Meeting Minutes Project: Date/Time: Location: Purpose: Attendees: Meeting Summary: 1. Policies for Sharing Conduits and Trenches

Transcription

1 Meeting Minutes Prject: AASHTO Utility Accmmdatin & Safety Technical Cmmittee Date/Time: September 13, 2016 frm 2:30 PM t 3:45 PM (Eastern Time) Lcatin: Cnference Call Purpse: Quarterly cmmittee cnference call t discuss ht tpics, areas where research is needed, and t bunce ideas ff ne anther. Attendees: See attached attendance sheet. Meeting Summary: The meeting started with general intrductins f thse n the call fllwed by a quick verview f and expectatins fr the call. Next the tpics f general interest spreadsheet (attached) was discussed with fcus being directed t the three mst ppular items frm the AASHTO Subcmmittee meeting held in Orland in May These tpics were: 1. Plicies fr sharing cnduits and trenches Received 15 Vtes at Cnference 2. Plicies n utility abandnment/remving frm service Received 11 Vtes at Cnference 3. As built cllectin and repsitry (lessns and updates) Received 10 Vtes at Cnference 1. Plicies fr Sharing Cnduits and Trenches Oregn mentined that their state has plicies that encurage jint use and that this is nt an issue fr them. HDR stated sharing f cnduits/jint trench is required in the Texas Utility Accmmdatin Plicy and encuraged. Hwever, utilities want separate due t liability. HDR further mentined that a study is needed and that it really needs t be lked at t define the benefits fr the utility cmpanies and the DOT s. Additinally, a study needs t lk at the best practices fr jint installatins. Iwa encurages sharing but it is nt being utilized. It was mentined that sharing f cnduit/trenches is nt being used tgether as well as it culd r shuld be. A suggestin was ffered that maybe the DOT culd take the lead n installatin f a larger structure which wuld allw utilities t install within (i.e. large culvert pipe r bx culvert being installed t huse the installatin f varius utilities). Frm there, it was suggested that DOT s culd ptentially permit and/r lease the space t utility cmpanies. If leased, it culd be anther ptential fr revenue generatin. Sme states d nt and culd nt install facilities in rights f way (ROW) with the purpse f leasing t cmpanies. At this pint, it was suggested that this tpic wuld make a gd synthesis research statement. Ging this rute wuld enable DOT s t prvide feedback n their existing plicies and where they stand with this tpic. It was suggested that the synthesis shuld fcus n majr interchanges, cntrlled access crssings. 1

2 The grup did nt believe a synthesis had been perfrmed n this tpic r a similar tpic in the past. Past research assciated with Telecmmunicatin/Bradband Lngitudinal Installatin was mentined as ptentially having infrmatin assciated with this tpic. Utah mentined that their traffic sectin is placing empty cnduits acrss intersectins t allw fr utilities t enter int an agreement with the DOT s they can utilize the cnduit if there is a need t crss the intersectin in the future. This was brught abut because traffic facilities were being damaged when utilities wuld install facilities. It was nt certain whether the DOT is reimbursed r smehw cllecting csts fr cmpanies that might utilize the empty cnduit in the future. Indiana is currently cnsidering installatin f empty cnduit at rail crssings. Iwa places spare cnduits in bridge rails and they cllect fees fr the use f the cnduit. Wyming asked if there have been mre cmpanies requesting t use the spare/empty cnduit than what was available. If s, hw was that situatin handled t ensure an equal playing field fr all cmpanies? Thse wh respnded have nt run int this prblem yet but suggested the cnduit shuld be available n a first cme first serve basis. It was mentined that there is a need fr the DOT t maintain, map, track, etc. cnduit whether empty r allwed t be ccupied by a cmpany. This takes time and manpwer which ultimately equates t mre mney. Oregn questined hw states are keeping track f the cnduit frm an inventry standpint. Hw many cmpanies are in cnduit, hw many cnduits remain empty, etc. HDR stated that Texas tracks this thrugh their permit prcess. Essentially, Texas requires each utility t btain a permit in rder t utilize empty cnduit that was installed via DOT. It was suggested that a synthesis be created. It shuld be called smething like jint accmmdatins ; jint trench between utilities ; r jint trench utility installatin spearheaded by DOT and that a few ther questins be added t the research. If the DOT prvides space fr utilities t install what type f utilities can clcate in the space t reduce the number f new cnduits? Can a single bre be made fr many utilities? Hw can DOT s encurage utilities t spearhead this effrt? Further discussin brke this tpic int three distinct scenaris that shuld be researched under the verarching tpic: Utilities wrking tgether t make jint installatins. Jint utility relcatin. DOT installing cnduit fr ther cmpanies t utilize. 2. Plicies n Utility Abandnment/Remving frm Service Wyming is in supprt f research n this tpic. Any guidance fr hw t handle abandnment/retirement? We need a prcess fr asbuilts that shw abandnments. Hw can abandned facilities remain n recrds research? 2

