---
kind: "section"
citation: "23 C.F.R. § 650.507"
title: "23"
number: "650.507"
heading: "Tunnel inspection organization responsibilities."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/23/650.507"
---

# §650.507. Tunnel inspection organization responsibilities.

- (a) Each State DOT shall inspect, or cause to be inspected, all highway tunnels located on public roads, on and off Federal-aid highways, that are fully or partially located within the State's boundaries, except for tunnels that are owned by Federal agencies or tribal governments.
- (b) Each Federal agency shall inspect, or cause to be inspected, all highway tunnels located on public roads, on and off Federal-aid highways, that are fully or partially located within the respective agency's responsibility or jurisdiction.
- (c) Each tribal government shall inspect, or cause to be inspected, all highway tunnels located on public roads, on and off Federal-aid highways, that are fully or partially located within the respective tribal government's responsibility or jurisdiction.
- (d) Where a tunnel is jointly owned, all bordering States, Federal agencies, and tribal governments with ownership interests should determine through a joint formal written agreement the inspection responsibilities of each State, Federal agency, and tribal government.
- (e) Each State that contains one or more tunnels subject to these regulations, or Federal agency or tribal government with a tunnel under its jurisdiction, shall include a tunnel inspection organization that is responsible for all of the following:
  - (1) Statewide, Federal agency-wide, or tribal government-wide tunnel inspection policies and procedures (both general and tunnel-specific), quality control and quality assurance procedures, and preparation and maintenance of a tunnel inventory.
  - (2) Tunnel inspections, written reports, load ratings, management of critical findings, and other requirements of these standards.
  - (3) Maintaining a registry of nationally certified tunnel inspectors that work in their State or for their Federal agency or tribal government that includes, at a minimum, a method to positively identify each inspector, documentation that the inspector's training requirements are up-to-date, the inspector's current contact information, and detailed information about any adverse action that may affect the good standing of the inspector.
  - (4) A process, developed under the direction of a Professional Engineer and approved by FHWA, to determine when an inspection Team Leader's qualifications must meet [§ 650.509(b)(4)](/cfr/23/650.509.md?p=b-4) in order to adequately and appropriately lead an inspection of a complex tunnel or a tunnel with distinctive features or functions. At a minimum, the process shall consider a tunnel's type of construction, functional systems, history of performance, and physical and operational conditions.
- (f) A State DOT, Federal agency, or tribal government may delegate functions identified in paragraphs [(e)(1)](#e-1), [(2)](#e-2), and [(3)](#e-3) of this section through a formal written agreement, but such delegation does not relieve the State DOT, Federal agency, or tribal government of any of its responsibilities under this subpart.
- (g) The State DOT, Federal agency, or tribal government tunnel inspection organization shall have a Program Manager with the qualifications listed in [§ 650.509(a)](/cfr/23/650.509.md?p=a), who has been delegated responsibility for paragraphs [(e)(1)](#e-1), [(2)](#e-2), and [(3)](#e-3) of this section.

## Notes

### Source

Source: 80 FR 41368, July 14, 2015, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 119, 144, and 315.