Table of Contents 1. General Policies and Provisions... 000-1 2. District Executive... 000-2 3. Assistant District Executive Design... 000-3 4. Assistant District Executive Maintenance... 000-4 5. Assistant District Executive Construction... 000-5 6. Assistant Construction Engineer... 000-6 7. Structure Control Engineer... 000-7 8. Materials Engineer... 000-8 9. Construction Services Engineer... 000-9 10. Proposal and Work Order Review... 000-10 11. Inspector-in-Charge... 000-11 12. Inspectors... 000-12 13. Labor Compliance/EEO Coordinator... 000-13 14. Finals Unit... 000-14 15. Geotechnical Engineer... 000-15 PennDOT Publication 8 000-i
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1. General Policies and Provisions This chapter addresses general policies and provisions regarding the organization of an engineering district. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation divides the Commonwealth into eleven Engineering Districts, each headed by a district executive. The district executive is assisted in the operation of the Engineering District by the following individuals and their staff: assistant district executive design, assistant district executive maintenance, assistant district executive construction, community relations coordinator, district fiscal control officer, and district human resources officer. A typical District is organized along the following lines, however it should be noted that several districts have organizational variances under the ADEs for instance one has the contract management unit in construction other units are under different ADEs depending on the District. One District has a fourth ADE. PennDOT Publication 8 000-1
2. District Executive The district executive is in charge of all work performed in the District. This includes all functions, including design, construction and maintenance of highways and bridges, coordination with municipalities, and issuance of permits for access to state highways and design of traffic signals. The district executive s responsibility also includes programming, budgeting, personnel assignments, and performance review. It is the district executive s responsibility to ensure that all contracts for work within the District are fulfilled as written, including compliance with the specifications, drawings, special provisions, and standard drawings. PennDOT Publication 8 000-2
3. Assistant District Executive Design The assistant district executive (ADE) design is responsible for coordinating all activities in the District concerning the design of highways and bridges. The activities include those related to geotechnical issues, structures, planning organizations, and plan and contract development. Surveying, utility relocations, and right-of-way also come under the jurisdiction of the ADE design. PennDOT Publication 8 000-3
4. Assistant District Executive Maintenance The assistant district executive (ADE) maintenance is responsible for coordinating all activities related to accidents, traffic, roadside maintenance, municipal services, access and hauling permits, and maintenance of roadways and bridges (including snow removal). County maintenance managers and their staff report to the ADE maintenance. PennDOT Publication 8 000-4
5. Assistant District Executive Construction The assistant district executive (ADE) construction is responsible for coordinating all activities related to contract construction work. To accomplish this, the ADE has a staff that includes a support services engineer, assistant construction engineers, materials engineers and individuals responsible for safety, equal employment opportunity (EEO), labor compliance, work orders, finals, and audits. The safety, EEO, and labor compliance functions are often assigned to one individual. PennDOT Publication 8 000-5
6. Assistant Construction Engineer The assistant district construction engineer (ACE) is responsible for overseeing and monitoring several construction projects within the District. This ACE is the immediate supervisor of the inspector-in-charge and functions as a coordinator between the inspector-incharge and district units to assist in resolving issues and problems. The ACE chairs the pre-construction meeting, conducts final inspections, and monitors the progress of the project (including estimates). The ACE also assists the inspector-in-charge in resolving compliance issues with the contractor and in obtaining assistance in resolving project issues. PennDOT Publication 8 000-6
7. Structure Control Engineer The structure control engineer is responsible for providing specialized engineering guidance and direction relating to structures. The structure control engineer should inspect all bridge foundations during construction, review deck placement procedures, review falsework submissions, and be consulted whenever non-routine construction problems are encountered. In some Districts, an ACE also serves as the structure control engineer. PennDOT Publication 8 000-7
8. Materials Engineer The materials engineer is responsible for approval and monitoring of aggregate sources, bituminous concrete plants, and Portland cement concrete plants. This responsibility includes plants established on the project sites. The materials engineer and staff members review quality control plans for the various facilities and project-specific plans for paving operations. The staff provides inspection and monitoring at bituminous and concrete plants, as well as periodic sampling, inspection, and testing of aggregate sources. They are also available for assistance with project-related issues. PennDOT Publication 8 000-8
