101DEFINITIONS AND TERMS

101

101.01ABBREVIATIONS . All standard recognized abbreviations may be used in connection with the

Contract. In addition, wherever the following abbreviations are used in these in the Contract , they are to be construed the sam e as the respective expressions represented . For abbreviations of pay units, see Table

109.01A

AAR Association of American Railroads AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ABS Acrylonitrile -Butadiene -Styrene ACI American Concrete Institute ADA Americans with Disabilities Act AISC American Institute of Steel Construction AITC American Institute of Timber Construction AHCWS Automatic Highway Crossing Warning System ANR Vermont Agency of Natural Resources ANSI American National Standards Institute API American Petroleum Institute APL Approved Products List AQL Acceptable Quality Level ARE MA American Railway Engineering and Maintenance -of-Way Association ASD Allowable Strength Design ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASNT American Society of Nondestructive Testing ASR Alkali -Silica Reactivity ASTM ASTM International ATC Advanced Transportation Controller AWPA American Wood Protection Association AWS American Welding Society AWWA American Water Works Association BTU British Thermal Unit

101

1-2CAAP Corrugated Aluminum Alloy Pipe

CCRL Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory CF, ft3 Cubic F oot C.F.R. Code of Federal Regulations CLP Clarendon and Pittsford Railroad CPEP Corrugated Polyethylene Pipe CPPP Corrugated Polypropylene Pipe CRSI Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute CSP Corrugated Steel Pipe CVEP Conceptual Value Engineering Proposal CWHSSA Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act CWR Continuous Welded Rail CY, yd3 Cubic Yard DI Drop Inlet DTA District Transportation Administrator DVEP Detailed Value Engineering Proposal ECTC Erosion Control Technology Council EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPSC Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control ES End Section ( Section 601) FAA Federal Aviation Administration, U .S. Department of Transportation FDR Full Depth Reclamation FHWA Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation FPQ Final Pay Quantity FRA Federal Railroad Administration, U .S. Department of Transportation FSS Federal Specifications and Standards (General Services Administration) FTA Federal Transit Admi nistration, U .S. Department of Transportation g Gram GMRC Green Mountain Railroad HDPE High Density Polyethylene Hz Hertz ID/IQ Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity IFI Industrial Fasteners Institute IMSA International Municipal Signal Association in.2 Square Inch ISEA International Safety Equipment Association ITE Institute of Transportation Engineers JMF Job Mix Formula JOC Job Order Contract

101 1-3 kg Kilogram kip Thousand Pounds -Force kPa Kilopascal ksi Kips per Square Inch kW Kilowatt lb Pound lbf Pound -Force LRFD Load and Resistance Factor Design LSL Lower Specification Limit LVRT Lamoille Valley Rail Trail MASH Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware Mbps Megabits per second MM Mile Marker mm Millimeters MP Mile Post MSM Materials Sampling Manual MUTCD Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways MVRT Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail N.A.B.I. Not A Bid Item NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program NDS National Design Specification NDT Nondes tructive Testing NEC National Electrical Code NECR New England Central Railroad NEPCOAT North East Protective Coating Committee NEMA National Electrical Manufacturers Association NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NETC New England Transportation Consortium NHS National Highway System NPS Nominal Pipe Size NSBA National Steel Bridge Alliance NSPE National Society of Professional Engineers OSPC On-Site Plan Coordinator OSA Off-Site Activity OSHA U.S. Occupational Safety and Health A dministration OTM Other Track Material Pa Pascal PCA Portland Cement Association PCC Portland Cement Concrete PCCSP Polymeric Coated Corrugated Steel Pipe

