39-2113. Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards; minimum standards; signs required; when; rule for relaxing; request for review; decision; additional programs.

(1) In addition to the duties imposed upon it by section 39-2109, the Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards shall develop minimum standards of design, construction, and maintenance for each functional classification set forth in sections 39-2103 and 39-2104. Except for scenic-recreation road standards, such standards shall be such as to assure that each segment of highway, road, or street will satisfactorily meet the requirements of the area it serves and the traffic patterns and volumes which it may reasonably be expected to bear.

(2) The standards for a scenic-recreation road and highway classification shall insure a minimal amount of environmental disruption practicable in the design, construction, and maintenance of such highways, roads, and streets by the use of less restrictive, more flexible design standards than other highway classifications. Design elements of such a road or highway shall incorporate parkway-like features which will allow the user-motorist to maintain a leisurely pace and enjoy the scenic and recreational aspects of the route and include rest areas and scenic overlooks with suitable facilities.

(3) The standards developed for a minimum maintenance road and highway classification shall provide for a level of minimum maintenance sufficient to serve farm machinery and the occasional or intermittent use by passenger and commercial vehicles. The standards shall provide that any defective bridges, culverts, or other such structures on, in, over, under, or part of the minimum maintenance road may be removed by the county in order to protect the public safety and need not be replaced by equivalent structures except when deemed by the county board to be essential for public safety or for the present or future transportation needs of the county. The standards for such minimum maintenance roads shall include the installation and maintenance by the county at entry points to minimum maintenance roads and at regular intervals thereon of appropriate signs to adequately warn the public that the designated section of road has a lower level of maintenance effort than other public roads and thoroughfares. Such signs shall conform to the requirements in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices adopted pursuant to section 60-6,118.

(4) The standards developed for a remote residential road classification shall provide for a level of maintenance sufficient to provide access to remote residences, farms, and ranches by passenger and commercial vehicles. The standards shall allow for one-lane traffic where sight distance is adequate to warn motorists of oncoming traffic. The standards for remote residential roads shall include the installation and maintenance by the county at entry points to remote residential roads of appropriate signs to adequately warn members of the public that they are traveling on a one-lane road. Such signs shall conform to the requirements in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices adopted pursuant to section 60-6,118.

(5) The board shall by rule provide for the relaxation of standards for any functional classification in those instances in which their application is not feasible because of peculiar, special, or unique local situations.

(6) Any county or municipality which believes that the application of standards for any functional classification to any segment of highway, road, or street would work a special hardship, or any other interested party which believes that the application of standards for scenic-recreation roads and highways to any segment of highway, road, or street would defeat the purpose of the scenic-recreation functional classification contained in section 39-2103, may request the board to relax the standards for such segment. The Department of Transportation, when it believes that the application of standards for any functional classification to any segment of highway that is not hard surfaced would work a special hardship, may request the board to relax such standards. The board shall review any request made pursuant to this section and either grant or deny it in whole or in part. This section shall not be construed to apply to removal of a road or highway from the state highway system pursuant to section 39-1315.01.

(7) In cooperation with the Department of Transportation, counties, and municipalities, the board is authorized to develop, support, approve, and implement programs and project strategies that provide additional flexibility in the design and maintenance standards. Once a program is established, the board shall allow project preapproval for all projects that conform to the agreed-upon program. The programs shall be set out in memorandums of understanding or guidance documents and may include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a) Practical design, flexible design, or similar programs or strategies intended to focus funding on the primary problem or need in constructing projects that will not meet all the standards but provide substantial overall benefit at a reasonable cost to the public;

(b) Asset preservation or preventative maintenance programs and strategies that focus on extending the life of assets such as, but not limited to, pavement and bridges that may incorporate benefit cost, cost effectiveness, best value, or lifecycle analysis in determining the project approach and overall benefit to the public; and

(c) Context sensitive design programs or similar programs that consider the established needs and values of a county, municipality, community, or other connected group to enable projects that balance safety while making needed improvements in a manner that fits the surroundings and provides overall benefit to the public.

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