Manual of Practice

The City of Champaign Planning & Development Department and Public Works Departments have started the process to complete the annual administrative updates to the Manual of Practice.  The Manual of Practice is a technical standard document that clarifies the City’s requirements and standards for the design and standards of new public infrastructure as a result of a new subdivision in the City of in a mile and a half of the City.  Additionally, the Manual of Practice outlines the format and information shown on the documents that are required to be submitted to complete a new subdivision.  These technical specification are too detailed to be identified in the code, and they utilize current best practices on the construction and design of new development.  The Manual of Practice allows the City to respond to improved practices over time, by annually updating the Manual to reflect current standards.

You are invited to attend a Virtual Meeting to learn more about the proposed changes to the Manual of Practice.  The Virtual Meeting will be held on Thursday, September 28, at 2:00 pm Central Time.

The Zoom meeting will require a registration in advance in order to attend.  The link to register is below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpfuGvqTMrGtQql2ppCGLUiGi6pUB8gJe7

Proposed Changes

City Staff is proposing amendments to Four Chapters in the Manual of Practice.  They are:

Chapter 10: Pavement Standards

• Collector street thickness will increase from 9 inches for concrete streets and 10 inches for asphalt streets.
• Transverse joints on collector streets will be required to provide a smooth dowel load transfer.
• Pavement joints shall be no longer than 12 feet any dimension.

Chapter 12:  Traffic Control and Traffic Regulatory Signage

• Clarifying the process for fabricating and installing street signs.
• Clarifying the standard font for street signs is Highway Gothic.
• Clarifying pieces of the construction process for street improvements.
• Updated Standard Attachments.

Chapter 13:  Right-of-Way Lighting Standards

• Updates the foot-candles for streetlights on different street classifications.
• Reduces the maximum height of streetlights to 35 feet and eliminates 12 foot truss arms as an option on street lights.
• Eliminates green as a color option for new street light poles.

Chapter 15:  General Utility Requirements

• Increases the depth for telephone lines under streets and in the right-of-way.
• Clarifies the types of directional boring allowed for the installation of utilities under streets.
• Formalizes the expectations for Utility Companies to restore earth work after digging resulting from utility maintenance.

Please contact Jeff Marino, Senior Planner at [email protected] or 217-403-8800 or Marchello Grady, Civil Engineer III at [email protected] or 217-403-4700 if you have any questions.