a different type of utility coordination? by mark porter

A Different Type of Utility A Different Type of Utility Coordination?Coordination?

bybyMark PorterMark Porter

Design/Construction ProcessDesign/Construction Process

Growth –Growth – Florida is growing at a rapid Florida is growing at a rapid

pace. In order to meet the pace. In order to meet the needs of the traveling public needs of the traveling public many sections of both many sections of both existing and new alignment existing and new alignment are being designed and built are being designed and built to accommodate the growing to accommodate the growing needs of the state.needs of the state.

Why Are Utilities in the ROWWhy Are Utilities in the ROW Utility facilities and services Utility facilities and services

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

Design ProcessDesign Process

Determination of who will Determination of who will perform Utility Work perform Utility Work

Assure compatibility of all Assure compatibility of all components of the project components of the project to effectively plan a safe, to effectively plan a safe, viable, and balanced facilityviable, and balanced facility

Determine UAO’s with Determine UAO’s with facilities within the project facilities within the project ROWROW

Begin coordination Begin coordination meetings with the meetings with the respective participantsrespective participants

Develop utility involvement Develop utility involvement either by work either by work schedules/JPA’s or no schedules/JPA’s or no conflict lettersconflict letters

Design ProcessDesign Process FINAL COORDINATION FINAL COORDINATION

OF UTILITIESOF UTILITIES Planned Utility Relocations Planned Utility Relocations

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

Certification process Certification process packaged and submittedpackaged and submitted

Utility Construction ManagementUtility Construction Management

Purpose:Purpose: To establish a uniform To establish a uniform

procedure and to act as a procedure and to act as a liaison between the liaison between the Department and the Utility Department and the Utility Agencies/OwnersAgencies/Owners

Represent the Department’s Represent the Department’s best interest for the success of best interest for the success of the projectthe project

Develop a common ground for Develop a common ground for both the Department and the both the Department and the Utility Owner. Utility Owner. We both serve We both serve the same public interestthe same public interest

Reduce conflicts, minimize Reduce conflicts, minimize cost and significantly cost and significantly reduce the amount of reduce the amount of construction delaysconstruction delays

Claims avoidance! Claims avoidance!

Utility Construction Utility Construction ManagementManagement

Identify a program data base Identify a program data base that provides route, location, that provides route, location, nature of improvements, nature of improvements, probable dates of constructionprobable dates of construction

Additional constructability Additional constructability reviews especially against reviews especially against phasingphasing

Evaluate the most economical Evaluate the most economical sequence of construction sequence of construction relative to affected utilities relative to affected utilities requiring requiring relocation/adjustments relocation/adjustments

Develop a logical sequence of Develop a logical sequence of construction efforts between construction efforts between the effected utility agenciesthe effected utility agencies

Utility Construction ManagementUtility Construction Management Utility schedules may not include all Utility schedules may not include all

the work necessary on a particular the work necessary on a particular project.project.

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

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

All of the plans package may not All of the plans package may not have been available to the utility have been available to the utility when they were preparing the when they were preparing the relocation package. relocation package.

Utilities do not know how the Utilities do not know how the contractor intends to build roads contractor intends to build roads and bridges.and bridges.

The utility work may not have The utility work may not have been properly coordinated been properly coordinated between utility companies.between utility companies.

Most of the time the UAO’s involvement and/or sense of Most of the time the UAO’s involvement and/or sense of urgency dictates the projects success…urgency dictates the projects success…



DOT’s Side of Conflict’sDOT’s Side of Conflict’s Production Date!!Production Date!! Have to use Utility Have to use Utility

information provided by information provided by the UAO’sthe UAO’s

Don’t know how Don’t know how contractors build what contractors build what they designthey design

Don’t get contractors’ Don’t get contractors’ schedulesschedules

Expect Utilities to Expect Utilities to properly identify conflictsproperly identify conflicts

Utility Construction Utility Construction ManagementManagement

Contractors Side of Contractors Side of ThingsThings Outside their controlOutside their control Causes delaysCauses delays Don’t know how Don’t know how

utilities relocate or utilities relocate or buildbuild

Expect the Expect the Department to solveDepartment to solve


Utility Side of ThingsUtility Side of Things

Don’t know where they Don’t know where they areare

bad as-buildsbad as-builds took over other took over other

companiescompanies Don’t confirm plans to Don’t confirm plans to

realityreality Don’t know how to read Don’t know how to read

our plansour plans Don’t get all of our plansDon’t get all of our plans


There hasn't been a project There hasn't been a project designed yet that has clearly designed yet that has clearly identified every possible utility identified every possible utility conflict or relocation. conflict or relocation.

We identify possible problem We identify possible problem areas before they become a areas before they become a problem/cost and assist with problem/cost and assist with scheduling the utility work scheduling the utility work accordingly. accordingly.


How do we anticipate where How do we anticipate where utility conflicts may occur? utility conflicts may occur?

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

We try and get ahead of the game as far in advance as possible.


