of the LGPP Manual contains a detailed discussion of the regulations and policies for design criteria used for highway and other construction projects. The same chapter of the describes the practices for implementing established design criteria and the practices that must be followed if the local government (LG) desires to request an exception to the use of established design criteria. The design criteria selected by the LG must follow federal and state guidelines if state or federal funds are used or if the project is on the state highway system. In general, the LG must submit a design summary report to TxDOT, and TxDOT must assure the LG selects the proper functional classification and uses acceptable traffic data.

The level of service (LOS) is a measure of traffic flow and congestion and should be used by the LG to design a project that will reasonably accommodate traffic. For projects on the state highway system or involving state or federal funding, the LG must request traffic data from TxDOT, adhere to the requirements of LOS from the TxDOT , develop a capacity analysis using the and submit to TxDOT for concurrence. The TxDOT district must review and approve the LG’s analysis and selected LOS. provides a detailed discussion of the LOS regulations and procedures.

Hydraulic structures must be designed to provide proper drainage for highways and roads. Guidelines for the design of hydraulic structures are contained in the TxDOT .

In general, the LG is responsible for selection of a design frequency for the drainage design of the roadway and is also responsible for coordinating floodplain management issues with FEMA and the local floodplain administrator. The describes the required practices for hydraulic design.

A barrier is the longitudinal system located on either bridges, medians or along the roadside used to shield vehicles from potential hazards or work areas. There is a national standard to assure only those barriers meeting certain crash test criteria are installed.

The provides the required practices and the LG and TxDOT responsibilities for the provision of longitudinal barriers for a road or highway project.

The proper design of a long-lasting pavement must be included in the overall project design in order to reduce pavement costs and future maintenance costs. Lower maintenance requirements also reduce road user costs by minimizing future lane closures for maintenance. TxDOT’s provides pavement design methods and other standards.

In general, the LG must use standard pavement design methods approved by TxDOT. The provides the required practices and responsibilities of each party for pavement design.

Construction often requires lane closures, detours or road closures. For all projects on the state highway system or impacting the state highway system, detours and closures must be coordinated with the entities responsible for both the road being detoured or closed and the road traffic is expected to use. Policies and procedures for the coordination of road closures and detours are described in the .

The describes the TxDOT manuals and guidelines that must be used by the LG to coordinate road closures and detours on the state highway system or impacting the state highway system.

Specifications are the directions, provisions and requirements outlining the description of work and the methods and manner the work is to be performed. Specifications and special provisions for highway and road projects are an integral part of the contract between the LG and the contractor. TxDOT maintains for use on road and highway projects in Texas.

In general, the LG must either adopt the latest TxDOT standard specifications, applicable special specifications and required special provisions or request TxDOT approval of alternate, equivalent specifications. The provides a detailed description of the required practices for developing specifications that must be used by the LG in order to obtain approval by TxDOT.