101 1-4 pcf Pounds per Cubic Foot PCI Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute PI Paved Invert PRLT Preferred Rail Laying Temperature psi Pounds per Square Inch PVC Polyvinyl Chloride PWL Percent Within Limits QAP Quality Assurance Program QC Quality Control RAM Recycled Asphalt Materials RAP Recycled Asphalt Pavement RAS Recycled Asphalt Shingles RCP Reinforced Concrete Pipe ROW or R.O.W Right -Of-Way RQL Rejectable Quality Level SAE Society of Automotive Engineers SF, ft2 Square Feet SL Smooth Lined SSPC The Society for Protective Coatings STD Single Test Deviation SY, yd2 Square Yard TL Test Level TO Turnout UL Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. U.S.C. United States Code USL Upper Specification Limit UTO Uniformed Traffic Officer V Volt VAOT, AOT , or VTrans Vermont Agency of Transportation V:H Vertical to Horizontal VOSHA Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration VRS Vermont Rail System V.S.A. Vermont Statutes Annotated VTR Vermont Railway W Watt WACR Washington County Railroad yd Yard

101 1-5 °C Degrees Celsius °F Degrees Fahrenheit MΩ Megaohm µg Micro gram µm Micrometer µW Microwatt Ω Ohm

101.02DEFINITIONS . Wherever in these specifications or elsewhere in the Contract the following

terms , or pronouns in place of them , are used, the intent and meaning shall be interpreted as follows: ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL – Material that is compliant with all designated acceptance criteria. ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL – In Section 406 , the level of actual quality of the material, which, if equaled or exceeded, will result in a pay adjustment greater than or equal to zero. ACCEPTANCE DATE – The d ate noted in the Completion and Acceptance Memorandum on which designated responsible Agency personnel have accepted the completeness and q uality of all material incorporated in and work performed to complete the Contract . ACT OF GOD – An act of God means an earthquake, flood, cyclone, or other cataclysmic phenomena of nature beyond the ability of a prudent Contractor to foresee and make preparation to defend against damage. ADMINISTRATIVE SUBMITTALS – Submittals related to the safe mobility of the travelling public, schedule, and environmental protections that are required to be received prior to the precons truction conference and approved or found to be in conformance prior to the Notice to Proceed as specified in the respective sections. AGENCY – The Agency of Transportation of the state of Vermont (VAOT , AOT , or VTrans). APPROVED PRODUCTS LIST – A listing of products and materials that have been evaluated by the Agency , for applicable specifications, and have been deemed satisfactory for use on Contracts without additional certification requirements. AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED – Written notice confirming that the Contract has been successfully executed and the Contractor may progress Contract work , including administrative submittals required by the Contract.

101

1-6AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE –

authority to sign the Contrac t on behalf of the Contractor.

supervision of the c onstruction project . BASE COURSE – The layer or layers of specified or selected material of designed thickness on a subbase to support a surface course . BEDROCK – Solid rock in its native location ; solid rock exposed at the surface of the earth or overlain by unconsolidated material. BIWEEKLY – Occurring once every two weeks. BORROW AREA – All borrow pits, gravel pits, quarries, sand pits, and similar sources of materials used in the construction of the project. BOULDER – A rock fragment, usually rounded by weathering or abrasion, with an average dimension of 12 inches or more. BRIDGE –

as water, a highway , or a railroad , having a passageway for carrying traffic or other moving loads and having a clear span of more than 20 feet (6 feet on non-federal -aid projects) measured along the center of the roadway between abutments, spring lines of arches, extreme ends of openings for multiple boxes, or multiple pipes where the clear distance between openings is less than 50% of the smaller contiguous opening.

roadway between the backs of abutment backwalls or between the ends of a bridge floor, whichever is greater.

center of the roadway between the inner faces of parapet or railing.

101 1-7 (b) Railroad Bridge . Any structure with a deck, regardless of length, which supports one or more railroad tracks, or any other under grade structure with an individual span length of 10 feet or more located at such a depth that it is affected by live loads.

railroad between the backs of abutment backwalls or between the ends of a bridge floor, whichever is greater.

center of the railroad between the inner faces of parapet or railing. CALENDAR DAY – Any day shown on the calendar, beginning at midnight and ending immediately before midnight of the following day. CHANGE ORDER – A written agreement made and entered into by and between the Contractor and the Agency covering work not otherwise provided for in the Contract, revisions in or amendments to the terms of the Contract, a change to the original quantities as set forth in the original Contract, or conditions specifically d escribed in these specifications as requiring a change order . Change orders constitute amendments to the original Contract once properly signed and executed. CHIEF ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation to administer the Highway Division. CLAIM –

provisions of 19 V.S.A. § 10(9) for monies claimed to be due and payable. CLAY – Fine-grained soil or the fine -grained portion of soil that can be made to exhibit plasticity (putty -like properties) within a range of water contents, and that exhibits considerable strength when air -dried. CLEAR ZONE – The roadside border area starting at the edge of the traveled way available for use by errant vehicles. Specified clear zones are as shown in the Plans. COBBLE – A rock fragment, usually rounded or semi -rounded, with an average dimension between 3 inches and 12 inches .

