | WFS | 07 | ||
Texas | Denison/Durant | US 75 NB & SB | PAR | 02 | ||
Texas | Clarksville/Idabel | TX 37 | PAR | 02 | ||
Texas | Illinois Bend/Courtney | TX FM 677/OK SH 89 | WFS | 07 | ||
Texas | Dekalb/Idabel | US 259 | ATL | 02 | ||
Arkansas | Texarkana/Ashdown | US 59 SB | ATL | 03 | ||
Louisiana | Newton/Merryville | US 190 | BMT | 07 | ||
Louisiana | Deweyville/Starks | TX 12/LA 12 | BMT | 07 | ||
Oklahoma | Quanah/El Dorado | TX 6/OK 6 | CHS | 05 | ||
Oklahoma | Burkburnett/Randlett | IH 44/US 277/281 SB | WFS | 07 | ||
Oklahoma | Clay/Waurika | TX 79/OK 79 (Main) | WFS | 07 | ||
Texas | Clay/Waurika | TX 79/OK 79 (Relief) | WFS | 07 | ||
Oklahoma | Ringgold/Terral | US 81 | WFS | 07 | ||
Oklahoma | Whitesboro/Madill | US 377 | PAR | 02 | ||
Oklahoma | Vernon/Altus | US 283 | WFS | 05 | ||
Oklahoma | Bonham/Durant | TX 78/OK 78 | PAR | 02 | ||
Oklahoma | Paris/Hugo | US 271 NB & SB | PAR | 02 | ||
Oklahoma | Grayson/Bryan | Carpenter’s Bluff (Off) | PAR | |||
Oklahoma | 2.8 mi N of FM 680 | Hollis Rd (Off) | CHS | |||
NB = Northbound SB = Southbound Off = Off-System | ||||||
Although each state is responsible for a specific bridge, the costs for design, construction, maintenance, and inspection are shared between the two states. The cost of the bridge approaches, however, is the responsibility of the state in which they are located.
The responsible state prepares the PS&E, processes the letting of the project for construction, and provides routine and major maintenance for the bridge after it is constructed. Each state shares in 50% of the cost of design, construction, and major maintenance expenses.
Planning a bridge project with an adjacent state requires the following actions in this sequential order:
- The project must meet federal requirements if federal funds are used to finance the project.
- The project must be on the State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) of each state.
- The project must be on the Unified Transportation Program (UTP).
- A Commission minute order authorizing the State of Texas to enter into an agreement with another state is necessary whenever a bridge is constructed at a new location, when a bridge is being replaced, or when a major rehabilitation project (such as redecking or widening) is planned.
Agreements
An agreement between the responsible state (
“Managing Party”
) and the partner state (“Contributing Party”
) is required prior to planning for the construction of a new bridge at a new location, for replacing an existing bridge, for performing inspections, or for conducting Bridge Maintenance that will cost more than $5,000 dollars. The responsible state for each bridge located on the border between Texas and another state is defined in Table 3-1.- The Bridge Division project managers coordinate the negotiations with the other state and prepare and process the agreement for execution when Texas is the responsible state.
- As stated in the TAC Title 43, Part 1, Chapter 15, Subchapter E, Rule 15.55, for off-system bridges, local cost participation is not required for a bridge connecting Texas with a neighboring state.
- The governor of Texas must execute all new bridge project agreements between Texas and another state.
Plan Development
The responsible state (Table 3-1) will prepare preliminary and final plans, specifications, and estimates of cost subject to the approval of the State of Texas and FHWA.
- Each state will pay one-half of the cost of the bridge, as well as the full amount of its respective approach roadway costs on its respective side of the state line.
- A separate control-section-job (CSJ) number for the bridge and each approach (three total) is required.
- For federally funded projects with state oversight, a Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA) must be signed before obligation of preliminary engineering funds.
- Each state will, at no cost to the other state, secure necessary right-of-way, relocate all utilities, and identify and remove all known hazardous materials to accommodate that portion of the project on the respective side of each state.
