Utility Investigation Best Practices and Effects on TxDOT Highway Improvement Projects (0-6631-1)

The lack of adequate information about the location and characteristics of utility facilities can result in a number of problems, including damages to utilities, disruptions to utility services and traffic, ?lost? utility facilities as construction alters the landscape and pre-existing benchmarks are removed, and delays to highway projects. To address this issue, the research team reviewed the state of the practice in utility investigations and developed best practices for timing and use of utility investigation services in the TxDOT project development process. Major activities of the research included a review of current utility investigation techniques and technologies, a review of best practices and use of utility investigation practices in other states, and a review of TxDOT project data to examine effects of utility investigation services. The research team surveyed TxDOT organizational units on current utility investigation practices, developed draft best practices for utility investigations, and conducted workshops to allow feedback from practitioners. Based on the feedback, the research team reviewed and revised the draft best practices for utility investigations, developed draft content for inclusion in the ROW Utility Manual, and developed and tested training materials.