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1-8COLLUSION – A secret agreement among two or more persons, companies, or organizations for a

deceitful or fraudulent purpose. COMPACTION – Densification by means of mechanical manipulation. COMPLIANT MATERIAL – In Section 406, a material that has a PWL greater than or equal to the

specified RQL, or, for the single test departure evaluation method, material where the single test result is

greater than or equal to the specified RQL.

CONDUIT – A tube used for carrying, holding, and protecting electrical or other utilities.

CONSTRUCTION AREA – The entire portion of a project site within the right-of-way and easement

limits during construction.

CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT – See EASEMENT.

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency responsible for

engineering supervision once the Contract has been signed and until completion and final acceptance.

CONSTRUCTION ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency that

provides guidance and technical assistance to the Engineer and Contractor on environmental compliance

issues.

CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS – A visible presence at the project site that may impact traffic or

environmental resources.

CONSTRUCTION SEASON – The period from April 1 st through November 15 th , inclusive.

CONSTRUCTION STRUCTURES ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency that

provides guidance and technical assistance to the Engineer and Contractor on structural issues.

CONTRACT – The written agreement between the Agency and the Contractor setting forth the obligations

of the parties relative to the performance of the work.

The Contract includes the Contract agreement, Contract bonds, project permits, Contract Plans, Standard

Drawings, Standard Specifications, Special Provisions, and any change orders or supporting documents

that are required to complete the work in an acceptable manner.

CONTRACT BONDS – The approved forms of security, signed, notarized, and furnished by the

Contractor and the Contractor’s surety or sureties, guaranteeing complete performance of the Contract,

compliance with the Contract, and the payment of all legal debts pertaining to the construction of the

project or work.

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CONTRACT COMPLETION DATE – The calendar date specified in the Contract, and as adjusted by

change order when applicable, by which the Contractor shall achieve substantial completion.

CONTRACT DURATION – The number of working days or calendar days prescribed in the Contract to

complete the work.

CONTRACT ITEM – A specific unit of work for which a price is provided in the Contract.

CONTRACTOR – The individual, partnership, firm, corporation, any acceptable combination thereof, or

a joint venture which is a party to the Contract with the Agency which is undertaking the performance of

the work under the terms of the Contract and acting directly or through its agent(s) or employee(s). The

term Contractor means the prime Contractor as differentiated from a subcontractor. All Contractors shall

be registered with the Vermont Secretary of State. The Contractor will act in an independent capacity and

not as officers or employees of the state.

CONTRACT PLANS – See PLANS.

CONTROL LIMITS – In Section 406 and Section 407, the limits established by the Contractor in their

QC plan that will trigger them to cease production, develop a corrective action plan, and take corrective

action to improve the quality of the material being produced.

CRITICAL PATH – The critical path is the sequence of project activities with the longest total duration,

which must be completed on time for the Contract to be finished by the completion date.

CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM) SCHEDULE – A schedule that depicts work activities in a time-

based, logic diagram format showing the relationship with preceding and succeeding activities with the

critical path clearly indicated.

DAY – When not specified as a working day or a calendar day, any 24 hour period.

DETOUR – A temporary route to carry traffic.

DIRECT MELT GLASS BEADS – Glass beads derived from recycled glass by returning the glass to a

molten form, removing impurities, and refining the glass into near-virgin glass beads.

DIRECTOR OF THE HIGHWAY DIVISION – See CHIEF ENGINEER.

