Highway / Utility Coordination

1. Highway / Utility Coordination • Federal Requirements • LPA Utility Procedures Guide • Reimbursement Requirements

2. Highway / Utility Coordination • What is the goal of a coordinated Hwy / Utility relocation program?

11. AASHTO STUDY • Utility relocation is one of the main causes of delays and added expense to road construction projects!

12. Root of the Problem • Communication • Cooperation • Coordination

13. Federal Requirements • Must have an approved program and procedures for utility relocation and accommodation. • Lacking a federally approved program, local agencies must follow the ODOT approved program. • Require written statement certifying that utility work is complete or that arrangements have been made in the bid documents which allow relocation to run concurrently with the highway construction.

14. Federal Enforcement • If the approved procedures are not followed, FHWA may not participate in construction delay claims caused by utilities.

15. Approved Procedures • LPA Utility Guide • Highway / Utility Guide • FHWA Program Guide

20. Reimbursable Utility Work • Funding • Federal Requirements

21. Funding – UR Phase • 4 – Funding Phases in all STIP Projects • Preliminary Engineering • Right of Way • Utility Relocation (UR) • Construction • Each Phase requires separate federal funding approval. • UR Phase is required to fund work accomplished by the Utility or its contractor. • Adding a UR Phase to an approved project requires an amendment that can take between 1 and 6 weeks depending on the location of the project being within an MPO. • It is important to identify potential reimbursable impacts and budget for them in the UR Phase as early as possible.

22. Reimbursable Utility Work • Funding • Federal Requirements

23. Federal Requirements • Must have an agreement with the Utility and have written Federal/State approval prior to the Utility starting Preliminary Engineering or Relocation work. • Preliminary engineering or relocation work by a utility, prior to written approval, will not be eligible for federal funding. These expenses would then be the sole responsibility of the LPA. • Preliminary coordination and engineering work needed to determine the extent of utility conflicts does not require approval. • Approvals can take between 1-4 weeks once an approved reimbursement package has been received.

24. Summary • Follow approved utility program • Written Certification that Utility Coordination is complete • If Utility Reimbursement - Need to set up a UR Phase fund • Need prior written approval before utilities start PE or Const work

25. End of Presentation www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/ROW/utility_resource.shtml