CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES

APC is compiling information to help keep its members and the transportation construction industry informed on important issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

l

LATEST UPDATES

Updated Restart Guidance

May 6, 2020

There has been a need to introduce a change to the Revised Guidance for Restarting Construction...

CDL Services

Apr 27, 2020

Many Construction projects in Pennsylvania will resume beginning Friday, May 1, 2020 as part of...

Flagging Training Extension

Apr 21, 2020

The Department has issued the following: In accordance with Governor Wolf’s March 11, 2020...

n

RESOURCES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
i

COVID-19 GUIDANCE RESTARTING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS - Revised

The following document provides guidance for use by PennDOT and the PA Turnpike Commission in restarting construction projects that were suspended in response to COVID-19 mitigation.

i

PA Department of Health

i

PA Department ofLabor & Industry

i

PENNDOT / UAS GUIDANCE - UTILIZING DRONES FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING

This document provides interim policy for the employment of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), otherwise known as drones during this period of social distancing as a precaution for COVID-19.

i

Process to Reopen Pennsylvania

Process to Reopen Pennsylvania – Governor Tom Wolf

i

CRITICAL PROJECTS

Listing of jobs deemed critical for restart by PemmDOT.

i

BEARER LETTER FOR EMPLOYEES

SUGGESTED LANGUAGE FOR INCLUSION IN A BEARER LETTER FOR EMPLOYEES OF HIGHWAY CONTRACTORS OR FIRMS SERVICING EMERGENCY/CRITICAL HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS:

i

PennDOT – COVID19 Jobsite Safety Procedure

i

PDOT QC Plan/Site-Specific COVID-19 Plan

Linked below are 2 templates prepared by the PA Asphalt Pavement Association in order to comply with the PennDOT/PTC requirement for “Restarting Construction Projects” for aggregate, concrete, and asphalt facilities. The templates were created by Mark Moyer, New Enterprise Stone and Lime Co.

i

OSHA Guidance on Recordkeeping

i

U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency

LINKS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

APC Questions and Answers (to the best of our ability as of April 2, 2020)
Are the 61 emergency/critical projects that have been started part of the Phase One Restart?

No, the 61 project restarted were done so because they are emergency and critical projects.  Contractors who have Phase One projects will be contacted for restart at a later date.

Where are the documents you spoke of regarding safety requirements on PENNDOT ECMS site?

http://www.paconstructors.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Guidance-for-Restarting-Construction-Projects-Final-v1.6-3-30-20.pdf

Is there a published list of the 61 projects that are returning to work?

YES.  Contractors will be contacted individually if their project is among those to restart.  There are approximately 800 active projects that are currently directed to cease operations.

Will the 61 projects open up for all types of work activities or just "low" risk activities?

Projects are determined by District, not necessarily by type of work.

 

Any idea when other projects beyond the 61 will restart?

This is very fluid. Hopefully, more will move in the next two weeks.

 

Has our industry been designated as Life Sustaining?

Highway, Street and Bridge Construction has a notation that emergency work may continue. The press release refers to emergency and critical work.  See suggested Bearer Letter language on the APC website.

If your company is part of the 61-project restart, does that also mean that the offices are allowed to reopen in support of the work?

Yes, see suggested Bearer Letter:

 

DCED website states that individuals do NOT need documentation to travel. Why this Bearer letter?

Since there is so much confusion as to what is a Life Sustaining business, we suggest you keep a copy of a Bearer letter on your letterhead and a copy of the March 31 press release at your office or worksite or with employees visiting a possible jobsite during the bidding process.  Reminder: this is suggested language not definitive language or legal advice.

What will be required of our subcontractors? Will it be assumed that they follow the general contractor’s COVID-19 plan or do they need their own?

The Guidance for Restart for Construction Projects addresses that issue.

Will projects be moved from the April 9th letting? If so, will the new 408 be implemented on the moved projects? The sooner we know if and when the letting dates are moved will really help with the volume of let projects?

As of April 3, there were 31 projects on the list for the April 9 Letting. It is PennDOT’s intention to let all of those projects unless there is a particular issue with bid documents on a particular project.  There may be one project added to the April 9 letting.

In light of the Governor's order are contractors legally allowed to perform pre-bid site visits for jobs currently being let in PA?

Yes

What are your thoughts on getting employees to return to work who are getting an additional $600.00 per week on unemployment?

Individual companies will have to make determinations regarding how to handle personnel issues.

Are the projects being let considered emergency, especially if they fall within a county that has a "Stay-At-Home" Order? Are the non-essential contractors allowed to look at the projects being bid in those Counties?

Yes.

Who is supplying the contractors with an "Essential Employee Letter" in the event stopped by emergency personnel?

Suggested bullet points letter: 

Can local township projects resume if the municipality wants to resume? And, Are Local projects allowed to restart work following the CDC Guidelines or are they to remain on hold?

APC is asking PennDOT for direction regarding Local Sponsor projects.

The following is on the Governor’s website:

“What does this mean for county and local governments?

Governments should use their best judgment in exercising their authorities and issuing implementation directives and guidance.

All such decisions should appropriately balance public health and safety, while ensuring the continued delivery of critical services and functions. Government employees and contractors should continue to operate under the direction of their supervisors.”

The following is on the PSATS’s website:

“Should our road crew be working? That is a decision that each township must make in accordance with the governor’s guidance. Townships must continue to provide emergency maintenance but should refrain from starting new projects. You could also do routine maintenance if appropriate social distancing can be maintained. Many townships are delaying routine maintenance due to the order.”

 

What can individual contractors do to compel the state to allow construction to continue on all PA DOT, private & other projects?

Some legislators and other building organizations are advocating for entire industry restart.

 

Once this COVID-19 settles down can the industry use the fact that we are recognized as providing a critical function to our economy to get an increase in highway funding?

There is currently a push in Congress to include infrastructure funding in the next wave of Stimulus funding.