The often-conflicting priorities of State transportation agencies and utility companies can adversely affect the timely completion of transportation projects. Potential utility conflicts exist on most transportation projects. It is estimated that half of all highway and bridge projects eligible for Federal funding involve the relocation of utility facilities, and construction generally takes longer and costs more when utilities need to be relocated.
The initiative will spotlight existing flexibilities currently in place under Federal law and regulations and describetechniques that foster effective utility coordination during project development which warrant more widespread use.