Can the Transportation Review Unit (TRU) require less than the current AASHTO standards?
For state and federally funded projects, the TRU would expect that the current AASHTO standards are being met. However, if there is an environmental concern associated with a project designed to AASHTO standards, the TRU could request that a design exception be requested from the Federal Highway Administration or the Michigan Department of Transportation to allow certain aspects of the project to be designed to specifications less than the AASHTO standards. There are situations where it may be appropriate to design to specifications that do not meet the standards, particularly to reduce natural resource impacts, however, this should be reviewed and discussed by all agencies involved in the project. 18.