3 One issue is that cmpanies have abandned facilities and are n lnger arund by the time the facilities need t be remved r relcated due t a DOT prject. Iwa asked if states evaluate risk f facilities remaining in place prir t apprving abandnment. Indiana has requirements fr when retired facilities must be filled (ver 12 ). They asked if states have a flwable fill requirement fr certain size pipe r larger. Wyming psed a questin t the grup. Is it better t leave abandned facilities in place r remve them? Guidance wuld be beneficial. Anther issue with abandnment is cmpanies nt telling the DOT they have retired facilities. Delaware asked what happens if a cmpany ges ut f business? Wh d yu wrk with and hw d yu get the new cmpany t hnr cmmitments? Arkansas mentined they will remve abandned facilities ut f the ROW during their DOT prjects if in cnflict. If abandned facilities nt in cnflict, leave in place (this includes hazardus pipe materials such as asbests). Ultimately, the utility cmpany is respnsible fr remval csts. Arkansas has a plicy in place regarding abandnment and requires the use f flwable fill. Utah stated ne f their biggest issues is with abandned facilities that n ne knws exist until they are dug up during a prject even in situatins where SUE was utilized. It was suggested that this might get us int anther research tpic thrugh Mapping/GIS. DelDOT mentined that there is a prblem here since abandned facilities are likely nt lcatable. If recrds research des nt shw facilities in the area, they wuld nt be fund by SUE unless the cmpany happened t target an area and came acrss them. Indiana is cnsidering mving tward RFID marker balls and wuld like t start utilizing them n retired/abandned utility facilities. They wuld be asking utility cmpanies t place RFID markers in the grund s retired facilities can be lcated in the future. It was suggested that this mve frward as a synthesis similar t the previus tpic. 3. As built Cllectin and Repsitry KCI stated the Michigan GUIDE prgram was created in respnse t this tpic. Utility cmpanies prvide survey level infrmatin fr all new utility installatins thrugh the permit prcess. Utah utilizing SHRP 2 R01A funds t build a repsitry/database. This tpic is greater than the SHRP 2 funds but Utah is well int the prcess and lking t implementatin phase. This tpic is f high interest. Kentucky and Indiana have als received funding thrugh R01A and are just starting. It was suggested that this mve frward as a synthesis similar t the previus tpics. General Discussin Oregn asked if any states issue utility permits fr small cell sites n existing utility ples. Iwa has been discussing this with their legal team. They are currently handling and allwing thrugh utility permits and are nt leasing space t the cmpany. Oregn stated that FHWA has stated wireless facilities such as these are nt cnsidered a public utility s they can nly allw in ROW by lease. 3

