SECTION 28.12. Preparation of Contract

(a) The department will contract with the requester to indemnify the state for the cost of maintenance or repair to that portion of the highway crossed by vehicles which cannot comply with one or more restrictions of Transportation Code, Chapter 621.

(b) The department will, at the expense of the requester, periodically maintain and repair the vehicle crossing in accordance with established departmental regulations, specifications, and engineering standards and practices.

(c) If the proposed vehicle crossing requires initial upgrading or reconstruction to safely and adequately accommodate the vehicles which will be using the highway crossing, the requester will bear the entire cost of such work. Construction plans, specifications, traffic control plans, and any other related work will be provided by the requester at no cost to the state. At the sole option of the department, it may elect to do this work or provide for this work by separate contract, with the requester bearing the entire cost.

(d) The requester will be responsible for furnishing, installing, maintaining, and removing when no longer required all traffic control devices which are required at the crossing to insure the safety of the traveling public. At the sole option of the department, it may elect to do this work or provide for this work by separate contract, with the requester bearing the entire cost. All traffic-control devices and flaggers, if required, shall be in accordance with the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

(e) The requester shall indemnify the department for the cost of maintenance and repair to the vehicle crossing. The requester shall, at the entire expense of the requester, provide and keep in force a surety bond in an amount determined by the state to cover the cost of such maintenance and repair. The bond will require approval by the attorney general and comptroller of public accounts.

(f) The requester shall keep the roadway free of debris and objectionable dust, lights, or noise.

(g) The requester shall provide the department with the department's certificate of insurance covering the latest insurance requirements for contractors doing state highway construction work.

(h) The responsibilities of the requester as set forth in the contract shall not be transferred, assigned, or conveyed to a third party without approval of the department.

(i) If, in the sole judgment of the department, it is determined at a future date that traffic conditions have so changed that the existence or use of the vehicle crossing is impeding maintenance, damaging the highway facility, impairing safety, or that the vehicle crossing is not being properly operated, or that it constitutes a nuisance, or if for any other reason it is in the department's judgment that such a facility is not in the public interest, the vehicle crossing shall be modified if corrective measures acceptable to both the department and the requester can be applied to eliminate the objectionable features of the facility or terminated and the use of the area as a vehicle crossing discontinued.

(j) Upon termination of the contract the department shall make an inspection of the crossing site. If additional repairs, modifications, or rehabilitation is required to return the highway to its original condition, the requester shall bear the entire expense of such work.

Source Note: The provisions of this §28.12 adopted to be effective August 16, 2012, 37 TexReg 6093