1. Benefitting From Utility Coordination
Chris Ciriello
Envista

2. The Problem

3. Typical Ecosystem Municipality
Coordination through Cooperation…there is only one Right of Way and you are all there
Municipality
Gas Utility
Electric Utility
Telecom
Utility
State DOT
Reclaimed Water
Sewer Utility
Water Utility

4. Typical Ecosystem Municipality
Coordination through Cooperation…there is only one Right of Way and you are all there
Municipality
Electric Utility
Gas Utility
State DOT
Telecom Utility
Sewer Utility
Water Utility

5. Municipalities and Transportation Agencies
Common Problems
Municipalities and Transportation Agencies
Utilities are tearing up our streets. Streets that should last 30 years last 15.
Our only resort is to put street cut moratoriums on newly paved streets for 5 or even 10 years.
Our projects are routinely held up waiting for utility companies to finish their portion of the project.
We don’t believe the utilities want to play ball on this – why would they?
Utilities
Digging up new streets it makes us look bad. It is not good for anybody.
Street cut moratoriums cost us huge dollars since we can’t get to new customers or replace pipes until the moratorium ends.
We spend many days trying to chase down construction plans from the munis, but we have a 30% - 40% success rate.
We don’t believe the munis will play ball on this – why would they?

6. Why Are Utilities Interested?
Massive Infrastructure Replacement Programs Underway
Gas – Bare Steel & Cast Iron Replacement programs
Water – Lead Pipe Replacement and Relining
Sewer Separation Projects
One System for Entire Service Area
Significant Cost due to:
Moratoriums/Protected Streets
AGA estimates $3 Billion annual cost due to municipality restrictions
Degradation Fees
3rd Party Damage
Protect existing infrastructure
Ability to see encroaching utilities work

7. Why is this Difficult? Magnitude Timeliness Rate of Change
So many projects to coordinate
Timeliness
Exchange of information is not real time
Rate of Change
Information changes are tough to track and to communicate (contacts, dates, locations)
Data Jungle (Data-rich information poor)
Multiple data formats, different systems, multiple locations, i.e., silos of data
Spatial
No visual component of all the work

8. Degrees of Coordination
Low Coordination
Not at all
In someone’s head
White board
Meetings/phone calls
Website
Spreadsheets
Database/GIS
Real time mapped projects for all to see
High Coordination

9. What’s the Cost of Doing Nothing?
Burlington VT (Population 38K)
$500K/year unnecessary cost attributed to utility cut patching
Kansas City (Population 442K)
$4.4M damage caused by street cuts to streets resurfaced in last 3 years
Cincinnati (Population 331K)
33% service life reduction of streets with cuts
Ottawa (Population 865K)
32.4% life cycle reduction over trenched area
7.8 % life cycle reduction over entire network
Boston (Population 589K)
1 street cut shortens roadway life 5 years
3 street cuts shortens roadway life 15 years

10. Significant Cost Due to Lack of Coordination
Multiple interests working in the Right Of Way
No means to effectively coordinate and communicate projects
Data rich, Information Poor
Data Silos are External & Internal
Work Orders/
Permits
Sewer Utility
Gas Utility
Roads/ DOT
Spatial Data
Water Utility

11. Benefits APWA Committees’ compilation of Pavement Degradation studies
Ten cities from 1993 to 2001
9 or more utility cuts reduce useful life of road to 13 years or less

12. Significant Cost Due to Lack of Coordination
Issues caused by lack of Coordination
Excessive Street Cuts on State and Municipal Roads
Project Delivery Delays
Reduced Quality of Roads/Service
Traffic Delays/Emissions

13. Benefits
Cost escalate if conflicts are not caught early

14. Benefits AASHTO/ Strategic Highway Research Program
Safety, Capacity, Reliability, Renewal
Rapid Renewal implies accelerated construction, project delivery, design, and operational & maintenance features that minimize the total project length and produces long lasting facilities
“Get In. Get Out. Stay Out.”
Collaboration provides immediate return over the current manual, reactive practices
San Francisco – 27% reduction in number of street cuts
Collaboration provides significant cost savings
Palo Alto Water – $100k Savings in Pavement cost (50% of budget)
Baltimore & BGE – $1 Million in annual savings each

15. Benefits Third party damage prevention
Reduction of fees for street cuts
Avoid paving a location more than once in short time frame “the doubler”
Cost of Paving
Disturbing residents/ Public relations
CO2 emissions
Increased available budget for other activities
Protect investment in assets

16. Communicate ROW Projects & Impacts
Avoid bad press
Customers do not know what you are doing
Coordination efforts improve public image
Community understands difficulties & related costs
Understanding What & Why without asking
, Twitter & Facebook
Maps on Website

17. Pitfalls to Avoid in Creating Coordination Solution
Ease of Use – Stick to the Basics
Allow for Multiple Ways to Enter Data
Allow for Mass Importing of Projects
Ensure it is Available to Everyone
Focus on Your Core Competencies
Don’t Focus Success on One Person
Stay Flexible with Technology
Create Value for Everyone
Factor in all Costs
# of Users
Upgrades
Maintenance
Hardware/Software
People

18. Thank You
Chris Ciriello Envista_Chris Envista Corporation EnvistaCorp