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A Different Type of Utility Coordination? by Mark Porter

A Different Type of Utility Coordination? by Mark Porter. Design/Construction Process. Growth –

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A Different Type of Utility Coordination? by Mark Porter

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  1. A Different Type of Utility Coordination?byMark Porter

  2. 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.

  3. 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 UAO’s with facilities within the project ROW • Begin coordination meetings with the respective participants • Develop utility involvement either by work schedules/JPA’s or no conflict letters

  4. 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

  5. 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 Department’s 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!

  6. 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

  7. 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.

  8. Utility Construction Management • Most of the time the UAO’s involvement and/or sense of urgency dictates the projects success…

  9. Utility Construction Management • DOT’s Side of Conflict’s • Production Date!! • Have to use Utility information provided by the UAO’s • Don’t know how contractors build what they design • Don’t get contractors’ schedules • Expect Utilities to properly identify conflicts

  10. Utility Construction Management • Contractors Side of Things • Outside their control • Causes delays • Don’t know how utilities relocate or build • Expect the Department to solve

  11. Utility Construction Management • Utility Side of Things • Don’t know where they are • bad as-builds • took over other companies • Don’t confirm plans to reality • Don’t know how to read our plans • Don’t get all of our plans

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. 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!

  16. Utility Construction ManagementBridges

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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

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

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

  25. 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?

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

  27. Questions? Should I document a possible claim situation?

  28. 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

  29. 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

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