Page 20 - BCCGA Best Practices Version 3.0

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1-6 IDENTIFYING EXISTING FACILITIES IN PLANNING AND DESIGN
PRACTICE STATEMENT: Designers should indicate existing utility facilities on
drawings during the planning and design phases.
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: During the planning and preliminary design phase
of a project, the designer should indicate all existing facilities on the plans.
These facilities could include hydro/power, gas, telecommunications, CATV,
water mains, sewers, and so on. The plans should also include possible routes
for the project in a manner corresponding to the known underground facility
information. In addition, facility owners/operators should have the opportunity
to provide relevant comments.
During the detailed design phase of the project, the project owner indicates on
the plans the utility facility information, which are to include all known active,
abandoned, out-of-service, future use, and proposed facilities. The project
owner should also note on the plans the method used to gather the
information. This allows both the designer and the contractor to know the
quality level of the information. Additionally, the plans should include a
summary showing the proposed facility route or excavation. Again, all affected
facility owners/operators should have the opportunity to provide final
comments and clarifications on the plans.
BENEFITS: Providing complete underground facility information and including
this information on design drawings reduces safety hazards, simplifies
coordination, and minimizes final project costs.
DESIGN PROCESS (1-7 TO 1-10)
1-7 UTILITY COORDINATION
PRACTICE STATEMENT: Project owners and facility owners/operators should
communicate and coordinate with each other on a regular basis concerning
current and future projects. As well, utility coordinating committees should be
established and mandated to deal with specific projects and issues of concern.
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Project owners should circulate design drawings to
facility owners/operators to allow them to identify the locations of their
infrastructures and point out any potential conflicts. These drawings should
have sufficient information of the proposed work to let facility owners
understand the scope of the work and the impact the work will have on their
Best Practices Version 3.0