| 1 | 1 | | 85R12469 AAF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Garcia S.B. No. 2101 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the inspection, maintenance, and repair of guardrails |
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| 8 | 8 | | by the Texas Department of Transportation. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended by adding Section 201.623 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 201.623. GUARDRAIL INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND |
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| 13 | 13 | | REPAIR. (a) This section applies only to a guardrail constructed on |
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| 14 | 14 | | a highway or right-of-way of a highway that is in the state highway |
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| 15 | 15 | | system. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) The department shall conduct a study regarding the |
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| 17 | 17 | | inspection, maintenance, and repair of guardrails. The study must |
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| 18 | 18 | | include: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) the number of guardrails; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) the date of the last inspection of each guardrail; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (3) the condition of each guardrail; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (4) standards and best practices for the inspection, |
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| 23 | 23 | | maintenance, and repair of guardrails; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (5) the potential of each guardrail to be damaged by a |
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| 25 | 25 | | motor vehicle; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (6) whether each guardrail is designed to absorb the |
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| 27 | 27 | | energy from a potential impact from a motor vehicle; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (7) an estimate of the amount of money and the number |
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| 29 | 29 | | of full-time equivalent employees necessary to inspect and maintain |
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| 30 | 30 | | the guardrails. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (c) The department shall develop a plan to implement the |
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| 32 | 32 | | study conducted under Subsection (b). The plan must: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (1) dedicate a portion of money from funds related to |
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| 34 | 34 | | highway maintenance for the inspection, maintenance, and repair of |
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| 35 | 35 | | guardrails; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) establish minimum standards based on the results |
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| 37 | 37 | | of the study under which the department conducts inspection, |
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| 38 | 38 | | maintenance, and repair of guardrails; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (3) establish a schedule for the inspection, |
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| 40 | 40 | | maintenance, and repair of guardrails. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (d) The department shall: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (1) update the plan developed under Subsection (c) as |
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| 43 | 43 | | new information is made available regarding the inspection, |
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| 44 | 44 | | maintenance, and repair of guardrails; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (2) maintain records of the inspection, maintenance, |
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| 46 | 46 | | and repair of guardrails; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (3) publish on the department's Internet website the |
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| 48 | 48 | | records maintained by the department under Subdivision (2). |
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| 49 | 49 | | SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2019, the Texas |
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| 50 | 50 | | Department of Transportation shall submit to the governor, the |
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| 51 | 51 | | lieutenant governor, and the legislature a report on the results of |
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| 52 | 52 | | the study conducted under Section 201.623(b), Transportation Code, |
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| 53 | 53 | | as added by this Act. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2021, the Texas |
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| 55 | 55 | | Department of Transportation shall submit to the governor, the |
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| 56 | 56 | | lieutenant governor, and the legislature the plan required by |
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| 57 | 57 | | Section 201.623(c), Transportation Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 58 | 58 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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