DIRECTOR OF THE POLICY, PLANNING, AND INTERMODAL DEVELOPMENT DIVISION – The

authorized representative of the Agency, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation to administer the

Policy, Planning and Intermodal Development Division.

DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATOR – The authorized representative of the Agency for

a maintenance district subdivision of the state who is responsible for maintenance of state transportation

facilities.

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EARTH – See SOIL (EARTH).

EASEMENT – A right acquired to use or control property outside of the established right-of-way limits

for a designated purpose.

EMBANKMENT – That portion of a filled area situated between the previously existing ground level and

the subgrade (roadbed).

ENCROACHMENT – Use of highway or railroad right-of-way or easement unlawfully and/or without

authority or permission.

ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency and the Chief Engineer who is responsible for

engineering supervision of a Contract.

EQUIPMENT – All machinery, instruments, tools, vehicles, and apparatuses together with the necessary

supplies for upkeep and maintenance, for the proper construction and acceptable completion of the work.

EXTRA WORK – An item of work not provided for in the Contract as awarded but determined to be

essential to the satisfactory completion of the Contract. Extra work shall be performed at agreed upon

prices or on a force account basis as provided in the Contract.

EXTRA WORK ORDER – A form used to provide for the performance of work or furnishing of materials

involving extra work.

FINAL ESTIMATE – A compilation of item quantities prepared upon completion of the Contract stating

the whole amount of work done by the Contractor and the final amount to be paid under the Contract.

FINALS ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency responsible for handling all issues

related to finalizing a Contract.

FORCE ACCOUNT – Prescribed work paid for on the basis of actual costs, including appropriate extra

work, as defined in Subsection 109.06.

FOULING – The condition arising when the location of an individual or an item of equipment is in such

proximity to a railroad track that the individual or equipment could be struck by a moving train or on-

track equipment, and as defined by the Operating Railroad.

GAGE – The distance between the heads of railroad rails, measured at a point 5/8 inches below the top of

the railroad rail. Standard gage measures 4 feet 8-1/2 inches.

GEOLOGIST – The authorized representative of the Agency who provides expertise pertaining to the

field of geology, such as bedrock and unbound aggregates, as specified in the Contract.

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING MANAGER – The authorized representative of the Agency who

provides guidance and technical assistance relating to soils and aggregates, and geotechnical and

geological engineering.

GRAVEL – Rounded or semi-rounded particles of rock that will pass the 3 inch (75.0 mm) sieve and be

retained on the No. 10 (2.00 mm) sieve.

HARDNESS – The resistance of a material to deformation, particularly permanent deformation, indentation,

or scratching.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND WASTE COORDINATOR – The authorized representative of the

Agency who provides guidance and technical assistance to the Engineer and Contractor on hazardous

materials and waste issues.

HIGHWAY – See ROADWAY.

INSPECTOR – An authorized representative of the Engineer assigned to make detailed inspections of

Contract performance.

JOB MIX FORMULA – The project-specific formula that specifies the target value for each property of

the mixture.

LABORATORY – The Agency’s Materials Testing and Certification Section Central Laboratory or any

other testing laboratory which may be designated by the Engineer.

LIQUIDATED DAMAGES – The charge assessed to the Contractor pursuant to the Contract because the

Contractor did not achieve substantial completion within the Contract time or by the Contract completion

date. Liquidated damages are not a penalty but an assessment of damages that are impossible or difficult

to determine with accuracy.

LOAD TICKET – A ticket accompanying a load of material and indicating the gross weight of the load,

less the tare weight of the delivery vehicle, and other information as specified and/or as required by the

Engineer.

LOAM – A mixture of sand, silt, or clay, or a combination of any of these, with organic matter.

LOT – A specific quantity of material from a single source that is assumed to be produced and placed by

the same controlled process.

101

LOWER SPECIFICATION LIMIT – In Section 406 and Section 407, the limit below which the material

characteristics become undesirable. It is one of the components used to calculate the total PWL.

MAJOR ITEM – Any Contract item that has a total bid value greater than 20% of the total bid amount of

the Contract.

MASS – The words mass and weight are used interchangeably. Mass must be converted to force before

computing structural reactions, shears, moments, or internal stresses.

