ROAD CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS

I. Introduction

The following criteria [(standards)] for the construction of local roads within the Kenai Peninsula Borough represent a minimum [level] standard of construction [for these roads]. [The developer, engineer or contractor is encouraged to build the r]Roads shall be built to the highest standard [possible] practicable within [the] economical constraints [of the project]. A right-of-way construction permit prior to construction is required. No roads will be accepted for maintenance before June 1 or after October 15 of each year.

[If an application is not filed prior to construction of a pre-existing road or a newly constructed road, an inspection shall be administered by the Road Service Area. This post-construction process will be at the owner's expense. The post-construction process requires an application, a $250.00 fee, test holes every 150 feet, and an as-built survey of the road scaled by a professional land surveyor registered in the State of Alaska under AS 8.48.]

An application for maintenance shall be submitted on a form approved by the Road Service Area (RSA). Applications for road maintenance must be made pursuant to policies adopted by the RSA Board. Applications for maintenance of existing roads shall be subject to inspection by the RSA. Such inspection may include test holes every 150 feet; engineering analysis of road geometry, drainage, and general adequacy for anticipated traffic; and an as-built survey of the road scaled by a professional land surveyor registered in the State of Alaska under AS 8.48. Applicant shall be responsible for the costs associated with inspection.

II. Definitions

Roads shall be constructed for specific traffic volumes and levels of service appropriate for the category of road set forth below. There are four categories of roads. Individual roads shall be constructed in accordance with the standard for the category of road being constructed.

        Category I: A cul-de-sac road or other minor road, both of which serve less than 15 [residential] lots.

        Category II: A road which serves between 15 and 40 [residential] lots.

        Category III: A road which serves between 41 and 100 [residential] lots.

        Category IV: A road that serves greater than 100 [residential] lots.

Ill. Road Widths

Category of Road                  Minimum Width (Feet)*                              Maximum Width (Feet)*

I                                                          20                                                                          28

II                                                          22                                                                          28

III                                                         26                                                                          28

IV                                                        28                                                                          28

                                                (*Shoulder to shoulder)

IV. Structures/Bridges

[The design of b]Bridges, bottomless culverts, walls and other structures on roads certified for borough maintenance [should] shall be in accordance with the current "Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges" (16^th edition) and in accordance with the "Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets" ([1984]1994). Plans, prepared and stamped by a licensed professional engineer, shall be submitted to the [Road Service Area] RSA Board [for approval, prior to construction] prior to acceptance of the road for maintenance.

V. Construction Standards

A. Gravel roads shall be constructed in accordance with the Typical Section (see Drawing A-1 attached) and Table A. Additional requirements are:

1. Roads must be contiguous with the existing road system maintained by the borough and the state. All roads must be on a dedicated right-of-way and must be built along the right-of-way centerline. Minimum right-of-way width is to be 60 feet, enabling utilities to be installed outside the edge of roadside ditches. Minimum width for cul-de-sacs serving no more than six lots which cannot be further subdivided is 50 feet.

2. All organic material shall be stripped and removed to a minimum depth of four (4) feet below finished grade. If geotextile is utilized over organics, then the depth of subbase must be three (3) feet minimum or greater as required for stable embankment.

3. Extraction of material between the ditch lines for any purpose other than excavation to subgrade is prohibited.

4. Geotextile shall be placed over all subgrade soils consisting of silts or clays with a frost classification of F-4 (U.S. Corps of Engineers.)

5. The roadway embankment shall be placed in lifts and compacted to not less than 90% of maximum density. Maximum density shall be determined by AASHTO T 180, Method D.

6. In place or useable excavation material meeting the specifications of the required embankment material may be utilized in lieu of borrow.

B. A project specific design may be submitted if prepared and sealed by a licensed professional engineer. The design shall include typical section(s), centerline plan and profile. [and] The design shall provide for adequate drainage. The design shall be based on a soils investigation with test holes at least every 500 linear feet. [and] A report shall be submitted with test hole logs and soil analyses. Project specific designs are subject to approval by the [Road Service Area] RSA Board prior to construction. The RSA Board may require a project-specific as-built, engineering analysis and design to address existing or proposed roads.

