(a)  The director of the department of transportation shall establish rules and regulations for the use of steel plates on roadway surfaces used to protect an excavation. At a minimum, the rules and regulations shall consider steel plates designed for the safety of vehicles and pedestrians to include:

(1)  Steel plates shall withstand traffic loading without movement;

(2)  When two (2) or more steel plates are used, the plates shall be welded in a manner to eliminate vertical movement;

(3)  All steel plates shall be marked with the utility or contractor name and contact information;

(4)  Steel plates shall be installed to extend a minimum of eighteen inches (18?) beyond the edge of the excavation;

(5)  Temporary paving with a cold asphalt mix or installation of other suitably manufactured equipment shall be used to feather the edges of the plate to form a wedged taper to cover the edges of the steel plate;

(6)  Each corner of the steel plate shall be marked with durable and highly reflective white pavement marking tape no less than four inches (4?) in width;

(7)  The exposed surface area of the steel plate shall be slip resistant when required by the DPW director or other appropriate municipal approval authority; and

(8)  All signage advising motorists of the steel plate shall be in compliance with the current edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

(b)  The director of the department of transportation may authorize use of steel plates on roadway surfaces that fail to comply with subsection (a) in an emergency situation or for public safety purposes.