- Bank protection, jetties, or similar work required to protect the bridge or its approaches or to hold the river channel to its present course will be considered as a part of maintenance of each bridge, whether such work may be located wholly in one state or the other.
- The project must be environmentally cleared.
Letting
The responsible state (Table 3-1) prepares the PS&E, processes the letting of the project for construction, and provides routine and major maintenance for the bridge after it is constructed.
- For federally funded projects with state oversight, a Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA) must be signed before obligation of project funds. In addition, a state Letter of Authority (LOA) must be signed before letting. For federally funded projects with federal oversight, each state must obtain its own LOA from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and provide participating adjacent states with a copy at least three weeks before letting.
- Any prospective bidder who is qualified under the requirements of either state will be considered by the other state as being qualified and eligible to bid on the project and will be provided with proposals upon request.
- At a time to be agreed upon by the parties, and subject to the approval of FHWA, the project shall be publicly advertised for bids. The project must be advertised in accordance with federal requirements as well as the laws of both states. Each state shall issue public notice of advertisement that bids are to be received on the project. The responsible state shall provide the adjacent state with a copy of the legal advertisement, the number of days specified in the agreement, prior to the proposed letting date for publishing in the state official journal.
- Copies of the bid tabulations for all bids received shall be provided to the adjacent state for review.
- Both the Texas Transportation Commission and the highway authority of the other state must approve award of the contract.
Construction
The responsible state (Table 3-1) prepares the PS&E, processes the letting of the project for construction, and provides routine and major maintenance for the bridge after it is constructed.
- The adjacent state will reimburse the responsible state for the design costs and engineering costs for the adjacent state’s share on a monthly progressive estimate basis expressed in certified invoices furnished by the responsible state.
- All invoices received by TxDOT will be directed to the respective TxDOT Area Engineer (AE) for review of work progress.
- The responsible state will transmit to the State of Texas appropriate documentation of the services provided by the responsible state. Funds requested from the State of Texas for services provided by responsible state shall be made available within 30 days from receipt of the request.
- Once approved by the TxDOT AE, the invoice will be sent to the Financial Management Division for processing.
- The construction contract and required personnel for all construction engineering and supervision will be administered by the responsible state.
- Final acceptance of the project shall be subject to both states.
Post-Construction
After completion of the project, it shall be operated and maintained by both states for use by the public without charge or toll.
- Each party shall maintain the roadway approaches to its respective end of the bridge.
- Each state shares in 50% of the cost of design, construction, and major maintenance expenses, except that each state is 100% responsible for costs associated with design, construction, and maintenance of the respective bridge approaches of each state. The responsible state provides routine maintenance at no cost to the other state. “Routine maintenance” is defined as maintenance cost that is less than $5,000. “Major maintenance” is defined as maintenance cost that is $5,000 or more. for its concurrence before performing any major maintenance work.
- When Bridge maintenance work is performed the responsible state must contact the other state to determine what type funding agreement is required {Advanced Funding Agreement (AFA) or a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) are two examples}to define each states responsibility and timeline for payment. These agreements are reviewed by the governor’s office and signed by either the Governor or whomever the Governor has delegated signature authority
Federally Funded Off-System Bridges
As a rule, off-system bridge projects administered by TxDOT have federal fund participation. Most of these projects consist of replacement or rehabilitation of poor bridges funded with a combination of federal-local or federal-state-local funds, with the federal funds administered through TxDOT’s Highway Bridge Program. However, TxDOT does administer a relatively small number of other off-system bridge construction projects with federal funding from the Surface Transportation Program (STP).
Coordinate with the local government when planning off-system bridge projects, particularly when using funds from the Highway Bridge Program. An appropriate agreement between the State and local government must be executed before any work can be performed on an offsystem project funded from the Highway Bridge Program. In addition to specifying the responsibilities of the two parties in the performance and funding of the work, the agreement provides for advance payments by the local government of its share of the project funding responsibilities. The agreement also allows a local government to use equivalent-match projects as payment toward its share of project funding.
