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Related stories City allows slow-motion road work Time is money on state projects Workdays not all "working days" Contractors thrive by shuffling crews Combining jobs creates efficiency, frustration Months of work lost to 'bad luck' Utility lines can tangle road work\ Delays are cost of penny-wise approach Some bids consider time as well as money Inspectors watch crews waste time |
8.17.04 'SUE' helps state avoid utility line surprises Surprise birthday party -- good. Unexpected bonus on weekly paycheck -- good. Unforeseen utility line in the middle of a major construction project -- not good. In fact, those surprises can be costly, leading to lengthy delays for contractors and lengthy waits in traffic for motorists. Yet they sometimes occur on road projects. Unlike the City of Omaha, the Nebraska Roads Department addresses the problem through a process that officials call "SUE," which stands for "subsurface utility engineering." With SUE, the public agencies that oversee road projects figure out where utility lines are buried. The agencies do it early enough to design some roads around utility lines, avoiding the hassle of moving lines. They do it thoroughly enough to avoid surprises and minimize utility-related delays. The Federal Highway Administration has promoted the process for 17 years. It is widely used in other states. A Purdue University study has found the practice can save more than $4 for every $1 invested. The City of Omaha, in contrast, simply relies on information that comes from utility agencies and companies. And it gets its information later -- after the road has gone through its initial design. The State Roads Department started using subsurface utility engineering about four years ago. Mark Ottemann, state utility engineer, said the practice is particularly useful in urban areas because of the high concentration of utility lines and pipes. "It allows better planning," he said. |
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