Utilities, where permitted, shall be located as remote as practical from the traveled or paved portion of the highway. No new above ground utility facilities shall be located within the area established as clear zone for that particular section of highway. No new parallel utility installations shall be permitted under paved portions of streets or highways under Department jurisdiction in rural areas and only under extraordinary conditions in urban areas.
Utility crossing facilities installed between the ditch lines of County highways shall be designed and constructed and shall incorporate materials and protective appurtenances so as to virtually preclude future disruption in these areas. Protection may include encasement, additional cover, or other measures that might not be required outside these areas.
Utilities shall not be permitted to cross under local highways in cattle passes, culverts, or other drainage facilities.
(A) Manholes. Manholes shall not be permitted in the traffic lanes of County highways in rural areas. Existing manholes may be permitted to remain.
(B) Utility Bridges and Tunnels. Bridges to carry utilities over County highways or tunnels to carry utilities under County highways shall be considered as a use of “Air Rights” and shall be processed on federally aided highways as prescribed in Federal-Aid Highway Program Manual Volume 7, Chapter 4, Section 3. (Formerly PPM 80–10‑1 and 80–10‑2). The same provisions shall apply to non-federally aided County highways except the approval of FHWA will not be a requirement.
(C) Medians. Each utility crossing involving construction operations within a median area shall be considered individually. If such operations can be conducted thirty (30) feet (9 m) or more from edges of both pavements, the crossing will be considered as two separate highway crossings.
(D) On-Site Utility Location. The requirements for the vertical and horizontal field location of any utility installation on County right of way prior to and during construction shall be in accordance with the Department policy.
(E) Underground Utility Markers. Markers shall be placed on existing right-of-way lines every one-half (0.5) mile where continuous underground utilities are located on new or replacement installation.
The markers shall be placed a minimum of five (5) feet above the existing ground line and shall contain the name and address of the owner and the type of underground facility located nearby and the telephone number to be called in case of emergency.
If more than one utility exists along the same area, additional markers may be placed upon the same post, when permission is granted by the initial utility to place additional markers upon their post.