Back on June 25, 2004, sixty-eight people (including 8 members of ACEC) participated in a transportation industry “Strategic Forum on Quality and Warranties” held in Lansing. From that forum, the Design Task Force was born to spearhead all design-related quality improvements. Co-chaired by ACEC and MDOT, the task force identified six key items to focus on including:

o Statewide project scoping manual
o Fix selection guidelines
o Constructability checklists/post-construction reviews
o Special Provisions
o Use Statements for FUSP
o Completion of chapter 6 of the Design Manual

All of the items have been completed including the creation of a statewide project scoping manual that was approved by the MDOT Engineering Operations Committee on December 3, 2009.

ACEC members of the design task force highlighted inconsistencies in project scoping to the task force early in the process and pushed for a statewide manual that could be used by both MDOT and consultants working for MDOT. The new scoping manual will be posted to the MDOT website and included as a standard document to consultant contracts.

Issues associated with identifying and locating utilities was later identified as a key item affecting the quality of a construction project. A sub-team of the Design Task Force was formed and this team has created the Annual Michigan Utility Coordination Conference which is in its second year being held January 20 at the Soaring Eagle Resort in Mt. Pleasant.

For more information Contact: Ron Brenke