Section 5: Programming and Authorization
Anchor: #i1004633General
Program the cost of adjusting reimbursable utility facilities as a cost of right of way acquisition. District personnel must delay requesting a utility to prepare plans and estimates or incur any utility adjustment costs, including preliminary engineering, until the ROW Division has issued the appropriate release. Costs incurred by a utility before issuance of such release will be ineligible for State reimbursement. The appropriate release will involve one or more of the following types of releases.
Anchor: #i1004647Right of Way Releases for Utility Work
For related information, see Chapter 2 of the ROW Acquisition Manual.
- Limited Release for Utility Investigation.
This release establishes a point in time by which eligible costs
for utility investigation may occur. However, no physical adjustment
of an eligible utility’s facilities can be authorized or
accomplished under the terms of this type of release. This release
will allow proper coordination of utility activities, i.e., investigation
of utility location, with the appropriate District personnel. This
could be initiated as early as Advance Project Development (Advance
Planning). An Alternate Procedure (AP) request will not
be allowed if Federal funds are to be requested on this type of
release.The requirements for this type of release are:
- Commission Minute Order - Project Authorization
- Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA), if Federal funding is to be requested.
- Letter from District requesting authorization to begin preliminary engineering for utility work in accordance with the TxDOT Utility Manual.
- Approval by the Director of the ROW Division
- Limited Right of Way Release
for Utility Work Only. This release is typical of projects where no
right of way acquisition has been planned, but reimbursable utilities
are encountered. Generally, no other right of way work is performed
under the ROW CSJ assigned to the project. Costs may be charged
against the ROW CSJ when this type of release is used. The requirements
for this type of release are:
- Commission Minute Order - Project Authorization
- Environmental clearance
- Administratively complete copy of an approved right of way map.
- Request from the District for release
- Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA), if applicable, for Federal funding
- Contractual Agreement with LPAs , if applicable; include three copies of the agreement
- Copy of the check for the LPA's contribution amount
- Copy of the LPA's resolution
- Partial Release. Specific U-parcels
may be released for utility work when the right of way map sheets
on which they are identified have been entered into the Right of
Way Information System, (ROWIS), although the entire map may be
incomplete. The requirements for this type of release are:
- Commission Minute Order - Project Authorization
- Environmental clearance
- Copy of an approved right of way map, property descriptions, and parcel plats for specific parcels release
- Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA), if applicable, for Federal funding
- Executable Contractual Agreement with LPAs , if applicable; include three copies of the agreement
- Copy of the check for the LPA's contribution amount
- Copy of the LPA's resolution
- Full Right of Way Release. All
costs may be charged to the ROW CSJ. When issued by the ROW Division,
the Full Right of Way Release includes utility work and all other
right of way activities. This would include processing of the Utility
Agreement Assembly, acquiring replacement utility right of way,
physical adjustment of utility facilities, and reimbursement of eligible
cost incurred. Issuance of a full right of way release is contingent
upon completion of the following:
- Approved schematic
- Approved right of way map submitted to ROW Division
- Right of way project cost estimate
- Environmental clearance
- Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA), if required
- Executed contractual agreement with LPA, including funding, if applicable.
Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA)
FHWA, by issuance of an Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA), documents the approval of Federal cost participation in a right of way project. The FPAA is required for the ROW Division to issue a full right of way Release. Do not request approval for a full Right of Way Release before an environmental approval for the project is obtained. If Federal reimbursement will be requested for any of the cost incurred under the Limited Right of Way Release For Utility Work Only above, these costs must be associated with preliminary engineering and the actual relocation costs for the project, which includes costs associated with obtaining environmental clearance.
Eligible costs for preliminary engineering and replacement right of way incurred by a utility after issuance of the ROW Division’s release will be reimbursed. Costs of performing adjustments will be eligible upon utility agreement approval or authorization by the LPA, whichever is applicable. For more information on eligible costs, see Chapter 11, Section 3, �Final Billings.
Anchor: #i1004830Utility Reimbursement Policies (Interstate Highways)
TxDOT Policy. TxDOT participation in the costs of necessary utility adjustments is set forth in the Transportation Code, §203.092. Participation on highways within the Interstate Highway System is limited to those adjustments eligible for Federal cost participation per 23CFR Part 645. Note that 23CFR Part 645 requires prior approval by TxDOT and the FHWA for any phase of utility work.
Neither Federal rule nor State statutes provide for cost participation where utility removal occurs without subsequent replacement or relocation. Accordingly, State participation in such removal is dependent upon the utility possessing a compensable interest in the land occupied by the removed facilities. Participation is limited to the value of the real property interest, less the salvage value of the removed or abandoned facilities.
Cost participation in an adjustment where the utility possesses no real property interest is limited to the cost of relocation. New real property interests acquired by the utility after the relocation are not eligible for cost participation.
Federal Utility Reimbursement Regulations. �23CFR 645.111 prescribes reimbursement controls and general requirements as well as requiring prior TxDOT approval for certain phases of utility work. FHWA approval is required for facilities such as reservoirs, substations, and tank farms, etc. Unless this requirement is met, many items otherwise eligible for State and Federal participation may be declared ineligible.
Anchor: #i1004863Utility Reimbursement Policies (US, State (TX), FM, and RM Highways)
TxDOT will participate with the LPA in necessary utility adjustments required by improvements of the State Highway System when the utility possesses a �compensable interest.