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FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
DENVER, CO
FSH 1509.11 - GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND
OTHER AGREEMENTS HANDBOOK
Region 2 Supplement No. 1509.11-96-1
Effective February 11, 1996
POSTING NOTICE: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and calendar year. Post by
document name. Remove entire document and replace with this supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first
page of this document. The last supplement to this Handbook was Supplement 1509.11-93-4 to 1509.11,80.
This supplement supersedes Supplement 1509.11-93-1 to 1509.11,30.
Document Name
1509.11,30
1509.11,30 Exhibit
1509.11,20
1509.11,23,Ex.01
Superseded New
(Number of Pages)
18
2
10
2
Digest:
23 - Revises and updates entire section to agree with parent text. Removes reference to sample regional agreement.
ELIZABETH ESTILL
Regional Forester
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FSH 1509.11 - GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND
OTHER AGREEMENTS HANDBOOK
R2 SUPPLEMENT 1509.11-96-1
EFFECTIVE 2/11/96
CHAPTER 20 - EXEMPTED AGREEMENTS
23 - FOREST ROAD AGREEMENTS. The Forest Road Agreement establishes the responsibilities for road systems
jointly operated by the county and Forest Service and provides the means to jointly operate and develop those roads.
The agreement is not applicable for roads which are solely on the county system, the Forest Development Road
System, or private roads.
The schematic below displays the various cooperative opportunities under the Forest Road Agreement.
USDA EASEMENTS
AND
R.O.W TRANSFERS
PLANS
AND
SPECIFICATION
SCHEDULE
"A"
JOINT ROAD
SYSTEM MAP
PROJECTS
AGREEMENTS
FOREST ROAD
AGREEMENT
JOINT ROAD
MAINTENANCE PLAN
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MAINTENANCE
SPECIFICATIONS
When entering into new Forest Road Agreements, use the format in the parent text in place of any format used
previously.
The schedule A (ex. 01) and joint system map identifies the joint road system in which cooperative development and
operation is desired. Schedule A further identifies jurisdiction, right-of-way, road restrictions, traffic enforcement,
and road maintenance and signing responsibility. If joint maintenance is identified, provide a joint maintenance
plan (ex. 02) for each road or road segment.
The joint maintenance plan lists the responsibilities of each party by maintenance activity.
Maintenance specifications (ex. 03) may be used to further clarify the performance standards for each activity.
Prepare project agreements, plans and specifications, and USDA easements and right-of-way transfers as needed to
further the development of the joint road system. The agreement is for road maintenance involving an exchange of
funds, and may be modified for either road construction or reconstruction. When construction or reconstruction of a
road listed in schedule A is to be financed in whole or in part from funds or resources provided by the party not
having jurisdiction, the parties shall enter into a project agreement providing for performing the improvement work
and its agreement providing for performing the improvement work and its financing. A project agreement is not
required for improvement of a road or a road segment over which the party performing and financing such
improvement has jurisdiction. Project agreements shall be supplements to this general agreement and subject to
the agreements, provisions, and conditions herein contained.
Modify the information in the sample project agreement to suit each individual situation.
Forest Supervisor must approve project agreements and schedule A's.
Prior to expending Federal funds on a road or road segment, the United States or the county must own or have
easement on the road or road segment. If the county claims ownership, the Forest Service requires satisfactory
written evidence of ownership.
Forest Supervisors shall forward a copy of the right-of-way to the Regional Office, Recreation and Lands Staff.
For county-supported prescriptive rights-of-way, forward a copy of the judicial decision which describes the rights of
the county and defines the easement width to the Regional Office, Recreation and Lands Staff.
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Take action to acquire rights for roads or road segments requiring right-of-way acquisition or prescriptive right-ofway determination. If the Forest Service is to acquire the right-of-way, record and subsequently schedule the case
in a fiscal year action plan and progress record (FSM 5460.3, R-2 Supplement), and in accordance with FSM 5461.2.
Encourage counties to acquire their needed rights-of-way and/or obtain the prescriptive right determinations on
those roads or road segments that are to remain under their jurisdiction.
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23 - Exhibit 01
National Forest
(PROPOSED FORMAT)
SCHEDULE A
Sheet
of
County, State of
Forest Supervisor
Date
County (Title)
Date
COUNTY ROW
County has
jurisdiction for Law
Enforcement and
Authority to Control
and Regulate use.
ROAD
NAME
USFS ROAD
USFS ROW
RESTRICTIONS
USFS has jurisdiction Applicable only to
to Control and
roads or road
Regulate use. Each segments with USFS
County and USFS
Right of Way or
have Law Enforce- ownership.
ment jurisdiction.
ROAD
LAW
MAINT &
ENFORCEMENT
SIGNING
County enforces on Insert Maint.
all joint system roads. Level
USFS alone enforces
rules in addition to or
conflicting with State
Law.
CLAIMED OWN
RESTRICTED OR
ROAD NO
(Jud.dec. (USFS
SEASONALLY
FS CO TERMINI LENGTH OWN EASEMENT required) Land) EASEMENT CLOSED
COUNTY
USFS
ALL
CNTY
ALL
USFS
JOINT
(See
Pln)
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23 - Exhibit 01--Continued
National Forest
(PROPOSED FORMAT)
SCHEDULE A - continued
Sheet
of
County, State of
ROAD
NAME
CLAIMED OWN
RESTRICTED OR
ROAD NO
(Jud.dec. (USFS
SEASONALLY
FS CO TERMINI LENGTH OWN EASEMENT required) Land) EASEMENT CLOSED
COUNTY
USFS
ALL
CNTY
ALL
USFS
JOINT
(See
Pln)
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23 - Exhibit 02
Sheet
of
JOINT ROAD MAINTENANCE PLAN
Forest Officer
Date
County (Title)
Date
National Forest
,
County
State
Road Name
USFS No.