MATERIALS – Any substances specified for use in the construction of the project and its appurtenances.

MATERIALS MANAGER – The authorized representative of the Agency responsible for the acceptance

testing and certification of materials incorporated in Contracts.

MEDIAN – Unless different in context, the portion of a divided highway separating opposing traveled

ways.

MOISTURE CONTENT (WATER CONTENT) – The ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the mass (weight)

of water in a given material to the mass (weight) of solid particles.

MUCK – A soil of very soft consistency containing greater than 10% organic matter.

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION PRODUCT EVALUATION PROGRAM – The national evaluation

and auditing program for manufactured products.

NIGHT – The period from sunset until sunrise of the following day, as determined by the NOAA Solar

Calculator for the location of the project.

NON-PARTICIPATING – Designates work in which the cost is not shared by the federal and/or state

government.

NOTICE TO PROCEED – Written notice to the Contractor stipulating the date on which the Contractor

can begin construction operations subject to other Contract requirements.

OFF-SITE ACTIVITY AREA – An area located outside of the project’s defined construction limits that

is a necessary adjunct used for supporting the construction activities, including access roads, waste,

borrow, and staging areas.

OPERATING RAILROAD – The entity with operating rights on a publicly or privately owned railroad.

OPTIMUM MOISTURE CONTENT (OPTIMUM WATER CONTENT) – The water content at which a

soil can be compacted to the maximum dry density by a given compactive effort.

101

OTHER TRACK MATERIAL – Other railroad track material includes, but is not limited to, spikes, nuts,

bolts, tie plates, tie plugs, railroad anchors, joint bars, and other ancillary components necessary for the

construction of a track. OTM does not include ties or ballast.

PAVEMENT STRUCTURE – The combination of subbase, base course, and surface course placed on a

subgrade to support the traffic load and distribute it to the roadbed.

PAY ADJUSTMENT – In Section 406 and Section 407, the actual monetary adjustment, either positive

or negative, which is assessed for accepted material based on the pay factor calculated for the given

material characteristic. The intent of a pay adjustment is to relate payment to the quality of the work and

expected service life.

PAY FACTOR – In Section 406 and Section 407, a numerical factor applied to accepted material in order

to calculate the pay adjustment. It is related to the quality of the material and is calculated based on one

or more measured characteristics.

PAY ITEM – A specific unit of work.

PERCENT WITHIN LIMITS – A statistical procedure for estimating the percent compliance with a

specification that is affected by shifts in the arithmetic mean of the test results and by the sample standard

deviation.

PLANS – The Contract drawings that show the location, character, and dimensions of the work, including

layouts, profiles, cross-sections, and other details.

PLANT INSPECTOR – An authorized representative of the Agency assigned to perform detailed

inspections of methods and materials at plants, including bituminous, concrete, and structural steel

assembly plants.

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER – A qualified registered professional engineer licensed in Vermont

pursuant to 26 V.S.A., Chapter 20.

PROGRAM MANAGER – The authorized representative of the Agency responsible for the allocation of

funding and coordination of projects on a programmatic level.

PROJECT – The specific portion(s) of the transportation facility infrastructure on which work is to be

performed under one or more Contracts.

PROJECT MANAGER – The authorized representative of the Agency responsible for the development

of a specific project’s design and its costs.

101

PUNCH LIST – List of items which are minor adjustments, repairs, or corrections to work that shall be

completed prior to the acceptance of the project.

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM – The program that prescribes the practices for acceptance of

material in construction and maintenance.

RAILBANKING – A railbanked line is an inactive line from which the tracks may or may not have been

removed which has been approved for railbanking and interim trail use by the United States Surface

Transportation Board under 16 U.S.C. § 1247(d) or by the Vermont Secretary of Transportation under 5

V.S.A. § 3408.

RAILROAD – The area within the limits of construction that is used for the movement of trains and that

may include track, ties, ballast, subbase, and OTM.

RECYCLED ASPHALT MATERIAL – Recycled asphalt pavement, recycled asphalt shingles, or a

combination of both.