C. Alternate construction methods may be utilized for Category I and Category II roads where soil, economic and other conditions are such that the standard typical section is not practical. It is the developer's responsibility to construct a functional road that will be suitable for traffic and maintenance operations. Final acceptance by the [Road Service Area (]RSA[)] will be based on inspection and performance testing. Roads constructed under this alternate method must meet the following requirements:

1. A RSA application must be filed prior to start of construction.

2. The road must meet the minimum requirements shown on the Alternate Typical Section (see Drawing A-2 attached).

3. Three inspections are required by the RSA, consisting of initial, midway and final inspections. The final inspection will be conducted one year after the initial application, during the summer season when the subgrade and roadbed are frost free. Photographic documentation will be done by the RSA representative.

4. The applicant must provide the means to conduct a proof roll test during the final inspection. The proof roll test will consist of a fully loaded 12 cubic yard end dump truck traversing the road as directed by the inspector. The minimum proof rolling is full length of the road, on both lanes. If excessive rutting, greater than three (3) inch depth tracks, occurs, remedial work will be required. The RSA representative will designate the defective areas in a written report.

5. Winter maintenance only will be provided during the interim period for one year.

D. The RSA Board may make an exception to the standard requirements under the following conditions:

1. Compliance with the standard is not economically feasible considering topography, location, and width of right-of-way; traffic volume; traffic flow; or other physical characteristics;

2. The applicant did not cause the condition upon which the request for the exception is based;

3. Substantial compliance with the standards is the most practical means of meeting the objectives of KPB 14.06 and Appendix A, and strict compliance would result in rejection of the road for borough maintenance; and

Alternate treatments, if required by the RSA Board, will bring the road into substantial compliance with these standards.

The burden is on the applicant to meet the above factors and demonstrate to the RSA board that granting the exception will not undermine the objectives of the standards. The board may deny, modify, or grant the requested exception.

VI. ALIGNMENT

A. Vertical Alignment

Roads shall be constructed in a manner such that grades shall not exceed 6 percent on arterial roads and 10 percent on all other roads, nor 4 percent within 100 feet of any intersection.

B. Horizontal Alignment

Horizontal alignment shall meet the requirements of KPB 20.20.120, 20.20.130 and 20.20.140. Roads shall be constructed along the centerline of the right-of-way and shall have curves meeting the minimum radius requirements of not less than 300 feet for right-of-ways 100 feet in width or more, and not less than 200 feet on all other roads.

There shall be a roadside clear of hazardous objects or conditions for a distance consistent with the speed, traffic volume, and geometric conditions of the site. Roads shall be constructed with a minimum clear zone of 6.5 feet. Where hazardous physical features exist which cannot be located outside the clear zone, alternative treatments such as guardrails may be required.

C. Turnarounds

Roads designed to have one end closed, either permanently or temporarily, shall be constructed with a suitable turnaround with a minimum radius of 25 feet. Dedicated cul-de-sacs shall be constructed with a minimum radius of 30 feet. The turnaround shall be constructed to a 4 percent grade or less.

D. Intersections

Street intersections shall be constructed as nearly at right angles as possible. A minimum unobstructed sight distance of 150 feet shall be provided unless a definite finding by the board that a lesser distance is appropriate due to topography, traffic flow or other physical characteristics. Appropriate warning signs [shall] may be required by the board if an exception to site distance is granted.

Road intersections shall be constructed with a minimum return radius of 20 feet. Where acute intersections are provided, return radii shall be increased appropriately.

