County Route	Job Number	Core Team Member

(New 1-1-03)

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION (FHWA)

SCOPING CHECKLIST

(Add additional notes as required)

A project’s scope can be defined as the set of design parameters that precisely satisfy the purpose and need of the project. A poorly identified scope that is broader than the purpose and need will result in an unnecessarily high project budget and schedule, while a scope which falls short will yield a project that accomplishes little of significance. While an accurate project scope is difficult to identify early in development, a careful, multidisciplinary examination of the purpose and need will produce a solid foundation upon which project development can occur.

This checklist is designed to stimulate thought on those project parameters that are sometimes overlooked and whose omission can jeopardize the integrity of the scope. At the initial scoping meeting, the appropriate core team member should fill out the checklist as completely as possible. As project development progresses, the core team member should continue to update the checklist and coordinate with the project manager. In this manner, potential changes to the project scope can be dealt with as they emerge and the scope represented by the preliminary plan will be as accurate as possible.

Federal Eligibility

Determine Federal-aid status.
Determine level of FHWA oversight. (See the Oversight Agreement and Oversight Manual.)
Ensure the Federal-aid requirements are met for all Federal-aid projects, regardless of the source of Federal funding used or the agency responsible for oversight. (See the Oversight Agreement and Oversight Manual.)

Planning

Ensure the identified need is included in the Long Range Plan.
Ensure the identified need is included in the TIP and/or STIP.
Ensure Title VI requirements have been met for pubic involvement.
Determine applicable Air Quality Conformity requirements.
Determine mega-project eligibility. (Over $1 billion construction cost – Financial plan required)
Consider Value Engineering requirements for projects $25 million or more.

Environmental

Determine required environmental classification. (CE, EA, EIS)
Determine status of environmental document. (If the environmental document was approved more than three years previous, and the project remained inactive, there is a need to reevaluate the document for scope changes or changes in proposed mitigation.
Review and approve Cultural Resource/Section 106 documentation.

Bridge

Review and comment on Type, Size and Location (TS&L) report.
Determine eligibility for the Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program.
Verify vertical clearance with Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC).
Consider necessary Coast Guard or Corps of Engineers permits.

Design/Roadway

Evaluate Access Modifications to the Interstate system. (May require an Access Justification Report – see FHWA August 17, 2001 letter)
Consider the Pavement Type Selection or pavement rehabilitation strategy.
Check project for Proprietary/Public Interest Finding/Buy America items.
Ensure environmental commitments from Environmental Document are included in the project.
Check Railroad operations.
Check Traffic Control Plan.
Check Bicycle and Pedestrian accommodation.
Check for ADA compliance.

Traffic

Determine if safety upgrades are included in the project.
Ensure accident/operational analysis has been performed.
Ensure the project is in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Consider any Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) elements included in the project.
Ensure the project is in conformity with the ITS National Architecture.
Ensure the project utilizes FHWA adopted ITS Standards.
Ensure the Conformity Documentation Checklist has been completed.

Right-of-way

Advise MoDOT how Airspace Agreements, Functional Replacements, Hardship/Protective Purchase Acquisitions, Federal Land Transfers, and License Agreements may affect the scope of the project.

For questions, comments, or suggested revisions to this checklist, please contact the Federal Highway Administration