REGIONAL CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency for a

construction regional subdivision of the state who is responsible for administering and overseeing

construction Contracts.

REJECTABLE MATERIAL – Material that is non-compliant with one or more designated acceptance

criteria.

REJECTABLE QUALITY LEVEL – In Section 406, the level of actual quality below which the material

or construction is deemed non-compliant with the specifications. If the PWL or single test departure is

less than the RQL, then the material is non-compliant.

RESIDENT ENGINEER – See ENGINEER.

REVIEW FOR CONFORMANCE – A review of a working drawing for compliance with the requirements

of the Contract.

RIGHT-OF-WAY – The land or property, or interests therein, devoted to transportation purposes.

ROADBED – See SUBGRADE.

ROADSIDE – The area adjoining the outer edge of the traveled way or shoulder of a highway. Extensive

median areas between the roadways of a divided highway may also be considered roadside.

ROADWAY – The area within the limits of construction that is used for the movement of vehicular and

pedestrian traffic and that may include the traveled way, shoulder, and sidewalk.

101

SAFETY DATA SHEETS – Sheets prepared by a manufacturer or importer providing detailed

information about a hazardous material as required by OSHA. Safety data sheets shall be in accordance

with OSHA.

SAFETY OFFICER –

operations under the Contract are performed safely and according to all VOSHA regulations.

SAMPLING – Taking a representative portion of a material for evaluation.

SAND – Particles of rock that will pass the No. 10 (2.00 mm) sieve and be retained on the No. 200 (0.075

mm) sieve.

SCREENED SAND – The product resulting from the mechanical screening of natural sands or gravels.

SECRETARY – The appointed head of the Agency of Transportation of the state of Vermont.

SHOULDER – The portion of the roadway contiguous with the traveled way for accommodation of

stopped vehicles, for emergency use, and for lateral support of base and surface courses.

SIDEWALK – That portion of the roadway primarily constructed for the use of pedestrians.

SILT – Material passing the No. 200 (0.075 mm) sieve that is non-plastic or very slightly plastic and that

exhibits little or no strength when air-dry.

SLOPES – The inclined areas extending from the shoulders to the previously existing surface of the

ground.

SOIL (EARTH) – Sediments or other unconsolidated accumulations of solid particles produced by the

chemical and physical disintegration of rocks and which may or may not contain organic matter.

SPECIAL PROVISIONS – See SPECIFICATIONS.

SPECIALTY ITEMS – Work that requires highly specialized knowledge, ability, or equipment not

ordinarily available in contracting organizations qualified to bid on the Contract as a whole. In general,

specialty items are limited to minor components of the overall Contract.

101

SPECIFICATION LIMITS – In Section 406 and Section 407, the range of values greater than or equal to

the LSL and less than or equal to the USL. If no USL is specified, it is all values greater than or equal to

the LSL. If no LSL is specified, it is all values less than or equal to the USL.

SPECIFICATIONS – The compilation of provisions and requirements for the performance of prescribed

work, including the following primary types of specifications and any other requirements included in the

Contract.

is approved for general application and repetitive use and is applicable to all Contracts. Standard

Specification pay item numbers will be in the form of XXX.YYYY, where XXX indicates which

section the pay item belongs to and YYYY identifies the individual pay item.

Provisions are further subdivided into two parts:

to emphasize, as well as Contract-specific additions, revisions, and corrections to the

Standard Specifications.

items. Special Specification pay item numbers will be in the form of XXX.YYYYZZZ,

where XXX.YYYY is a Standard Specification pay item that is related to the Special

Specification pay item and ZZZ identifies the individual Special Specification pay item.

STAGING AREA – Any areas that the Contractor uses for storage of materials and equipment or for

general use and access for Contract operations.

STANDARD DRAWINGS – Agency approved drawings used for typical repetitive use, showing details

to be used where appropriate.

STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS – See SPECIFICATIONS.

STATE – Unless different in context, the state of Vermont acting through its Agency of Transportation

and authorized representative(s).

STATE BRIDGE ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency responsible for structural

engineering supervision of the project. Sometimes referred to as the Structures Program Manager.

