CHAPTER 5—CASE STUDY SELECTION

Identification of Potential Case Studies

This section describes how the research team selected potential case studies of OOS utilities for further evaluation as part of Task 6 of this research project. This section also provides information about the case studies themselves to help the NCHRP project panel provide comments on the final selection of case studies.

The research team compiled a list of 21 potential case studies that highlight various issues and practices when dealing with OOS utilities. The research team used information provided by stakeholders in the survey to create a short list for follow up and discussion. The research team then contacted stakeholders to learn more about the projects and assess their suitability for inclusion in a guidebook for managing OOS utilities. From the initial list of 21 potential case studies, the research team will select 5–10 case studies for further investigation and inclusion in the guidebook, based on comments received from the research panel.

The research team attempted to include potential case studies from geographically diverse locations, which resulted in potential case studies from the 10 states shown in Figure 129. Potential case studies are located in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Texas, and Wisconsin.

During the initial review of survey responses, the research team noted a variety of themes regarding the challenges and opportunities when dealing with OOS utilities. The research team applied these themes to group responses into six OOS utility topics as follows:

• Record management for OOS utilities.
• Coordination of stakeholder activities.
• Reuse of OOS utilities.
• Locating of OOS utilities.
• Removal of OOS utilities.

The following sections describe potential OOS utility case studies by OOS topic and state and provide a discussion of the researchers’ proposed ranking of case studies for further investigation in Task 6 of this research project.

Record Management for OOS Utilities

California

The California DOT (Caltrans) is considering the creation of a utility database to help with future projects. Caltrans has tried to implement policies that require utility companies to share the location of their lines with the DOT through georeferenced as-built plans or, at a minimum, through any relocation and/or abandonment plans, especially for projects that are part of the encroachment permit process. A lot of utility owners want Caltrans to sign an NDA before sharing their utility data. This nondisclosure requirement creates an impasse because Caltrans does not sign NDAs. Caltrans is still trying to get utility data, but utility companies have not yet been willing to share the data. Caltrans is currently working with the three major electricity providers to determine a process of utility data sharing. This case study would document lessons learned in the process.

Florida

On a Florida DOT bridge project in downtown Miami, Florida, an electrical transmission line was in a section of the right-of-way acquired from the city. Records of the location of the transmission line were not available. The electrical company could not find their line in the field when the highway contractor began installing a cofferdam in the area. After 4 months of research and investigation, the electrical company determined that the electrical line was either powering downtown Miami or was a major electrical feed heading to South America. Once this was determined, work stopped around the line, and the contractor worked on the other side of the construction project. Another 4 months passed with work not proceeding in the area, and it was determined that the line was out of service. If the utility company had kept records of the OOS utility, it would have saved a lot of time and effort for the DOT, contractor, and the utility company. The case study would examine lessons learned during the process to avoid delays on future projects.

Minnesota

In Minnesota, the One Call system acts as a clearinghouse for utility information, and utility companies are required to mark their lines. Utility companies are also required by Minnesota

Louisiana

The Loyola flyover project in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, was a Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development design-build project. The project involved a coordinated effort with all utility companies to relocate, remove, and adjust utilities. The project was scheduled for completion in Spring 2024 and cost over $100 million. The case study would highlight this coordinated effort regarding abandoned utilities. Specifically, the case study would document the coordinated effort regarding OOS utilities and consider its applicability to other states.

Massachusetts

For a utility abandonment in Massachusetts, the pipeline owner kept information about the abandoned facility in the One Call system. The pipeline owner also contacted the landowners to let them know where the line was abandoned on their property, describing that the pipeline was abandoned and advising them to reach out to the utility owner if they have any questions in the future. If a landowner has a project that might impact the abandoned pipeline, the landowner can reach out to the pipeline owner. The pipeline company could then connect the landowner with a contractor who can safely remove sections of the abandoned pipe as needed. Contacting the landowners about the abandoned pipeline helped build goodwill between the pipeline owner and the landowners. The case study would document how stakeholders communicated to avoid issues with OOS utilities.