Co. No
Termini
Length
Maint. Level
MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY
Activity No.
Per Year
Maintenance
Activity Standard
USFS
Surface Blading
Surface Repair
Surface Replacement
Dust Abatement
Slide Removal
Roadside Vegetation
Clean and Reshape Ditches
Culvert Cleaning
County
Frequency
Responsibility
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Culvert Replacement
Major Drainage Structures
Miscellaneous Structure
Repair & Inst. of Warning &
Regulatory Signs
Rep. & Inst. of Directional
& Guide Signs
Bridge: Inspection
Posting
23 - Exhibit 03
LEVEL 3 and 4 ROAD MAINTENANCE
General Specifications
I. Routine Maintenance
A. Blading and Reshaping the Travelway
1. Provide 3 to 6 inches of crown at the center of the travelway to ensure surface runoff.
2. Scarify and reshape potholed and washboarded sections of road to eliminate surface irregularities and
provide for proper surface drainage.
3. Remove rocks over 4" in diameter by side casting over fill shoulder.
4. Spill reclaimed material under the blade by pulling the shoulders and ditches, and utilize all available
fines for surfacing. Maintain proper crown.
5. Do not scalp the travelway or create a storage berm on the shoulder or in the ditches.
6. Level 3 maintenance allows some surface roughness, however, level 4 roads require a moderate degree
of user comfort, and a smoother surface than a level 3 road.
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B. Reshaping the Drainage Facilities
1. When needed, pull ditches and do not undercut the cut banks.
2. Do not machine clean ditches that are stable and functioning. Instead, simply remove rocks or debris by
hand.
3. Reshape lead-out or drainage ditches as needed to insure proper drainage.
4. Clean and reshape drainage dips and required leadoff ditches to permit water to flow unobstructed and
away from the roadbed.
C. Maintenance of Culvert Inlets and Outlets
1. Hand or machine clean inlets to be free of silt and debris. Provide a clean area which extends from the
top to the bottom of the culvert, and from a minimum horizontal distance of 1 1/2' from each outermost
edge of the culvert to a maximum of 4' depending on the "as constructed" inlet bell.
23 - Exhibit 03--Continued
2. Hand or machine clean outlets to be free of silt and debris from the bottom of the culvert outlet to an
adequate distance that provides free drainage of the culvert.
3. At live streams, clear the inlet and outlet of culverts of accummulated debris which obstructs or
restricts the flow of water. Riprap any areas that show signs of erosion.
D. Slough Removal from Ditches and Backslopes.
1. On nonsurfaced roads, remove sloughs under 5 cu. yds. and spread the material on road provided
material is suitable to incorporate into the subgrade. If the material is spread for cushion, and is
saturated with moisture, allow material to dry and then blade to final shape. Dispose of unsuitable
material as specified in Item 2 below.
2. On surfaced roads, remove sloughs under 5 cubic yards and dispose the material on fill slopes that are
either washing, show depressions, or are slumped and cause a narrow travelway, OR dispose of
material at the designated location. Do not side cast the material into streams, streambeds, or other
waterways, or on grass covered fill slopes.
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3. Consider sloughs over 5 cubic yards as major repairs and discuss needs with Forest Service road
maintenance personnel.
E. Brush Cutting and Hazard Tree Removal
1. Remove hazard trees which are down or leaning and dispose of by chunking and stacking for wood
haulers, or chunk and scatter slash out of sight from the road.
2. Cut brush to insure safe sight distance and dispose of by chunking and scattering out of sight from the
road.
II. Routine Strucuture Maintenance
A. Culvert Repairs
1. Repair culverts that are damaged at the inlet or replace damaged sections as needed.
2. Extend culverts that are too short and restrict the travelway.
3. Repair head walls and toe walls.
B. Cattleguards
1. Clean cattleguards when at least 6" of soil covers the bottom rails and clean to a maximum depth of 2'.
23 - Exhibit 03--Continued
2. Repair cattleguards with bent or broken A frames or rails.
3. Repair gates and fences at cattleguards.
C. Bridges
1. Clean and repair decks, repair bridge rails and replace missing or damaged running plank.
2. Remove debris from stream channels to protect structures.
3. Repair abutement walls.
D. Culvert Installation or Replacement Due to Damage or Washing Out.
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2. Install or replace culverts as follows:
a. Place a 4" layer of compacted material to bed pipe. Use camber for culverts 24" diameter and larger.
b. Place 6" to 8" lifts of compacted material on each side of the pipe for a horizontal distance of half the
diameter of the culvert being installed. Hand tamp layers placed in the bottom half of the culvert, close
to the culvert to insure compaction under the haunches and provide 1' of cover over the culvert at the
inlet.
c. Use material which is free from rock 4" in diameter and larger.
d. Scarify travelway for a minimum depth of 6" and for a minimum horizontal distance of 10' on each
side of installed culvert, then reshape and compact.
2. Obtain selected material for culvert installations only from designated areas.
3. Locations of new culverts will be designated by Forest Service road maintenance personnel to insure
culverts are installed in the appropriate locations and to insure minimal excavation for ditch blocks,
bells, and lead off ditches.
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23 - Exhibit 03--Continued
SEE THE PAPER COPY OF THE MASTER SET
FOR SECTION 23 - EXHIBIT 03.
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23 - Exhibit 03--Continued
SEE THE PAPER COPY OF THE MASTER SET
FOR SECTION 23 - EXHIBIT 03.
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23 - Exhibit 03--Continued
SEE THE PAPER COPY OF THE MASTER SET
FOR SECTION 23 - EXHIBIT 03.