Use of SUE to Improve Early Stage Project Development

Edgar Kraus and Cesar Quiroga 2011 Short Course College Station

Transportation Operations Group

Today’s Presentation

• What is SUE? • How can SUE help improve project development? • What are SUE best practices?

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“Sue” Field Museum of National History, Chicago

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• “Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?”

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What is SUE?

• Subsurface Utility Engineering • Provides utility data

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Utility Data Quality Levels

• QLD • QLC • QLB • QLA • ASCE/CI 38-02

Standard Guideline for the Collection and Depiction of Existing Subsurface Utility Data

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Quality Levels

• QLD: Data collection from existing records or oral recollections

• QLC: Surveying and plotting visible utility appurtenances and making inferences about underground linear utility facilities that connect those appurtenances

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Quality Levels

• QLB: Surface geophysical methods to determine the approximate horizontal position of subsurface utilities

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Quality Levels

• QLA: Accurate horizontal and vertical utility locations through exposure of underground utility facilities at certain locations

Why SUE? Pros Cons

• Avoid utility conflicts • Avoid cost overruns • Avoid project delays • Nationally documented

cost benefit

• Costs money • The more detailed, the

more expensive

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Key: Knowing when and how to use SUE

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Best Practices for Utility Investigations

• TxDOT survey • Review best practices in other states • Review TxDOT project data

• Identify state of the practice, trends, best practices

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Is TxDOT using SUE?

• Yes • QLD (“record search”): standard practice • QLC (“surveying”): often • QLB (“geophysical methods”): infrequently • QLA (“test holes”): infrequently

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What’s TxDOT’s Take on SUE?

• Overall high satisfaction with SUE deliverables • Uncertainty about how to use/inexperience with

technology • Uncertainty about benefit • Some challenges with expectations (quality,

accuracy, and scheduling) • Lack of funding

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TxDOT Survey Results

• Need for education and training ◦ SUE benefits (designers are unaware of benefits)

◦ when and how to use SUE in the project development process

• Lack of consistent policies or procedures in using SUE • Scarce use of criteria or scoring for utilities and SUE • Project managers/designer exclude SUE because of

project costs as a matter of district policy • Quality of SUE providers and SUE work is inconsistent • Lack of “best practices” cited by designers and project

managers

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Best Practices: Usage/Implementation Areas

• Policy approaches • Education and Training • Procurement and contracting • Project development process • Technology and information systems

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Best Practice Comparison Matrix (Preliminary)

Recommendation Specific Action Cost Benefit Complexity

Policy Approaches Agency-wide SUE policy

Comprehensive SUE policy

Low Medium Low

Standard Operating Procedures

Prepare SUE SOP for districts and divisions

Low Medium Low

Multi-level committees

Statewide utility coordinating committee/ working group

Low Low Low

Education and Training Advanced utility impact training

Advanced SUE training for practicioners

Medium Medium Low

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Comparison Matrix (cont.)

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Recommendation Specific Action Cost Benefit Complexity

Procurement And Contracting Improved QA/QC Develop provider

qualifications and scope of services

Medium Medium Low

Project Funding for SUE

Include SUE services in project budgets

Medium High Medium

Project Development Process Utility Impact / Conflict Analysis

SUE Impact forms and conflict matrices for all projects

Low High Low

Update TxDOT Manuals

PDP, Right of Way Utility Manual updates

Low Medium Medium

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Comparison Matrix (cont.)

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Recommendation Specific Action Cost Benefit Complexity

Technology and Information Systems Utility project management systems

Develop software that provides utility project tracking scheduling and reporting

High High High

Utility document management systems

Develop software to aid in the storage, retrieval, and utilization of utility investigation data (similar to Penn DOT / VDOT)

High High High

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In Summary…

• SUE can help avoid utility conflicts, cost overruns, delays

• All districts are already doing (some) SUE • Few districts take full advantage of SUE • Best practices for SUE can help get the most out of

SUE

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We need your help!

• Share your thoughts • Share your experience • Send us an email • Get involved in workshops (Fort Worth, Lubbock,

Houston, San Antonio)

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Research Team TxDOT TTI

• Frank Espinosa (RTI) • Jim Heacock (HOU) • Matt Mitchell (TYL) • Jeff Richardson (ENV) • Stephen Stakemiller (HOU,

PD) • Duncan Stewart (RTI) • Tomas Trevino (CRP)

• Nicholas Koncz • Edgar Kraus (PI) • Eric Li • Kwaku Obeng-Boampong • John Overman • Cesar Quiroga

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Thank you!

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