Iowa

In Polk County, Iowa, the Des Moines Water Works plans to abandon a 36-inch concrete water main in the U.S. 6 and I-35 right-of-way. The Iowa DOT did not request removal of the water main because a utility of that size could cause instability in the existing grade. The Iowa DOT will request that the utility fill the old water line with flowable fill once the new line has been installed. The case study would document the activities and results of abandoning the utility facility from both the utility’s perspective and the DOT’s perspective.

The Iowa DOT found an abandoned pipeline that was accommodated within the right-of-way by permit. The line was not related to a construction project but needed to be addressed. The situation was discussed internally, and the Iowa DOT decided that a void within the right-of-way was not acceptable. The Iowa DOT asked the utility company to fill the pipeline at their cost in accordance with Iowa DOT abandonment rules. The case study would document the process of properly abandoning the pipeline in place.

An abandoned pipeline at I-29 and I-80 in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, was supposed to be filled with grout but was not. The Iowa DOT determined that a portion of the pipeline needed to be removed. The issue was resolved by removing the portion that conflicted with the project and filling the remainder with grout. Lessons learned included the following: more follow up to ensure contractors are following the plan would be helpful, and the mid-project pipe removal probably could have been avoided if the DOT had required a larger buffer between the new work and the pipe’s in-place abandonment. The case study would document lessons learned from improper abandonment and how to mitigate issues.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin DOT has encountered a communication company that wants to keep their OOS facilities intact just in case they want to make them active in the future. Because of this, the utility owner does not allow the DOT to cut or remove the OOS utility. To mitigate the conflict with the OOS utility, the DOT must coordinate to relocate the facility. This scenario has been experienced a few times in areas outside the right-of-way on a private easement where the utility relocation is compensable. The case study would document the lessons learned in dealing with owners of OOS utilities remaining in the right-of-way.

Reuse of OOS Utility Facilities

Iowa

On an Iowa DOT project on U.S. 30 in Story County, Iowa, a 12-inch multiproduct (gas, chemicals, etc.) pipeline crosses U.S. 30 at Airport Road in Nevada, Iowa. The pipeline has been repurposed and leased as a conduit by two communication companies. The three companies involved—the pipeline owner and the two communication companies—confirmed the use of the pipeline as a conduit. The case study would document details of the project, pitfalls, lessons learned, and potential applicability to other states.

On an Iowa DOT project, a city repurposed an abandoned gas main to use as a conduit for traffic signal wiring. It made perfect sense and eliminated the need for additional conduit placement to protect signal wiring in an intersection densely occupied by other utilities. The case study would document details of the project, pitfalls, lessons learned, and potential applicability to other states.

An upcoming Iowa DOT project has some utility conflicts that require relocation. Currently, the DOT is working to determine whether a utility company can use an abandoned gas main to house communications/fiber underneath a sidewalk below an urban railroad overpass. Limited space exists to bury any new facilities with the existing 1967 bridge design that incorporates subdrains and deck drains and ties into new storm sewer intakes. It is currently not clear whether the railroad and utility companies can make this project work. The case study would document details of the project, pitfalls, lessons learned, and potential applicability to other states.

The City of Altoona, Iowa, used its abandoned water main to install a city-owned fiber optic line. This approach may be a good practice for the city because utilities are otherwise restricted from being installed within 3 feet of water lines. Fiber optic was run inside and adjacent to the abandoned water main. One issue with running inside the abandoned water main is whether the valve is opened or closed or possibly permanently closed. Installing the fiber optic adjacent to the water main involves uncovering the water main in some locations to maintain the fiber optic installation adjacent to the water main. The case study would document details of the project, pitfalls, lessons learned, and potential applicability to other states.

When communication providers upgrade their lines from copper to fiber optic, the City of Altoona, Iowa, requests that they reuse the communication ducts. The copper communication lines have to be removed to reuse the ducts for the fiber optic lines, which requires extra

Table 24. Ranking of Potential Case Studies.