How SUE Works

• The highway agency assumes responsibility for taking appropriate actions to consider and deal with utility risks. On many small projects, where few subsurface utilities are present, and/or where information about subsurface utilities is believed to be generally accurate and comprehensive, this will only involve making a conscious decision to proceed with the project using readily available information. On larger, more complex projects, the services of an engineer may be employed to provide expert advice and to use available technologies to provide better information.
• The engineer, when involved, will advise the highway agency of utility risks and recommend an appropriate quality level of utility data for a given project area at the appropriate time within the project planning and design process. The highway agency will then specify to the engineer the desired quality level of utility data.
• The engineer will furnish the desired utility quality level to the highway agency in accordance with the standard of care and will be responsible for negligent errors and/or omissions in the utility data for the certified utility quality level.