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By. Juan J. Lopez

The first phase of most roadway construction projects involves some type of utility relocation, installation and/or removal of a utility facility. If proper coordination and cooperation do not happen, then your probability of experiencing damages in the rights-of-way increases exponentially. That is why every design and construction roadway and utility project must adhere to the 4-C’s: Communication, Commitment, Coordination, and Cooperation.   The motto of the utility coordination organizations in Florida is “Coordination through Cooperation”.

 In Hillsborough County, the Rights-of-Way Management Office (ROWMO) represents the Public Works Department and serves as the liaison entity with these organizations.  ROWMO participates, attends and shares information at the local, regional and state utility coordination organizations meetings.  Taking advantage and participating in these organizations have produced better utility coordination and reduced the number of utilities conflicts. Roadway construction interests have become more sympathetic to the needs of the utilities. Schedule conflicts have been resolved. New standards and specification have been produced and have lead to new rules and state laws that enhance the safety and welfare of the public.

At the local level in Hillsborough County, the coordinating organization is The Greater Tampa Utility Group (GTUG).  GTUG represents the utilities and governmental organizations located in Hillsborough County.  Consultants, vendors and contractors add to the membership of GTUG.  Agencies like Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) and The Tampa Bay Water authority also participate.

The purpose of GTUG is to act for utilities and government organizations operating in Hillsborough County in bringing about the coordination of activities with each other and to secure the maximum advantages in location of construction features with the minimum amount of interference with each other and with other organizations.  It is the intent of GTUG to achieve this through frank and impartial consideration of all matters referred to it with full recognition of the respective rights and obligations of the organizations concerned. GTUG members are informed of all proposed work in the territory and provide a source of engineering information. The group also supports and gives aid to the other local, regional and state utility coordinating groups and committees.

GTUG meets monthly. The transportation design and construction schedules for all proposed work in the County are provided by the FDOT, Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa for discussion and coordination. Specific concerns and potential conflicts are also discussed as well as ways to improve the coordination of facilities in the reduced rights-of-ways.  From time to time, GUTA also invites speakers to provide a general presentation related to the construction and utility industry. GUTA also takes-on special tasks such as the Joint Trench Task Force (JTTF) which was created to investigate the features and benefits of having the road contractor perform one trench excavation for all the underground utilities within a roadway project.   Through out the state, other local groups meet regularly and participate in regional and state coordination organizations and committees.

At the regional level is the FDOT District VII Utility Liaison Coordination Committee, which consists of the local groups and other members from Hillsborough County and from four other Counties to the west and north of Hillsborough County.  This committee meets semi-annually for the purpose of accomplishing utility coordination and adjustments that will provide maximum safety to the traveling public and to the maintenance workers of the highway and utility industry. Also, this committee meets to coordinate and cooperate in order to achieve absolute minimum costs, inconveniences and delays to the highway and utility industry and to ensure that relocations, installations and adjustments will be performed in such an expeditious manner that highway programs will not be delayed while providing adequate protection to the highway and utility infrastructures.  At this Committee, the local groups share and provide a summary of the activities going on in their respective areas and a presentation is made by FDOT related to their five year highway program.  A general presentation and/or workshop highlights the morning meeting attended by the local groups, consultants, contractors, vendors, the utility companies, railroad, and governmental agencies from the five surrounding counties.

At the state level, Florida has the Florida Utilities Coordinating Committee (FUCC) whose purpose is to promote the effective and equitable co-existence of utilities and to create a successful working relationship among and between utilities, and other entities, through coordination, cooperation and communication.  The intent of FUCC is to achieve this purpose through frank and impartial consideration of all matters referred to it with full recognition of the respective rights and obligations of the organization convened.  It is further the intent of this FUCC to participate, when practicable in the preparation of practices, policies, procedures and rules originating with governmental organization that may affect utility work.

FUCC was formed in 1932 in order to improve the efficiency of operation, maintenance and construction of utility and roadway infrastructure through communication, discussion of issues, educational opportunities and facilitating cooperative relationships. FUCC meets four times a year through out the State and at each of the meetings there is an educational workshop ranging from Design Build Projects, Plan Reading Courses, to Managing Construction Delays. There are several subcommittees within FUCC that represent the Telecommunication/Cable industry, the Power groups, Gas, Water, Sewer, Governmental Non-Utilities, Governmental Utility, FDOT, Railroad, Contractors, Consulting Engineers throughout the State as well as  Utility Notification Center (Sunshine State One Call of Florida - SSOCOF) and Public Service Commission.  Members from these subcommittees represent their respective organizations at the Steering Subcommittee, whose purpose is to make recommendation for the formation of other subcommittees, establishing the registration fees, preparation of studies necessary to formulate recommendations to the Chairperson, and in case of emergency when prompt action is mandatory, this Subcommittee may act for the entire Committee.

Other non-industry subcommittees assured that FUCC is addressing the needs of all members.  For example, the Program Subcommittee assists the Chairman with the contents of the General Business Meetings and Combined Interest Group Meetings. Also it assembles the database of programs and speakers for the meetings and establishes and organizes the annual educational programs. Most recently, FUCC has embarked on providing a Utility Coordination Certification program consisting of five modules which will ensure an individual passing the program will have minimum utility coordination training and experience to enter the workforce.  The five modules are as follows:

The Cost Estimating & Invoicing Module. This module is designed to give the participant a better understanding of the overall reimbursable process.  It will review the Federal and State Statues associated with utility reimbursement and methods for cost recovery. This module will provide training on the overall utility invoicing and cost estimating process. It will identify the different types of credits and costs associated with reimbursable estimates.

The Design Module. This module is formatted to give the participant a better understanding of the overall design process for both the roadway owner and the utility agency.  This module will provide training on the various types of roadway and utility design, their respective impacts on each other, as well as conflict analysis and resolution options.

The Coordination Module. This module gives the participant a broad understanding and working knowledge required to perform effective utility coordination.  The module will address the needs and requirements of the highway agencies, utility industry and their respective consultants associated with highway construction coordination.

The Construction Module.  This module gives the participant a more detailed look at the utility coordination from the construction management perspective.  The module will augment the basics of coordination presented in other modules by providing detailed steps for conducting effective pre-construction and coordination meetings, monitoring utility work schedules and anticipating, identifying and resolving various types of commonly encountered construction conflicts. 

The Legal Module. This module is currently under development but will address the legal ramification surrounding each of the topics involved in the four previous modules. Upon successfully completing and passing the five modules, the individual will receive his/her Certification in Utility Coordination.

Through the above utility coordination organizations, members also participate in Federal, National and International organizations which also promotes and represent components of highways, utilities, railroad and other agencies that are seriously affected by the required relocation or possible disruption to many portions of their respective highway and service network. For example the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) which was created to validate existing best practices performed in connection with preventing damages to underground facilities, also provides workshops and presentations at the above coordinating organizations. The CGA promotes best practices techniques which includes the practice of coordination through cooperation to prevent damages to underground facilities.  

Coordination through cooperation remains the key at all levels.

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