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Federal Highway Administration
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Design

 

Utility Publications

  • Utah DOT Case Study New (.pdf, May 2022, FHWA-HIF-22-040): This case study discusses the Utah Department of Transportation's suite of measures to cooperate with the region's telecom companies and facilitate fiber conduit installation.
  • SUE Tech Brief (.pdf), August 2021, FHWA-HIF-22-002. This tech brief gives an overview of potential benefits and challenges of applying subsurface utility engineering (SUE) to highway construction projects, with a focus on SUE in Delaware.
  • Texas DOT Tech Brief (.pdf), July 2020, FHWA-HIF-20-090. This case study shares how Texas implemented utility conflict management Statewide to identify and resolve potential utility obstacles much earlier in a project's life cycle.
  • 2011 Excellence in Utility Relocation and Accommodation Awards Winners.
  • Avoiding Utility Relocations, This manual describes the problems common to highway designers and utility owners, the tools available to locate utilities, and the mitigation measures that have been implemented to avoid relocation. It describes successful processes being used in the planning, design, and construction phases of highway projects that support coordination and reduce conflict among owners.
  • CCC: Making the Effort Works! This 19-minute video is based on the research and recommendations contained in AASHTO Utility Guidelines and Best Practices. It is designed to inform transportation agencies and utility companies of actions they can take toward avoiding construction delays and reducing or eliminating unnecessary project costs, and to motivate them to work in partnership with each other toward this common goal.
    • Viewing & Discussion Guide for use with the video CCC: Making the Effort Works! This Guide is useful for staff training, management awareness, or information exchange activities. It provides an overview of the video content; facilitator tips for providing a comfortable viewing environment; key points that may be copied and distributed for on-going reference; discussion questions to foster ideas and encourage action; and additional resources.
  • Highway/Utility Guide (.pdf), June 1993, Publication No. FHWA-SA-93-049. This publication provides comprehensive, state-of-the-knowledge guidance on highway/ utility issues, including planning and coordination, design, permits, information management and mapping, notification procedures, legal matters, safety, construction, maintenance, reimbursement, and others.
  • Manual for Controlling and Reducing the Frequency of Pavement Utility Cuts, This report is intended as a manual to provide basic information regarding methods that government agencies can use to reduce, or at least to control, street cuts and minimize damage to public infrastructure due to the ever-increasing activity of new and existing utility companies. This report also describes the problems associated with extensive pavement utility cuts, and recommends potential solutions based on the policies and technologies discussed in the manual.
  • Program Guide: Utility Adjustments and Accommodation on Federal-Aid Highway Projects, Sixth Edition January 2003, Publication No. FHWA-IF-03-014. This publication provides non-regulatory guidance for the Federal utility regulations contained in 23 CFR 645 Subparts A and B. The material presented in the regulations is reviewed by subject matter and historical perspective on topics is also provided.
  • Right of Way and Utilities Guidelines and Best Practices (.pdf), Highway Subcommittee on Right of Way and Utilities in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, January 2004. This publication summarizes recommended guidelines and best practices for the major functional work areas involved in the Right of Way and Utilities process to assure timely procurement, clearance of rights of way and adjustment of utilities.
  • Rural Interstate Corridor Communications Study Report to Congress, August 2007.
  • Rural Interstate Corridor Communications Study Report to States, February 2009.
  • Utility Location & Highway Design, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Synthesis 405, Transportation Research Board, 2010. This study explores current practices for consideration of above ground and underground utilities during the project development process, including where in the process the utility impacts are assessed and when relocation decisions are made, and how design decisions are influenced by utilities.
  • Utility Relocation and Accommodation: A History of Federal Policy Under the Federal-Aid Highway Program, Part I: Utility Relocation (.pdf, 7.5 mb), June 1980. This publication provides a history of Federal policy from 1916 to 1980 on the relocation and adjustment of utilities to accommodate highway construction on Federal-aid highways.
  • Utility Relocation and Accommodation: A History of Federal Policy Under the Federal-Aid Highway Program, Part II: Utility Accommodation (.pdf, 2.6 mb), June 1980. This publication provides a history of Federal policy from 1916 to 1980 for accommodating utilities on Federal-aid highways.

SHRP2 Publications

Additional Information

A bibliography listing utility-related documents, publications and articles is available for further information. Additionally, information on the topic of Subsurface Utility Engineering is also available from a variety of sources.

Updated: 06/13/2022
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000