Utah Admin. Code R930-7-11 - Utility Construction and Inspection

(1) General Provisions.

(a) The method used for utility construction work is generally determined by local conditions. The location, terrain, obstructions, soil conditions, topography, and UDOT standards to maintain the integrity and safety of the right of way and roadway are important considerations for the proper placing of utilities. Familiarity and compliance with this rule will facilitate the construction process for utility companies.

(b) UDOT may perform routine inspections of utility construction work to monitor compliance with the SULA, encroachment permit and with state and federal regulations. A permit may be revoked for cause if a utility company or contractor is not complying with the terms and limitations of the permit which will require a new permit at the contractor's expense to proceed with the utility construction work.

(c) Costs associated with the inspection are the responsibility of the utility company. Failure to pay inspection invoices issued by UDOT may result in revocation of the permit and may require the posting of an inspection bond on future permit applications.

(2) Utility Construction and Maintenance.

(a) The utility company may not begin any utility construction work on UDOT right of way until the permit is issued and notice to proceed is given to the utility company by UDOT. After notice to proceed is received, the utility company shall complete construction in accordance with UDOT requirements.

(b) Traffic control for utility construction and maintenance operations shall conform to UDOT's current accepted Utah MUTCD or UDOT Traffic Control Plans, whichever is more restrictive. All utility construction and maintenance operations shall be planned to keep interference with traffic to an absolute minimum. On heavily traveled highways, utility operations interfering with traffic may not be conducted during periods of peak traffic flow. This work shall be planned so that closures of intersecting streets, road approaches, or other access points are held to a minimum.

(c) When utility construction work involves existing underground utility facilities, the utility company or Utility contractor shall comply with Title 54, Chapter 8a, Damage to Underground Utility Facilities.

(d) Utility construction work shall be completed within the number of days specified in the approved permit. When the Utility construction work is not completed within the specified time UDOT has the option of extending the time or revoking the permit and acting on the appropriate bond to pay for completion of the Utility construction work. Any time extension granted by UDOT shall be in writing.

(e) Disturbance of areas within the right of way during utility construction work shall be kept to a minimum and right of way shall be restored to the satisfaction of UDOT. Utility construction work methods used within the right of way shall be performed in accordance with current Standard Specifications for Highway and Bridge Construction, UDOT Permit Excavation Handbook, the provisions of this rule, and encroachment permit requirements. Unsatisfactory utility construction work, as determined by UDOT's inspector, shall promptly be corrected to comply with appropriate standards and specifications. UDOT may issue a written notification that identifies the deficiencies and the time to cure or correct the deficiencies. If the restoration is not performed within the specified time, UDOT may perform or have performed the corrective work, and the utility company shall be responsible for any costs incurred.

(f) The utility company shall avoid disturbing or damaging existing highway drainage facilities and is responsible for repairs, including restoration of ditch flow lines. Wherever necessary, the utility company shall provide drainage away from its own facilities to avoid damage to the highway.

(g) The utility company is prohibited from spraying, cutting, or trimming trees or other landscape elements unless specific written permission is obtained from UDOT. The approval of an encroachment permit does not include approval of such work unless the cutting, spraying, and trimming is specifically indicated on the permit application. In general, when permission is given, only light trimming will be permitted. When tree removal is approved, the stump shall be removed, and the hole properly backfilled to natural ground density or restored as otherwise approved by UDOT. The work site shall be left clean and trash free. Any debris shall be removed. Reseeding shall be performed in accordance with UDOT's approved schedule.

(h) UDOT may require that any abandoned utility pipe or conduit be removed, capped, or filled with an appropriate material acceptable to UDOT.

(i) Any utility facilities located within the right of way shall be adequately maintained. Any physical modifications, relocations, additions, excavations, or impedance of traffic within the right of way shall require the submittal of a new encroachment permit application. No Utility construction work may begin until the new encroachment permit is approved.

(j) Restoration of the highway right of way disturbed by excavation, grading work, or other activities shall include reseeding and restoration of existing landscaping. Any areas that are denuded of vegetation because of construction or maintenance shall be reseeded, which is subject to inspection and acceptance by UDOT.

(3) Open Trench Construction Traversing Rights of Way.

(a) Open trench utility installations are not permitted unless an acceptable trenchless method is unfeasible such as in unsuitable soil conditions or extremely difficult rock. UDOT may also grant a deviation from requiring trenchless construction where older pavement is severely deteriorated.

(b) Open trench construction on rights of way is limited to areas where traffic impacts are minimal. Any pavement structure broken, disturbed, cut, or otherwise damaged in any way shall be removed and replaced to a design equal to or greater than the surrounding undisturbed pavement structure, or as otherwise determined by UDOT.

(c) For open trench installations, the utility company is responsible for the restoration and maintenance of the pavement structure for three years as outlined in Subsection R930-7-6(6)(b), unless a deviation from this rule as outlined in Section R930-7-13 is granted by UDOT. When the utility company or its contractor performing the Utility construction work is not equipped or fails to properly repair the damage to the pavement structure, UDOT will repair the damage and bill the utility company for the actual costs incurred, including any administrative costs. Any pavement restoration work performed by the utility company shall be completed within 48 hours after completion of the excavation and backfill.

(d) Any open trench utility installations shall conform to the applicable provisions of the current UDOT Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.

(e) It is the utility company's responsibility to restore the structural integrity of the roadbed, secure the utility facility against deformation and leakage, assure that the utility trench does not become a drainage channel and that the backfilled trench doesn't impede or alter road drainage.

(f) Trenches shall be cut to have vertical faces. Maximum width shall be two feet or the outside diameter of the pipe plus one and one-half feet on each side. Any trenches shall be shored where necessary and shall meet OSHA requirements.

