PROCEDURES FOR REVISIONS TO FUNCTIONAL

 

CLASSIFICATION AND FEDERAL-AID SYSTEMS

Section 103 of the Federal-aid Highway Act, Title 23, US Code issued the authority to prescribe guidelines for the establishment, submission and approval of revisions to the Federal-aid System. These guidelines can be found on the web and the address is: http://uscode.house.gov/search/criteria.shtml.

The Bureau of Planning and Research in accord with these guidelines has developed the following procedures for Functional Classification and Federal-aid System Revisions.

Functional Class and Federal –aid revisions may be recommended by Local Officials, Planning Agencies, Federal Highway Administration or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT).

All Federal-aid Systems are based on the highway’s functional classification which is determined in accordance with the "Highway Functional Classification, Concepts, Criteria andProcedures" ; published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal
Highway Administration (revised March 1989).

This publication can be found on the web and the address is: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/fctoc.htm.

1.      All Functional Class and Federal-aid revisions must be requested through the appropriate PENNDOT District Office or include a letter of concurrence from the appropriate PENNDOT District Office. The agency requesting the system change must forward a cover letter of justification and concurrence. The letter should state the name of the road in question, termini of the road, and mileage. The justification should be in accordance with " Highway Functional Classification, Concepts, Criteria and Procedures" published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (revised March 1989).

2.      If the Functional Class change does not affect the Federal-aid system, enclosed
with the letter must be (1) one print of a Functional Classification Map with
the appropriate Functional Classification Legend attached, titled,
"Proposed Urban Functional Classification Revisions" for urban maps
or "Proposed Rural Functional Classification Revisions" for rural
maps. The section of road being proposed for a Functional Classification change
must be color-coded with the appropriate color code that is shown on the Functional Classification Legend that follows.

3.      If the Functional Classification change affects the Federal-aid System, which is a direct conversion from the Functional Classification, enclosed with the letter must be three (3) prints of a Federal-aid Map with the appropriate Federal-aid legend attached, titled "Proposed Federal-aid System Revisions". The section of road being proposed for a Federal-aid change must be color-coded with the appropriate color code shown on the Functional Classification Legend that follows. Also attached to these three (3) maps must be a signature block with designated space for the appropriate local officials signature, his or her title, and the date. All three (3) Federal-aid maps must be signed as follows.

a.      In urbanized areas the chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Organization must sign the Federal-aid maps.

b.   In urban areas the Borough mayor must sign the Federal-aid maps.

c.      In First Class Townships the president of the Board of Commissioners must sign the Federal-aid maps.

d.      In Second Class Townships the president of the Board of Supervisors must sign the Federal-aid maps.

e.      In rural areas the County Commissioners must sign the Federal-aid maps.

 

4.      All submittals should be forwarded as instructed to:

 

Mr. James D. Ritzman, Deputy Secretary for Planning

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

P.O. Box 3643

Harrisburg, PA 17105-3643

 

5.      All submittals will be carefully reviewed for completeness and accuracy and forwarded to the Federal Highway Administration for final review and approval. All affected agencies will be notified when final Federal Highway Administration approval is received by the Office of Planning.

 

 

 

FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION LEGEND

 

When preparing a map with proposed rural functional classification revisions or additions, use the following colors to mark the road(s):

 

Blue:            Proposed Interstate (Federal-aid system)

                                                Proposed Other Principal Arterial (Federal-aid system)

Orange:     Proposed Minor Arterial (Federal-aid system)

Green:        Proposed Major Collector (Federal-aid system)

Brown:       Proposed Minor Collector (Non-Federal-aid system)

Red:                       Delete from System