4 Utah stated if cmpany des nt serve the public directly, it is nt cnsidered a public utility by the DOT definitin whether their Public Service Cmmissin apprved the cmpany r nt. With that, they will allw installatin f small cell site in ROW but nly thrugh lease. Wyming asked if anyne was willing t share infrmatin n hw they determine lease csts and whether any f the ther states have reviewed structural integrity f new ples assciated with these types f facilities cnsidering sme f them are very tall. Sunds like sme states have received push back frm cmpanies when additinal infrmatin was requested n the prpsed designs. Cmpanies have been claiming it is prprietary infrmatin that they cannt share. Arkansas mentined they had received a cell site request and the ple was prpsed t be 120 tall with 6 wide fundatins. Structural cncerns were viced by sme DOT s given the height f the prpsed ples vs. the fundatin size/depth and ple height vs. embedment depth shwn in the submissins prvided t date. It was asked whether anyne in the grup has had a small cell site and assciated ple installed t date. N ne n the call had. Oregn asked hw these sites and ples were getting arund the FHWA requirement which des nt allw new ples t be installed in the clear zne. Arkansas mentined that they d nt allw the facilities t be installed in the clear zne. Wyming als mentined facilities are nt allwed in the clear zne as did Delaware. Cmpanies lking t install this type f facility are claiming it will reduce the number f cmmunicatin fiber in the ROW by ging micrwave. Utah warned everyne t be skeptical f this. The grup was asked if they have allwed anyne t attach t the ples assciated with the new cell site installatins. Arkansas stated sme cmpanies may allw 2 t 3 attachers n the small cell site ples. It was questined whether cmpanies have allwed ther cmpany cell devices r ther attachers t the ples. Utah believes this culd lead t a mnply situatin. Once a site is established, it pens the dr fr ther cmpanies t jump nt the ple. It was mentined that nce ne cmpany is allwed t install a small cell site in the ROW the dr is pen and the next cmpany can t be denied. DOT s d nt want multiple twers/ples t be installed next t each ther. Tennessee mentined they are ging thrugh a big fight n this tpic right nw as t whether t allw in ROW. The cmpany that is pushing fr accmmdatin des nt fit their definitin f a public utility because they serve ther cmmunicatin cmpanies. Als causes prblems with their scenic/beautificatin plicy. 4

5 Sme f the small cell site cmpanies are pushing that they are apprved by the FCC s they dn t need additinal apprvals. They als have lbbyists and are pushing hard n legislatrs. Several states have apprached FHWA n this tpic. FHWA is currently evaluating. It was stated that this is a new and emerging technlgy and situatin. Because f that, we cannt wait fr this t g thrugh the synthesis/research statement prcess. Instead, we are ging t prepare sme questins, share with the technical cuncil and put ut thrugh the AASHTO Subcmmittee survey prcess. This will let DOT s see what different states are ding. It was suggested that we shuld get a cntact frm each state t g t fr further discussin n this tpic. We will re evaluate the need fr a synthesis r research statement fllwing the AASHTO survey. Items fr Next Cnference Call Further discussin n small cell sites. Discuss the states ability t buy sufficient ROW fr utilities as the definitin f transprtatin culd mean radway nly. Over the next 10 t 15 years will need t lk at a better definitin f transprtatin t include utilities since the materials that are transprted thrugh utility facilities are cnsidered cmmdities. Iwa mentined that there is a new statewide rganizatin lking t lcate 400 tall twers n DOT ROW. The twers are part f a statewide emergency respnder radi netwrk. Twers are being lcated n ther public agency assets as well as state prperty. The netwrk is called the Iwa Statewide Interperable Cmmunicatin System (ISICS) a federally mandated statewide integrated public safety cmmunicatins netwrk. Iwa questined if ther states were ding the same thing. Many f the states that respnded stated smething f this nature must be utside ROW. There was nt much interest in this tpic frm the grup. Research Needs Statements/Syntheses See attached NCHRP 20 7 prpsed research needs statement entitled Effective DOT Utility Accmmdatin Strategies t Minimize Future Cnflicts. This research needs statement was created by the Utility Prject Scping and Crdinatin Technical Cuncil and was prepared by Jennifer McCleve. Our Technical Cuncil has been asked t jintly present this since there is verlap. If there is a member frm the Accmmdatin and Safety TC that is vested in mving this prpsal further. We need vlunteers t put tgether statements fr the 3 tpics discussed abve. If the tpic is smething yu are passinate abut, please cnsider taking the lead. Cntact Eric Cim and Mike Hy if there is interest. Next Meeting Tentatively scheduled fr December 13, 2016 at 2:30 PM (Eastern Time). Mre details will be circulated as the meeting gets clser. 5

6 cc: Technical Cuncil Members 6