(g) Bedding shall be provided to a depth of one-half the diameter of the pipe and shall consist of granular material, free from rocks, lumps, clods, cobbles, or frozen materials, and shall be graded to a firm surface without abrupt change in bearing value. Unstable soils and rock ledges shall be sub-excavated from beneath the bedding zone and replaced with suitable granular material.

(h) Backfill shall meet the current UDOT Standard Specification 02056 Embankment, Borrow and Backfill, and 03575 Flowable Fill. Additional specifications may be required by UDOT.

(i) Pavement replacement may be performed by either the utility company or a contractor engaged by the utility company. The Region Permits Officer will determine pavement replacement requirements. The utility company is liable for three years from the date of completion of the pavement replacement for the cost of repairs if the backfill subsides or the patched pavement fails.

(j) Where a utility company fails to properly repair any damage to the pavement structure, UDOT may repair the damage, and the costs, including administrative costs, will be the responsibility of the utility company.

(4) Trenchless Utility Construction.

(a) Trenchless utility installations are required for any utility crossings of highways or roadways, where practicable. This construction method is required to avoid disturbing the pavement surface, particularly where underground utilities exist on major highways, expressways, or freeways. Only UDOT -approved methods may be used to install a utility facility under a highway.

(b) Any trenchless pipeline installations shall extend under and across the entire roadway prism to a point five feet beyond the toes of the fore-slopes, borrow ditch bottom, or across the access -controlled right of way lines, but never less than 15 feet from the edge of pavement or a ramp.

(c) Water jetting or tunneling may not be used. Water-assisted or wet boring may be permitted if the utility company can demonstrate to UDOT through the deviation process outlined in Section R930-7-13 that the operation will not adversely impact the roadway and subgrade.

(d) The size of a trenchless operation shall be restricted to the minimum size necessary for the utility or pipeline installation and may not exceed the utility facility or pipeline diameter by more than 5% unless otherwise required based on equipment and product manufacturer's specifications. Grout or flowable fill backfill shall be used for carriers or casings and for over-breaks, unused holes or abandoned carriers or casings. The composition of the grout shall be cement mortar, a slurry of fine sand or other fine granular materials.

(e) Portals including surface openings and bore pits shall be established safely beyond the highway surface and the clear zone to avoid impairing the roadway during installation of the pipeline.

(f) Where a bulkhead seals the pipeline portal, the portal shall be suitably offset from the surfaced area of the highway. Shoring and bulkheading shall conform to applicable federal, state, and local jurisdiction construction and safety standards. Where a bulkhead is not installed in the pipeline, the portal shall be offset no less than the vertical difference in elevation between the surfaced area of the highway and the bottom of the bore pit.

(g) The utility company shall follow the manufacturer's guidelines and industry standards for equipment set-up and operation. The utility company shall assess soil conditions to determine the most appropriate installation technique. Subsurface bore paths shall be tracked and recorded by the utility company, and any failed bores shall be appropriately abandoned and backfilled by the utility company.

(h) Drilling fluids shall be prepared and used according to the fluid and drilling equipment manufacturer's guidelines. The utility company shall use fluid containment pits at both bore entry and exit points and shall use appropriate operational controls to avoid heaving or loss of drilling fluids from the bore. Antifreeze additives shall be non-toxic and biodegradable products.

(i) The utility company shall dispose of drilling fluids and other materials in permitted facilities that accept the types of chemicals and wastes used in the trenchless operations.

(5) Utility Markers.

(a) The location of utility facilities within highway right of way presents certain risks to construction and maintenance activities, construction personnel, and to the facility itself when work in and around the area of the utility facility is in progress. To minimize risk and maximize safety, it is the utility company's responsibility to provide identification markers and tracer wire for any buried facilities located within the highway right of way.

(b) A trace wire, metallic tape, or other accepted industry material approved by UDOT for locating utilities with geophysical equipment shall be properly installed with all non-metallic underground utility facilities.

(c) The utility company shall place permanent markers identifying the location of underground utility facilities, whether they are crossing the highway right of way or installed longitudinally along the highway right of way. Markers may not interfere with highway safety and maintenance operations. Preferably, markers shall be located at the right of way line if that location will provide adequate warning. The telephone number for one-call notification services to request marking the line location prior to excavation, and for emergency response, shall appear on the marker.

(d) The utility company shall maintain its markers in good condition. Color faded markers shall be replaced as necessary so that their visibility to maintenance crews and others is not impaired.

(6) GPS Requirements.

(a) It is the responsibility of the utility company to produce and maintain a set of certified reproducible plans and an electronic file showing the location of any of the utility company's utility facilities within the right of way including overhead facilities and crossing points. The utility company is responsible for maintaining an accurate file to be used by UDOT for future planning to avoid utility conflicts. These plans shall also include appropriate vertical and horizontal ties to the highway survey control.

(b) For new and relocated facility installations, the utility company shall use a survey grade Global Positioning System (GPS) to survey their facility locations and submit an electronic file to UDOT. Specific requirements for survey data will be determined by UDOT. The location survey points shall include major junction points, manholes, valves, changes in line or grade, and any other significant feature that will facilitate installation approval and future planning activities.

(c) If the utility company fails to provide UDOT with a set of plans and files showing the surveyed utility locations upon request then the utility company shall secure the actual locations of their facilities at no cost to UDOT. If the utility company fails to provide the utility location information requested within ten days, UDOT may hire a Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) consultant to locate the utilities at the utility company's expense.

Notes

Utah Admin. Code R930-7-11

Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2019-16, effective 7/23/2019 Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2024-24, effective 12/11/2024