STONE SCREENINGS – The product resulting exclusively from the mechanical crushing of quarried

bedrock.

101

STRUCTURAL CONCRETE ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency responsible for

the evaluation and approval of various aspects of cast-in-place concrete and precast concrete as detailed

in these specifications. Also responsible for supervision of plant inspectors used at concrete plants and for

the evaluation of Portland cement concrete mix designs.

STRUCTURAL EMBANKMENT AREA – The cross-sectional area of an embankment situated between

the lines projected downward from the outer edges of the subgrade on a 1:1.5 (V:H) slope to the

intersection with the previously existing ground.

STRUCTURAL STEEL FABRICATION ENGINEER – The authorized representative of the Agency

responsible for the supervision of inspectors used for steel fabrication and for the evaluation of field

welding procedures and qualifications.

SUBBASE – The layer or layers of specified or selected material of designated thickness placed to support

a base and/or surface course.

SUBCONTRACTOR – An individual or legal entity to whom or which the Contractor sublets part of the

work.

SUBGRADE – The graded surface prepared as a foundation for the pavement structure and shoulders of

a transportation facility.

SUBLOT – A subdivision of a lot.

SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE – The date when, in the opinion of the Engineer, all Contract

items, with the exception of the Contractor’s demobilization and punch list type items, have been

completed.

SUBSTRUCTURE – All of that part of a structure below the bearings of simple and continuous spans,

skewbacks of arches, and tops of footings of rigid frames; included are backwalls, wingwalls, and wing

protection railings.

SUPERINTENDENT – The Contractor’s authorized representative in responsible charge of the work.

SUPERSTRUCTURE – All that part of a structure supported by the substructure, except approach slabs.

SURETY – The individual, partnership, firm, or corporation, or any acceptable combination thereof, other

than the Contractor, executing the bond or bonds furnished by the Contractor. Surety companies must be

authorized to do business in Vermont in accordance with 19 V.S.A. § 10(8).

SURFACE COURSE – The layers of bound materials or unbound materials above the subbase or base

course in the pavement structure.

101

TRAVELED WAY – The portion of the roadway for the movement of vehicles, exclusive of shoulders,

sidewalks, and auxiliary lanes.

UNIT PRICE – The price for one unit of work, as defined by the Contract.

UTILITY – The privately, publicly, or cooperatively owned lines, facilities, and systems for producing,

transmitting, or distributing communications, power, electricity, light, heat, gas, oil, crude products, water,

steam, waste stormwater not connected with highway drainage, and other similar commodities, which

directly or indirectly serve the public. This includes publicly owned fire and police signal systems and

street lighting systems, which directly or indirectly serve the public or any part thereof. The term utility

shall also mean the utility company, inclusive of any wholly owned or controlled subsidiary.

UPPER SPECIFICATION LIMIT – In Section 406 and Section 407, the limit above which the material

characteristics become undesirable. It is one of the components used to calculate the total PWL.

WASTE AREA – Any area where excess material or materials unsuitable for construction are disposed.

WEARING COURSE – The uppermost component of a pavement structure.

WEIGHT – See MASS.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES – The Weights and Measures Section of the Vermont Agency of

Agriculture, Food, and Markets.

WORK – The furnishing of all labor, materials, equipment, and incidentals necessary or convenient to the

successful completion of the project and carrying out of the duties and obligations imposed by the

Contract.

WORKING DAY – Weekdays during the construction season during which construction operations may

proceed. If the Contractor works on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or during the seasonal closure period,

those days will be considered working days.

WORKING DRAWINGS – Supplemental design sheets or similar data which the Contractor is required

to submit to the Agency as stated in Subsection 105.06.

WRITTEN ORDER – A statement in writing from the Engineer to the Contractor that:

the method of payment.

accomplished according to the Plans and specifications.

101

Contract items.

measures be followed.

Contractor’s attention.

