MDOT ACTT Workshop

I-94 Accelerated Construction Technology
Detroit, Michigan
April 17-19, 2007

MDOT ACTT Workshop

Utilities/Railroad Coordination

Initial Presentation

Utilities/Railroad Coordination

Team Members

• Marion Leaphart, Utilities Manager, SC DOT
• Veena Jasuja, MDOT, Detroit TSC
• Nick Lefke, MDOT, Lansing, Design
• Bill Stonebrook, MDOT, Lansing, Design
• Steve Rapp, MDOT, Lansing, Design

Facilitator:

• Anu Taneja, MDOT, Lansing, Contract Services

Notes:

• Lynn Venturino, MDOT, Lansing, Design Support

Goals for Skill Set

• Identify utility relocation opportunities (public and private)
• Define ideas to maintain railroad traffic
• Coordinate placement of fiber optic utilities with the railroad ROW
• Identify issues with existing utilities

Designate a full time MDOT Utilities Coordinator

• Oversee all aspects of utility coordination
• Act as "go to" person for MDOT and utilities.
• Report to project manager or have final authority for utility coordination
• Streamline communication between other skill sets

Utilize Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE)

• Have a SUE provider available during the design phase
• Update the current SUE data
• Make full use of all data
• Share the SUE deliverables with other skill sets and utilities
• Expedited utility information to resolve conflicts

Identify and resolve major municipal utility issues

• Early and often involvement of utilities
• Identify potential "show stoppers" early
• Identify all relocation work
• Identify all new work

Identify and resolve private/public utility issues

• Early and often involvement of utilities
• Identify potential "show stoppers" early
• Identify all relocation work
• Identify all new work
• Identify reimbursable relocations
• Advance utility relocation
• Coordination with other skill sets

Incentives

• Participate in preliminary engineering costs for private/public utilities
• Pilot project

Form steering committee comprised of high level MDOT and RR officials

• Expedite railroad decision making
• Improve communications between RR and MDOT

Form a Design Engineering Committee

• Early identification of design constraints
• Early and often involvement of railroads
• Identify potential "show stoppers" early

Contract with qualified vendor knowledgeable in RR operations and in securing RR approvals

• Designate MDOT RR expert for consultant selection of RR coordination