Walk the siteWalk the site Uncover/locateUncover/locate Review field finding Review field finding

locations against locations against “Utility Work “Utility Work Schedule” locations.Schedule” locations.

Value EngineeringValue Engineering Is there any simple Is there any simple

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

Determine real perspective (how wide are pipes)Ditch width and slopeConstruction methodPiles, lights, signals, sign bases not shown


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!


BridgesBridges

Results of Poor Planning/CoordinationResults of Poor Planning/Coordination

Insufficient time for utility relocationInsufficient time for utility relocation Slowness of utilities in relocationSlowness of utilities in relocation Shifting project and utility schedules or prioritiesShifting project and utility schedules or priorities Project or utility plans with errors and omissionsProject or utility plans with errors and omissions Late changes to plansLate changes to plans Higher cost for everyoneHigher cost for everyone Public complaints Public complaints


JPAJPA Typically utilized by Utility Owners with a Typically utilized by Utility Owners with a

significant amount of relocation or interest in significant amount of relocation or interest in installing new facilities along the FDOT ROW.installing new facilities along the FDOT ROW.• You get competitive biddingYou get competitive bidding• Contractor performs your workContractor performs your work• This work must be included in his schedule so its This work must be included in his schedule so its

hard to derive at a claim for delays hard to derive at a claim for delays • You have contract unit pricesYou have contract unit prices


ClaimsClaims Additional work outside the original scope.Additional work outside the original scope.

• Contractor must provide an intent to claimContractor must provide an intent to claim• If additional cost are involved it is the utility owners If additional cost are involved it is the utility owners

responsibility to settle with the contractor per responsibility to settle with the contractor per CPAMCPAM

• Time Delays can become very costly on incentive Time Delays can become very costly on incentive projects projects


Reimbursable AgreementsReimbursable Agreements Utility work associated with a specific project that falls Utility work associated with a specific project that falls

under reimbursement allows the Utility Owner to be under reimbursement allows the Utility Owner to be compensated for adjustments necessary for proposed compensated for adjustments necessary for proposed workwork

• Utility Owner must submit an engineers estimateUtility Owner must submit an engineers estimate• If additional conflict areas arise not identified during design, If additional conflict areas arise not identified during design,

the utility owner must submit a revised engineers cost the utility owner must submit a revised engineers cost estimate to encumber additional monies before the work estimate to encumber additional monies before the work beginsbegins

• Notification before work begins and ends is a must Notification before work begins and ends is a must


Utility Work SchedulesUtility Work Schedules Identifies utility work associated for a specific project Identifies utility work associated for a specific project

and time within a phase for the work to be performedand time within a phase for the work to be performed• Contractor must include this within his scheduleContractor must include this within his schedule• Changes to original MOT phasing must include approved Changes to original MOT phasing must include approved

schedules before being changedschedules before being changed• Additional time used by a utility owner to perform Additional time used by a utility owner to perform

adjustments outside the original time indicated usually adjustments outside the original time indicated usually entitles the contractor moneyentitles the contractor money

• Make sure your special constraints are discussed with the Make sure your special constraints are discussed with the contractor at the start of the project contractor at the start of the project


PermitsPermits Identifies requested utility work to be performed within Identifies requested utility work to be performed within

the FDOT ROWthe FDOT ROW• 30 day process IF all the required information is included30 day process IF all the required information is included• Especially on a incentive project make sure you initiate this Especially on a incentive project make sure you initiate this

request early to allow any revisions/submittals that may be request early to allow any revisions/submittals that may be needed of youneeded of you

• Most permit applications are returned due to MOT and lack Most permit applications are returned due to MOT and lack of proposed information (diameter, offsets, other utilities, of proposed information (diameter, offsets, other utilities, method of installation method of installation

Question?Question?

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

Questions?Questions?

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


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


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


Should I document a Should I document a possible claim situation?possible claim situation?

Utility Construction ManagementUtility Construction Management Be involvedBe involved Attend MeetingsAttend Meetings E-MailE-Mail Write down everything. If Write down everything. If

an agreement is reached an agreement is reached in the field ‑ document it in the field ‑ document it and copy everyone. Talk and copy everyone. Talk to the Utility Engineer or to the Utility Engineer or Construction Coordinator Construction Coordinator when you have the when you have the problemproblem

Try and stay ahead of the Try and stay ahead of the contractor and be aware contractor and be aware of their scheduleof their schedule

Utility Construction ManagementUtility Construction ManagementUtility Design CoordinationUtility Design CoordinationConstruction Services Utility Construction Services Utility

Coordination & InspectionCoordination & Inspection Inspection and Oversight of Utility Inspection and Oversight of Utility

Services InstallationServices InstallationDesignDesignPermittingPermittingScheduling ReviewScheduling ReviewConflict AnalysisConflict AnalysisAs-BuiltsAs-Builts

Mark Porter

Wilbur Smith Associates

O: 407-896-5851, C: 407-947-2611, F 407-896-9165

a different type of utility coordination? by mark porter

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