A Different Type of Utility

Coordination?

Design/Construction Process

Growth
Florida is growing at a rapid
pace. In order to meet the
needs of the traveling public
many sections of both
existing and new alignment
are being designed and built
to accommodate the growing
needs of the state.
Why Are Utilities in the ROW

Utility facilities and services

are recognized by the Florida
Legislature as serving the
public welfare. As such,
Statutes provide for the use
of public rights of ways by
utility companies. SS 125.42,
337.401, 362.01.

Design Process

Determination of who will

perform Utility Work

Assure compatibility of all

components of the project
to effectively plan a safe,
viable, and balanced facility
Determine UAOs with
facilities within the project
ROW
Begin coordination
meetings with the
respective participants
Develop utility involvement
either by work
schedules/JPAs or no
conflict letters

Design Process

FINAL COORDINATION
OF UTILITIES

Planned Utility Relocations

With Contract Provisions.
Every DOT project will
include in the special
provisions package copies
of utility relocation
schedules if utility work
was anticipated. These
schedules specify each
utilities existing and
proposed facilities, as well
as the activities and time
frames needed to install,
relocate or adjust them
Certification process
packaged and submitted

Utility Construction Management

Purpose:

To establish a uniform
procedure and to act as a
liaison between the
Department and the Utility
Agencies/Owners
Represent the Departments
best interest for the success of
the project
Develop a common ground for
both the Department and the
Utility Owner. We both serve
the same public interest

Reduce conflicts, minimize

cost and significantly
reduce the amount of
construction delays

Claims avoidance!

Utility Construction
Management

Identify a program data base

that provides route, location,
nature of improvements,
probable dates of construction
Additional constructability
reviews especially against
phasing
Evaluate the most economical
sequence of construction
relative to affected utilities
requiring
relocation/adjustments
Develop a logical sequence of
construction efforts between
the effected utility agencies

Utility Construction Management

Utility schedules may not include all the

work necessary on a particular project.

Utility schedules vary in their

correctness and detail from utility
to utility. Some utilities will provide
very precise details as to their
phases of work, others merely give
an overall estimate of time for the
overall activity.

Utility companies have as much

difficulty understanding our plans
as we do theirs. Especially urban
intense projects involving major
design features.

All of the plans package may not

have been available to the utility
when they were preparing the
relocation package.

Utilities do not know how the

contractor intends to build roads
and bridges.

The utility work may not have been

properly coordinated between
utility companies.

Utility Construction Management

Most of the time the UAOs involvement and/or sense of

urgency dictates the projects success

Utility Construction Management

DOTs Side of Conflicts

Production Date!!
Have to use Utility
information provided by
the UAOs
Dont know how
contractors build what
they design
Dont get contractors
schedules
Expect Utilities to
properly identify conflicts

Utility Construction
Management

Contractors Side of
Things

Outside their control

Causes delays
Dont know how
utilities relocate or
build
Expect the
Department to solve

Utility Construction Management

Utility Side of Things

Dont know where they

are
bad as-builds
took over other
companies
Dont confirm plans to
reality
Dont know how to read
our plans
Dont get all of our plans

Utility Construction Management

There hasn't been a project

designed yet that has clearly
identified every possible utility
conflict or relocation.
We identify possible problem
areas before they become a
problem/cost and assist with
scheduling the utility work
accordingly.

Utility Construction Management

How do we anticipate where

utility conflicts may occur?
Obviously, you need to be able
to anticipate this in order to
minimize delays and claims
due to "unforeseen" conflicts.

We try and get ahead of the

game as far in advance as
possible.

Utility Construction Management

Walk the site

Uncover/locate
Review field finding
locations against
Utility Work
Schedule locations.
Value Engineering

Is there any simple

design changes that
could be put in place
to avoid a costly
adjustment?

Determine real perspective

(how wide are pipes)
Ditch width and slope
Construction method
Piles, lights, signals, sign
bases not shown

Utility Construction Management

CSX
Coordinating utility adjustments
adjacent or direct crossings
within CSX ROW including CSX
permitting.
Vincent
Montgomery is
also available
to help you by
using his
charm to get
you your CSX
permit faster
than imagined!

Utility Construction Management

Bridges

Results of Poor Planning/Coordination

Insufficient time for utility relocation

Slowness of utilities in relocation
Shifting project and utility schedules or priorities
Project or utility plans with errors and omissions
Late changes to plans
Higher cost for everyone
Public complaints

Utility Construction Management

JPA

Typically utilized by Utility Owners with a

significant amount of relocation or interest in
installing new facilities along the FDOT ROW.
You get competitive bidding
Contractor performs your work
This work must be included in his schedule so its
hard to derive at a claim for delays
You have contract unit prices

Utility Construction Management

Claims

Additional work outside the original scope.

Contractor must provide an intent to claim
If additional cost are involved it is the utility owners
responsibility to settle with the contractor per
CPAM
Time Delays can become very costly on incentive
projects

Utility Construction Management

Reimbursable Agreements

Utility work associated with a specific project that falls

under reimbursement allows the Utility Owner to be
compensated for adjustments necessary for proposed
work
Utility Owner must submit an engineers estimate
If additional conflict areas arise not identified during design,
the utility owner must submit a revised engineers cost
estimate to encumber additional monies before the work
begins
Notification before work begins and ends is a must

Utility Construction Management

Utility Work Schedules

Identifies utility work associated for a specific project

and time within a phase for the work to be performed
Contractor must include this within his schedule
Changes to original MOT phasing must include approved
schedules before being changed
Additional time used by a utility owner to perform
adjustments outside the original time indicated usually
entitles the contractor money
Make sure your special constraints are discussed with the
contractor at the start of the project

Utility Construction Management

Permits

Identifies requested utility work to be performed within

the FDOT ROW
30 day process IF all the required information is included
Especially on a incentive project make sure you initiate this
request early to allow any revisions/submittals that may be
needed of you
Most permit applications are returned due to MOT and lack
of proposed information (diameter, offsets, other utilities,
method of installation

Question?
Why did the Designer/EOR
design over my utility line
without making sure it was
included in my UWS?

Questions?
Can changes after final
design be made to allow a
utility that was originally
slotted to be relocated to
now remain in place?

Questions?
What if I felt I had a conflict
during design and brought
it to the attention of the
designer yet is was never
taken into consideration
or added to my UWS?

Questions?
Can the Contractor perform
my utility work without
having a JPA?

Questions?
Should I document a
possible claim situation?

Utility Construction Management

Be involved
Attend Meetings
E-Mail
Write down everything. If
an agreement is reached
in the field document it
and copy everyone. Talk
to the Utility Engineer or
Construction Coordinator
when you have the
problem
Try and stay ahead of the
contractor and be aware
of their schedule

Mark Porter
Wilbur Smith Associates
O: 407-896-5851, C: 407-947-2611, F 407-896-9165
Utility Construction Management
Utility Design Coordination
Construction Services Utility
Coordination & Inspection
Inspection and Oversight of Utility
Services Installation
Design
Permitting
Scheduling Review
Conflict Analysis
As-Builts