In today's fast paced design and construction environment, it is important to complete engineering and construction projects on schedule and within budget. Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) incorporates new and existing technologies to proactively locate underground utilities before design work begins on a project. This service can dramatically cut costs by reducing unexpected utility conflicts, construction delays, damage, contractor claims, utility relocations and redesigns.

Studies have found that there are significant savings in the utilization of SUE. It is a viable technological practice that reduces project costs related to the risks associated with existing subsurface utilities and, when used in a systemic manner, will result in significant quantifiable and qualitative benefits. The costs of obtaining SUE data can result in construction savings between the 1999 Purdue University study of $4.62 saved per dollar spent average to beyond the Virginia DOT project that saved better than $206.00 per dollar spent in that same study. Looking at the SUE savings factor data from a national expenditure in 1998 of $51 billion for highway construction that was provided by the FHWA, the use of SUE in a systemic manner should result in a minimum national savings of approximately $1 billion per year for highway work alone.

In my personal experience I have had projects realize a greater than $10,000 per dollar spent savings. I have also performed investigations where a death occurred that could have been prevented by using the SUE processes. No greater savings could have been realized than that gentleman's life to his family if safety had been a higher priority than time and money on that project.

SUE Quality Levels

Quality Level D. QL-D is the most basic level of information for utility data. It comes solely from existing utility records or verbal recollections, both typically unreliable sources. It may provide an overall "feel" for the congestion of utilities, but is often highly limited in terms of comprehensiveness and accuracy. QL-D is useful primarily for project planning and route selection activities.

Quality Level C. QL-C is probably the most commonly used level of information. It involves surveying visible utility facilities (e.g., manholes, valve boxes, etc.) and correlating this information with existing utility records (QL-D information). When using this information, it is not unusual to find that many underground utilities have been either omitted or erroneously plotted. Its usefulness, therefore, is primarily on rural projects where utilities are not prevalent, or are not too expensive to repair or relocate.

Quality Level B. QL-B involves the application of appropriate surface geophysical methods to determine the existence and horizontal position of virtually all utilities within the project limits. This activity is called "designating". The information obtained in this manner is surveyed to project control. It addresses problems caused by inaccurate utility records, abandoned or unrecorded facilities, and lost references. Information provided by QL-B can enable the accomplishment of preliminary engineering goals. Decisions regarding location of storm drainage systems, footers, foundations and other design features can be made to successfully avoid conflicts with existing utilities. Slight adjustments in design can produce substantial cost savings by eliminating utility relocations.

Quality Level A. QL-A, also known as "locating", is the highest level of accuracy presently available and involves the full use of the subsurface utility engineering services. It provides information for the precise plan and profile mapping of underground utilities through the nonintrusive exposure of underground utilities, and also provides the type, size, condition, material and other characteristics of underground features.

Ultimately, the SUE process shows its greatest cost benefits from the engineering aspect of Utility Impact Analysis for the determination of conflicts and the opportunity to avoid those conflicts. The entire SUE process starts with accurate data from the field and the field technicians that understand the theories of electromagnetic induction, utility design, electrical circuitry and ground penetrating radar with a firm understanding of problems that could occur from soil conditions to utility material types and conditions and how to solve those difficulties. With the most accurate field data from the best trained technicians, we can then produce products providing the greatest benefit to our clients and ultimately the general public.

Street Smarts provided Subsurface Utility Engineering Quality Level "B" services for the Orlando International Airport in order to provide the location, capacities, size and availability of existing utilities in select areas of future development.

The project consisted of over 1,000 acres of utility investigation, survey and mapping. Utilities designated, surveyed and mapped included water distribution and transmission mains, reclaimable water distribution and transmission mains, sanitary sewer force mains, multi-conduit electric duct banks, electric cables, multi-conduit telephone duct banks, telephone cables, fiber optic cables, natural gas mains and transmission petroleum mains.

Public and privately owned utilities were included in the scope of work as a large portion of the electric and fiber optic networks were Orlando International Airport internal power and communication systems.

Street Smarts provided Subsurface Utility Engineering Quality Level "B" and "A" services for the design of a proposed Georgia Power thirty inch natural gas transmission main. The project spanned a nineteen mile section of an existing overhead power transmission easement. Street Smarts responsibilities included utility designating, 101 test holes and the survey and mapping of the designated utilities and test holes excavated within the multiple state, county and city highways that crossed the easement along the alignment of the proposed gas main.

Street Smarts provided Subsurface Utility Engineering Quality Level "B" services for the design of the proposed widening of SR 9. The project length consisted of 2.9 miles along SR 9 combined with 1.6 miles of intersecting side roads for a total project length of 4.5 miles. Street Smarts responsibilities included project management, utility record research and retrieval, utility designating of all utility main and services within the existing right-of-way, survey, mapping and utility coordination. In addition to the underground utilities, Street Smarts was also responsible for the survey and mapping of all utility poles and connectivity of aerial facilities.
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