VII. Drainage and Culvert Material

Roads shall be constructed to prevent ponding of runoff waters[,] in roadside ditches. Drainage ditches shall be constructed such that runoff waters will be conveyed to natural drainage courses, ditches or waterways, or other man-made drainage courses. Outfalls shall be constructed to prevent excessive siltation of riparian habitats, channel erosion or other drainage to public or private property. The RSA Board may require engineering analysis and design for locations susceptible to flooding, excessive siltation, or other natural conditions potentially damaging to the right-of-way, adjacent property, or water courses and water bodies. A roadway cross culvert shall be minimum diameter of 18 inches and driveway culverts shall be a minimum of [15] 12 inches. All culverts, coupling bands and special sections shall be corrugated steel pipe, with a minimum of 16 gauge.

VIII. Typical Section Materials

A. Subbase

Subbase shall contain no muck, frozen materials, roots, sod or other deleterious matter. It shall have a liquid limit not greater than 25 and plasticity index not greater than 6 as determined by AASHTO T89 and T90.

Requirements for Grading for Subbase

Percent Passing by Weight

B. Selected Material, Type C

Selected Material, Type C, shall be earth, sand, gravel, rock or a combination thereof, and shall contain no muck, peat, frozen material, roots, sod or other deleterious material and shall be compactible.

C. Geotextile Fabric

Geotextile fabric shall meet or exceed the following physical and mechanical requirements.

Geotextile Property                      Test Method                              Required Minimum

Grab Tensile Strength                      ASTM D 1682                                      190 lbs.

Grab Elongation                              ASTM D 1682                                          30 %

Burst Strength                                   ASTM D 751                                          290 psi

Trapezoidal Tear Strength              ASTM D 117                                            50 lbs.

Permeability                                 AASHTO M 288                                            K(soil)

Geotextile shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations. If multiple sections of fabric are required, the fabric shall be joined by overlapping adjacent sections a minimum of 3 feet.

IX. Paving Specifications

A. Description

The work under this section consists of the performance of all work required for the construction of asphalt concrete pavement on a prepared base (see Drawing A-3 attached). Current editions of "Standard Specifications for Highway Construction," as adopted by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and the "Standard Specifications for Streets, Drainage, and Utilities," as adopted by the Municipality of Anchorage will be the references used for asphalt paving.

B. Material and Testing

1. Asphalt

The contractor shall submit a certified analysis of the asphalt to the [engineer] RSA for review and approval. The [engineer] RSA reserves the right to make check tests of the asphalt at the project site, and if the asphalt is not in accordance with the certified analysis he may reject the materials.

The asphalt required by these specifications shall conform to the requirements of The Asphalt Institute for the type and grade, [shown below.

Asphalt for paving mix shall be A.C.-5.]

and shall comply with ADOT/PF specifications used in the area.

The contractor/developer, at their own expense, will be required to perform three field tests measuring aggregate gradation, asphalt content and compaction (95%).

The prepared base shall meet the standards for a Category III road. Inspection of the subbase, by a RSA approved party, is required prior to paving.

C. Certification of Design

The [Road Service Area] RSA requires the asphalt design be submitted and stamped by an Alaska licensed professional engineer.

D. Other Specifications

The [Road Service Area] RSA will use the same specifications previously cited to address seal coat, prime coat, paving geotextile and recycled asphalt paving.

X. Signs

A. General Information

1. [This section applies to furnishing and installing signs, guide markers and informational signs, and removal and relocation of sign related materials. The s]Sign location, [and] type of installation, and sign removal will be [shown on the plans or] as designated by the Roads Director consistent with these standards and RSA Board policy.

Street name signage shall be installed by developers of new roads, following the specifications set forth in the "Alaska Sign Design Specifications."

2. Speed signage and parking signage shall [be requested by resident petition pursuant to KPB 12.02] comply with the requirements of KPB 12.02 and KPB 14.40, respectively, and RSA Board policy.

3. Unauthorized signs located in the Kenai Peninsula Borough right-of-way may be removed by the [Road Service Area] RSA.

4. The removal, defacing and or destruction of [Road Service Area] RSA signs will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

XI. Fee Schedule

The [Road Service Area] RSA Board may establish a fee schedule to recover costs related to road standard implementation or inspection.

DRAWING A-1

DRAWING A-2

DRAWING A-3