HLS 19RS-3731 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 309
BY REPRESENTATIVE JAY MORRIS
TRANSPORTATION DEPT: Urges and requests the Department of Transportation and
Development to reconsider the standard specifications for certain construction
techniques and procedures
1 A RESOLUTION
2To urge and request the Department of Transportation and Development to study and
3 reconsider the standard specifications for certain construction techniques and
4 procedures.
5 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Standard Specifications for Roads and Bridges was
6published by the Department of Transportation and Development in 2016 to provide revised
7specifications for the construction of the state transportation infrastructure needs and
8approved them for use on construction contracts awarded; and
9 WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation and Development made changes to
10the standard specifications for roads and bridges and now requires surface resistivity testing
11for all structural class concretes; and
12 WHEREAS, surface resistivity refers to the resistance experienced by the leakage
13of current along the surface of insulating material and can also be defined as the electrical
14resistance that exists between two parallel electrodes in contact through the surface; and
15 WHEREAS, surface resistivity measurements consider the resistive or conductive
16properties of insulation materials and have been used to classify controlled packaging
17materials; and
18 WHEREAS, resistivity testing applies a known voltage to the material, records the
19current created by the voltage, uses Ohm's law to calculate the observed resistance, and
20determines resistivity based on the specimen's physical dimensions; and
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HR NO. 309
1 WHEREAS, the final resistivity measurement depends on many outside factors
2including the voltage applied to the material, the electrification time, and environmental
3factors, all of which have a significant impact on potential results; and
4 WHEREAS, no reliable method of obtaining resistivity has been developed and
5applied to the standard specifications; and
6 WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of the contractor to locate and furnish materials
7which meet the outlined specifications and ensure that the materials, after being processed,
8placed, and consolidated, will meet the criteria provided by the department.
9 WHEREAS, local rock such as limestone is not available and standard cement
10materials cannot be used forcing contractors to incorporate materials that are much more
11expensive and labor intensive, thus causing an increase in costs relative to bridge
12construction; and
13 WHEREAS, the changes to the specifications place certain prohibitions on
14contractors and their operations, which cause delays in project completion and impact
15worker compensation; and
16 WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation and Development should reevaluate
17the standard specifications for roads and bridges, specifically the method by which surface
18resistivity is tested.
19 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
20Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Department of Transportation and
21Development to reconsider the standard specifications for certain construction techniques
22and procedures.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation and
24Development complete a written report after reconsidering, at a minimum, the reliability of
25the method for obtaining resistivity, the cost effectiveness of the method for developing
26concrete, construction time period requirements, and a determination of the long term
27benefits expected as a result of the specification changes.
28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation and
29Development report to the Senate and House committees on transportation, highways and
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HR NO. 309
1public works and to the member of the House of Representatives who represents House
2District Number 14 on or before December 31, 2019.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
4secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 309 Original 2019 Regular Session Jay Morris
Urges and requests the Dept. of Transportation and Development to reconsider the standard
specifications for certain construction techniques and procedures.
Requires that the Dept. of Transportation and Development report to the Senate and House
committees on transportation, highways and public works and to the member of the House
of Representatives who represents House District No. 14 on or before Dec. 31, 2019.
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