Engineering Standards

Background

This site is intended to be a repository of planning, design, and construction standards and guidance documents adopted by the City of Burlington (approved by City Council 12/18/2023).

The Department of Public Works developed the City of Burlington Engineering Standards, which is made up of drawings and specifications for construction of typical features in the City’s right-of-way. Engineering standards facilitate infrastructure being built consistently throughout the right-of-way. In general, these Standards include things like means and methods for construction and materials specifications. The Standards are based on:

Best practices from water resources and transportation capital projects,
Great Streets components, and
Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) Standard Specifications for Construction, with modifications for procedures that are specific to Burlington.

Standard Drawings

The following table shows the current and any archived standard drawings:

Document	Department	ID	Date
Utility Patches	DPW - Water Resources	A-1-BURL	12/18/23
Street Typical Section	DPW - Technical Services	A-2-BURL	12/18/23
Paving Manholes and Catch Basins	DPW - Streets	A-3-BURL	12/18/23
Side Path	DPW - Streets	A-4-BURL	12/18/23
Paved Driveway Apron Handwork	DPW - Streets	B-1-BURL	12/18/23
Sidewalk	DPW - Streets	C-1-BURL	12/18/23
Curb	DPW - Streets	C-2-BURL	12/18/23
Quickbuild Curb Extension	DPW - Streets	C-3-BURL	12/18/23
Sanitary Standard Details	DPW - Water Resources	D-1-BURL	12/18/23
Stormwater Standard Details	DPW - Water Resources	D-2-BURL	12/18/23
Water Standard Details I	DPW - Water Resources	D-3-BURL	12/18/23
Water Standard Details II	DPW - Water Resources	D-4-BURL	12/18/23
Wheel Chair Grate	DPW - Water Resources	D-6-BURL	12/18/23
Seed	DPW - BPRW	E-1-BURL	12/18/23
Speed Hump and Table	DPW - Streets	T-1-BURL	12/18/23
Bikeway Markings	DPW - Traffic	T-2-BURL	12/18/23
Pavement Markings	DPW - Traffic	T-3-BURL	12/18/23
Speed Hump/Table Pavement Marking	DPW - Traffic	T-4-BURL	12/18/23

Any work done using these Standards is subject to review and approval by the City of Burlington. The Standards are to be used by engineering professionals for projects within the City. The Standards may need to be modified with approval by the City Engineer to meet project specific applications. The Standards do not cover all aspects of water resources and other infrastructure and it is the responsibility of the designer to ensure construction details are complete for specific applications. The City is not responsible for the misuse of these Standards for applications where they are not appropriate.

Written Construction Specifications

These Specifications are compiled here. This document is for use in all City funded projects in the ROW and any Private projects seeking to be turned over to the City at any point. All sections may not apply to every project. In general, the City of Burlington specifications reference the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s specifications. However, certain sections, as called out below, are added into Burlington’s specifications or have modifications to meet the needs of Burlington.

Please find the Contractor Pre-qualification Application here (updated 2023) pursuant to the Burlington Code of Ordinances Chapter 21, Article V, Prequalification of Construction Contractors.

Section #	Section Name	Date
	VTRANS PROJECT SPECIAL PROVISIONS	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Utilities	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Temporary Construction Signs	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Retroreflective Sheeting	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Gender Free Single Occupancy Restrooms	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Contaminated Sharps (Hypodermic Needles)	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Environmental Commitments	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Parking Restrictions	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Measures to Mitigate Potential Impacts Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Site Condition	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Concurrent Construction	12/18/23
	Notice to Bidders - Standard Drawings	12/18/23
100	General Provisions	12/18/23
101	Definitions and Terms	12/18/23
105	Control of Work	12/18/23
106	Control of Materials	12/18/23
107	Legal Relations and Responsibility of the Public	12/18/23
108	Prosecution and Progress	12/18/23
300	Subbase and Base Coarses	12/18/23
301	Subbase	12/18/23
600	Incidental Construction	12/18/23
641	Traffic Control	12/18/23
651	Turf Establishment	12/18/23
653	Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control	12/18/23
656	Planting Trees, Shrubs, and Vines	12/18/23
659	Exposing of Roots for Street Trees	12/18/23
675	Traffic Signs	12/18/23
700	Materials	12/18/23
755	Landscaping and EPSC Materials	12/18/23
800	City of Burlington Provisions	12/18/23
801	Driveway Aprons	12/18/23
820	Traffic Calming	12/18/23
830	Structure Adjustment	12/18/23
	City of Burlington Provisions	12/18/23
	Authority to Close Streets to Parking	12/18/23
	Street Trees	12/18/23
	Restoration of Existing Surfaces	12/18/23
	Working Hours	12/18/23
	Winter Shutdown	12/18/23
	Hazardous Materials	12/18/23
	Historic Preservation	12/18/23
	Driveway Apron and Curb Cuts	12/18/23
	As-Built Drawings	12/18/23
	Right of Way Acceptance	12/18/23
	Private Streets	12/18/23