New Hampshire Department of Transportation
Process for Bridge Aid Municipal Managed Projects
The 1994 Spring issue of “Road Business” featured information about the New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s (NHDOT) Municipal Bridge Aid Program. Since that issue there have been changes to the program. What follows is a condensed version of the information provided to the T2 Center by the NHDOT. For a copy of the uncondensed information, call the T2 Center for a copy of the Bridge Aid Program, attachments, and application, or you may contact the NHDOT directly (271-2107) at the Bureau of Municipal Highways.
Through the Bridge Aid Program, a municipality may receive 80% reimbursement with state funds of the cost of design and construction of a bridge rehabilitation or replacement project.
Municipality Options
Under the Municipal Managed process a Municipality has two options available to conduct both the design and the construction phases of work.
1. Design may be performed by municipal staff, provided the designer is a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) registered in the applicable branch classification required (i.e. Structural Engineer for bridge design).
2. The Municipality may hire a consultant based on a qualification selection procedure per RSA 21-I:22.
Construction may be performed by Municipal forces, using an existing town contract for materials acquisition, or the Municipality may contract out all or portions of the work by the competitive bid process.
Application Procedure
To apply for Bridge Aid (under RSA 234), a municipality must comply with the following:
1. Apply for a preliminary estimate of the total cost of rehabilitating or replacing a bridge on Form MHBA-1 titled “Application for Preliminary Estimate - Bridge Aid.”
2. Upon receipt of the completed application, the NHDOT will examine the bridge and site and forward a preliminary cost estimate to the municipality. The estimate will also indicate the approximate scope and limit of work, and minimum design standards for alignment (horizontal and vertical) and width (roadway and bridge). This will establish the baseline criteria for the project. NOTE: The NHDOT will accept variances provided that the municipality acknowledges, in writing, that they recognize their proposal does not meet the minimum design standards, and the municipality accepts all responsibilities associated with constructing a facility that is in variance with NHDOT’s standard design practice.
3. The municipality must indicate whether they intend to do work themselves or use a consultant. If using a consultant, the municipality must follow the Consultant Selection Process for Bridge Aid Compliance.
4. The design must be in accordance with Design Procedures for Bridge Aid--Municipal Managed Project.
5. NHDOT must approve final plans and specifications before the municipality may proceed.
6. The municipality may proceed by force account method or advertise work for bid. They must send a copy of the advertisement and a tabulation of bids to Bureau of Municipal Highways for approval of award to the low bidder.
7. The municipality must provide on-site construction inspection by a licensed professional engineer.
Reimbursement
Reimbursement will not occur until after approval of finalized plans and specifications and, if designed by a consultant, the submittal of a paid invoice or, if designed by municipality engineers, submission of staff related charges. Eighty percent of design costs will be reimbursed.
Construction costs are reimbursed in the following manner: at the time of approval one-half of the state 80% share will be reimbursed. At completion reimbursement is based on paid municipality invoices. Qualifying costs for reimbursement for construction engineering: include shop drawings, fabrication, falsework review, lab and field testing, and construction inspection. Reimbursement occurs at the rate of 80% of all qualifying costs found in compliance with the process, provided the costs do not exceed the acceptable range of costs for this type of project, and magnitude or type of services provided are otherwise justifiable in the opinion of the NHDOT.