One element of cross-section design that is often overlooked is the accommodation of public utilities. Overhead utilities typically include electric, telephone, and cable television. For new construction in urban areas, electric, telephone, and other telecommunication lines are now often placed underground.
Motor vehicle collisions with utility poles result in approximately 10 percent of all fixed-object fatal crashes in the United States annually. Utility poles also have a negative effect on the aesthetics of a roadway. It is important, therefore, whether designing in rural or urban locations, to consider accommodating utilities early in the design process.