9. Construction Services Engineer The construction services engineer is responsible for a number of functions. These include: monitoring contractors compliance with labor requirements (such as wage rates, and trainees), monitoring contractors safety plans, monitoring contractors compliance with EEO requirements; and processing work orders and other information related to construction contracts. Duties assigned to the construction services engineer may vary by District. PennDOT Publication 8 000-9
10. Proposal and Work Order Review One individual in the District Construction Unit is responsible for work order and proposal review. He or she reviews proposals for construction projects prior to bid, with an emphasis on items such as clarity, completeness, constructability, and bidability, then provides comments to the design project manager to ensure that the highest-quality plans are provided for bid to contractors. During the construction of projects, conditions sometimes require adjustments to quantities or additional items not anticipated in the design process. Also, the Department sometimes finds it necessary to have the contractor perform the work using the force account procedure. In such instances, work orders must be generated by the project inspection staff and submitted to the District for review and approval. PennDOT Publication 8 000-10
11. Inspector-in-Charge The inspector-in-charge of a project is responsible for all inspection work on a project, and for providing direction and guidance to the inspectors. He or she monitors the various contractor activities, visits field operations, reviews reports and other records, and monitors sampling and testing of materials. The inspector-in-charge is responsible for explaining to a property owner how the project will affect the owner s property. He or she should not discuss damages or indicate what settlement the property owner will receive; the right-of-way administrator provides this information. The inspector-in-charge, however, is responsible for notifying the contractor not to trespass or do any work on private property unless the contractor has written permission from the property owner. If the inspector-in-charge finds that a structure or slope will extend beyond the right-of-way limit, he or she should report this to the assistant district construction engineer before construction is started. He or she should also report any condition that will require more work or material than indicated in the contract. The inspector-in-charge also ensures that the contractor s maintenance and protection of traffic efforts are in compliance with the approved plans, and directs appropriate changes when required. If a detour is utilized, the inspector-in-charge is responsible for monitoring the detour conditions. PennDOT Publication 8 000-11
12. Inspectors Inspectors are assigned to a construction project to assist the inspector-in-charge in monitoring the contractors operations. Inspectors have various levels of experience and carry titles and responsibilities accordingly. Inspectors monitor the contractor s work for compliance with the contract, observe and document quality control testing, record information, and document quantities for completed work. PennDOT Publication 8 000-12
13. Labor Compliance/EEO Coordinator Department construction contracts contain two requirements relative to the contractor s workforce: Wage rates for various classifications of employees, including laborers, operators, carpenters, and flaggers. A commitment by the contractor to have a certain portion of the work performed by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), Women s Business Enterprises (WBE), or Minority Business Enterprises (MBE). The construction inspection staff is responsible for monitoring wage rates through interviews and payroll reviews. Contractor payrolls are also submitted to the district labor compliance officer for review and approval. If the project staff identify a problem, the district labor compliance officer assists in its resolution. At the time the contractor submits a bid, he or she commits to subcontracting a percentage of the work to DBE, WBE, or MBE firms. During the course of construction, this percentage is closely monitored via payrolls and estimates. The district EEO coordinator will periodically visit the project site for spot reviews or to assist the inspection staff in resolving issues. PennDOT Publication 8 000-13
14. Finals Unit The finals unit conducts a final audit of the project records after the completion of construction. Duties for this unit vary by District. Staff is usually available to assist in setting up project records and may perform periodic audits to ensure conformance. PennDOT Publication 8 000-14
15. Geotechnical Engineer The geotechnical engineer is responsible for all work related to geology and associated engineering. He or she is responsible for oversight of geotechnical research and design for foundations, slopes, and other issues in the design phase. The geotechnical engineer also assists with construction related issues, such as foundations, sinkholes, slides, and unstable material. PennDOT Publication 8 000-15
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