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H.337
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H.337
Introduced by Representatives Flaherty of South Burlington, Barbieri of
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Wallingford, Howrigan of Fairfield, Kinsey of Craftsbury,
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McNamara of Burlington, Pugh of South Burlington,
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Richardson of Weathersfield, Starr of Troy, Vinton of
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Colchester, Westman of Cambridge and Willett of St. Albans
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City
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Referred to Committee on
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Date:
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Subject: Highways; bridges; culverts; study committee
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Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to establish a study committee to
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examine the condition of interstate, state and town highways, bridges and
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culverts.
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AN ACT RELATING TO ESTABLISHING A STUDY COMMITTEE TO
EXAMINE INTERSTATE, STATE AND TOWN HIGHWAYS,
BRIDGES AND CULVERTS
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It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
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Sec. 1. FINDINGS
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The General Assembly finds that there is much public concern regarding the
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physical condition and safety of the intricate network of Vermont’s interstate,
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state and town highways, bridges and culverts. Therefore, it is necessary to
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collect reliable data and report on the condition of this transportation network
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as it relates to the transport of people, goods, emergency services, public
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transportation and general commerce in our state.
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Sec. 2. CREATION OF STUDY COMMITTEE
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A study committee is created to examine and make recommendations on the
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condition of Vermont’s interstate, state and town highways, bridges and
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culverts. The committee shall consist of the Chairs of the House and Senate
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Committees on Transportation or designees, the Secretary of Transportation or
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designee, the Chair of the Transportation Board or designee, two
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representatives of the Vermont business community, one appointed by the
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Speaker of the House and the other by the Senate President Pro Tem, two
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engineer representatives appointed from the Vermont Chapter of the American
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Consulting Engineer Council, one appointed by the Speaker of the House and
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the other by the Senate President Pro Tem, two representatives of the trucking
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industry, one appointed by the Speaker of the House and the other by the
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Senate President Pro Tem, four citizens at large, two appointed by the Speaker
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of the House and two by the Senate President Pro Tem, and the state data
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provider for the Agency of Transportation.
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Sec. 3. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
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The committee report shall specify the deficiencies of interstate, state and
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town highways, bridges and culverts as defined by criteria established by the
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Federal Highway Division of the U.S. Department of Transportation with
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specific attention to:
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(1) Structural deficiency.
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(2) Evaluation of the adequacy of the foundation of highways, bridges
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and culverts with particular emphasis on the adequacy of highway bases and
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bridge abutment footings relating to deficiencies known as “scour critical.”
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(3) An estimate of the cost and time required to repair, rehabilitate or
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replace each of the categories examined.
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(4) A comparative analysis of other states that would assist the General
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Assembly in understanding the complexities of the problem and the necessary
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resources to address the problem.
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(5) Recommendations to address the problems identified in the study
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over a ten-year period.
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Sec. 4. COMMITTEE STAFF
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The committee shall receive professional and clerical assistance from the
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Agency of Transportation in gathering and analyzing the necessary data and in
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compiling the report.
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Sec. 5. COMMITTEE COMPENSATION
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The legislative members of the committee shall be entitled to compensation
and reimbursement of expenses as provided in 2 V.S.A. § 406. Members of
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the committee who are not otherwise compensated by the state of Vermont
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shall be entitled to per diem compensation as provided in 32 V.S.A. § 1010.
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Sec. 6. COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND FINAL REPORT
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The committee is authorized to meet not more than eight times and shall
submit a written report to the General Assembly by January 15, 2000.