101.03INTENTION OF TERMS

specifications, whenever anything is, or is to be, done if, as, when, or where “contemplated,

required, determined, directed, specified, authorized, ordered, given, designated, indicated,

considered necessary, deemed necessary, permitted, reserved, suspended, established, approval,

approved, disapproved, acceptable, unacceptable, suitable, accepted, satisfactory, unsatisfactory,

sufficient, insufficient, rejected, or condemned,” it shall be read and understood as if the expression

were followed by the phrase “by the Engineer” or “to the Engineer.”

by the Engineer,” or similar phrases are used in the Contract, they shall be understood to provide

the Engineer latitude to meet field conditions, but in no case shall these phrases be construed to

permit changing the intent of the Contract.

to the Contractor, shall mean at the Contractor’s expense unless otherwise specifically provided in

a Contract item.

identification only and are in no way intended to define, limit, or expand the scope or intent of the

Contract.

like “approval of the Engineer,” “as ordered by the Engineer,” “with the consent of the Engineer,”

and any similar phrase indicating the acceptance or direction by the Engineer shall not supersede

any requirement of the Contract or relieve the Contractor of their contractual obligations, including

but not limited to, compliance with permit conditions and applicable laws, rules, regulations,

ordinances, and bylaws.

or interpreted for or against the Agency because the Agency drafted or caused its representative(s)

to draft its provisions.

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101.04REFERENCED SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS. When external specifications

(e.g. AASHTO, ACI, AREMA, ASTM, MUTCD, NDS, CRSI, etc.) or requirements (e.g. the Materials

Sampling Manual) are cited and incorporated by reference, they shall become effective only if the work

or material covered by them is not covered by the Standard Specifications or Special Provisions.

Specifications and requirements incorporated by reference shall be the latest revision in effect on the date

of the advertisement for bids, unless otherwise specified.

101.05COORDINATION OF CONTRACT DOCUMENTS

Provisions, and all supplemental documents are essential parts of the Contract. These documents

are complementary and are intended to describe and provide for a complete description of the

work. A requirement occurring in one is as binding as though occurring in all.

will be determined in the following order:

or stringent shall take precedence as determined by the Engineer.

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specifications incorporated by reference, the more stringent specification shall apply as

determined by the Engineer.

shall take advantage of or be afforded any benefit as the result of apparent errors or omissions in

the Contract. If either party discovers any errors or omissions, it shall immediately notify the other.

necessary and appropriate to fulfill the intent of the Contract. When there is an apparent absence

or mention of a detail or an apparent omission of a detailed description in the Contract, the detail

or description shall be interpreted, understood, or determined using the best general engineering

and construction practice.

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1-22SECTION 102 – BIDDER REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS

102.01INTERPRETATION OF QUANTITIES IN BID PROPOSAL . The estimates of quantities of work

to be performed and/or materials to be furnished as shown on the proposal are approximate and are provided only as a basis of calculation upon which the award of the Contract is to be made. Except as otherwise provided, the Agency disclaims responsibility, and shall not be held responsible, for the estimates of quantities, whether they be less than, equal to, or greater than the quantities used in the actual performance of the work . The Contr actor shall not plead misunderstanding or deception because of the estimates of quantities or of the character, location, or other conditions pertaining to the estimates of quantities. The Agency, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to increase or d ecrease any or all of the estimated quantities of work or to omit any of them as deemed necessary.

102.02EXAMINATION OF PLANS, PROPOSAL, AND PROJECT SITE

conte mplated and the relevant Plans, specifications, and proposal forms. It is the responsibility of each and every bidder to investigate and become aware of:

subsoils, found ation conditions, and potential sources of material for character, quality, and/or quantity by various means, including borings, test pits, samples, tests, and classifications. Information concerning any in vestigations normally appears on the Plans or in the proposal.

obtained with reasonable care and recorded in good faith by the Agency. This subsurface information has been collected for the use of the Agency only, to assist the Agency in developing a design suitable for the subsurface conditions in the area of the foundation for the structure and/or for preparation of the Engineer’s estimate. This subsurface information is made available to prospective bidders as a public document relating to a project . Such information is not intended to provide prospective bidders with a subsurface analysis for purposes of bid preparation. It is up to th e prospective bidder to conduct whatever subsurface investigation may inform its bid preparation.