The current standard agreements may be obtained from the Contract Services Division standard contracts web page. If you need assistance accessing this web page, which is internal to TxDOT, please contact the TxDOT District office with which you are working, or the Bridge Division project manager.
Title 43 TAC, Sections 15.52 and 15.55
provides more information about the Off-State System Highway Bridge Program agreements and cost participation.Off-system bridges with adjacent states are funded 100% by a combination of federal and state funds, or 100% by state funds. No local government contribution on the Texas side of the bridge is required.
Overhead Sign Supports
Do not locate overhead sign supports on bridges, if possible. If such location is required, indicate on the bridge layouts a cantilever-type overhead sign support (COSS) founded on a bent cap or on an isolated concrete column on drilled shaft, or an overhead sign bridge (OSB) attached directly to the bridge superstructure. The location of any overhead sign support on bridges requires special design by the Bridge Division.
If overhead support for a dynamic message sign (DMS) is required, determine the appropriate DMS type and its attachment details before completing the detailed project design. Consider whether walkways or light fixtures are required. Configure the DMS on the truss to minimize the horizontal offset between the DMS and the truss. Mount the DMS on a Balanced Tee-type COSS or on an OSB. Do not mount the DMS on a single cantilever-type COSS. Mounting a DMS on an OSB requires a special OSB design by the Bridge Division in addition to the attachment design required if the DMS is to extend over a bridge.
Position sign support brackets for retrofit of signs along existing rails at bridge overpasses such that the bottom edge of the sign panel and support bracket do not encroach on the existing vertical clearance of the bridge.
Do not mount a closed-circuit television (CCTV) on a tube protruding from an OSB or a COSS because of wind or traffic-induced vibrations. These vibrations may be more pronounced when the OSB or COSS is mounted directly to a bridge superstructure.
Utility Structures
Interstate Highways
. Where it would be more economical to carry utility lines across a freeway in a tunnel or on a bridge rather than in separately trenched and encased crossings, refer to TxDOT’s Utility Accommodation Rules and provide a separate structure for the utility crossing. Such a structure may serve a joint purpose as a utility and pedestrian facility and/or sign support. In providing a utility tunnel or bridge, the following conditions shall be met:- Isolate mutually hazardous utilities, such as fuels and electric energy, by compartmentalizing or by auxiliary encasement of incompatible carriers.
- Conform the utility tunnel or utility bridge structure design, appearance, location, bury, earthwork, and markings to the culvert and bridge practices of the department.
- Where a pipeline on or in a utility structure is encased, the casing must be effectively opened or vented at each end to prevent possible build-up of pressure and to detect leakage of gases or fluids.
- Take additional protective measures where a casing is not provided for a pipeline on or in a utility structure, such as employing a higher factor of safety in the design, construction, and testing of the pipeline, than would normally be required for cased construction.
- Communication and electric power lines must be suitably insulated, grounded, and preferably carried to a manhole located beyond the backwall of the structure. Insulate carrier and casing pipe from electric power line attachments.
- Install shut-off valves, preferably automatic, in lines at or near ends of utility structures unless segments of the lines can be insulated by other sectionalizing devices within a reasonable distance.
- Each Utility carried on the structure shall have an agreement with the State. Utility companies must agree that any maintenance, servicing, or repair of the utility lines will be their responsibility
Non-interstate Highways
. If utility lines have their own easement and it would be more economical to the department, adjust the lines across a highway by use of a utility tunnel or bridge. Where the utility lines are on a public right-of-way by sufferance and the adjustment of the utility is the sole responsibility of the private or public utility company, the department may permit the provision of a utility structure without cost to the department provided the same conditions outlined for Interstate Highways and all other pertinent requirements are met. If a structure is to serve as a joint utility-pedestrian crossing or a joint utility-sign support structure, the department will participate to the extent necessary for accommodation of pedestrians and highway signs only.