Locations of Utilities within the Right of WayCopyrighted
November 6, 2023
City of Dubuque Action Items # 02.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Locations of Utilities within the Right of Way
SUMMARY: City Manager sharing information relating to engineering design
standards for the placement of utilities within the public right-of-way
(ROW) as outlined in the Iowa State Urban Design and Specifications
(SUDAS) program.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
MVM Memo
Staff Memo
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
THE CITY
DUOF
B TEE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Locations of Utilities within the Right of Way
DATE: November 2, 2023
Dubuque
All -America City
IN
2007.2012.2013
2017*2019
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is sharing information relating to engineering design
standards for the placement of utilities within the public right-of-way (ROW) as outlined
in the Iowa State Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) program.
Currently, SUDAS allows for utilities to be located either within or outside the roadway
limits. City staff has had the preference to locate utilities within the street pavement and
has developed a draft typical preferred roadway/utility cross sections showing the
preferred utility locations. City staff has also received feedback from local engineers and
developers regarding utility locations within the right of way and are taking these under
consideration as part of staff efforts to develop and adopt the 2024 edition of the City's
Supplemental Design Manual to coincide with the upcoming update to the Iowa
Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) Program, the 2024 edition.
Because it is not specifically addressed in the current 2023 edition of SUDAS, the City
will no longer require that the water main be installed beneath the street pavement.
Moreover, the 2024 City SUDAS Supplemental Design Standards will not establish any
such restriction. The City will continue to follow the location requirements as outlined in
SUDAS.
As this is a change in city policy, I am providing this information to the Mayor and City
Council.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
(list continues on next page....)
Wally Wernimont, Planning Services Director
Christopher Lester, Water Department Director
Darrin Homb, Water Distribution Foreman
Charlie Gau, Water Engineering Assistant
Arielle Swift, Public Works Director
Paul Davis, Public Works Field Supervisor
Bob Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer
Nate Kieffer, Land Surveyor
Todd Irwin, Engineering Technician
Max O'Brien, Civil Engineer II
2
THE COF
DUtB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
DATE: October 31, 2023
RE: Locations of Utilities within the Right of Way
INTRODUCTION
Dubuque
All -America City
nie n,i � air : i ru;ir
1IIII®r
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information relating to engineering design
standards for the placement of utilities within the public right-of-way (ROW) as outlined in
the Iowa State Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) program.
BACKGROUND
The City of Dubuque adopted the SUDAS program, which consists of a construction
specifications manual and a design manual, as the City's standard in 2014. The City also
developed and adopted the City of Dubuque Supplemental Specification which modifies
and supplements the SUDAS program, specifically the Construction Specifications
Manual, tailoring it to meet the City's current payment methods, material preferences,
installation methods, and testing requirements. City Council Resolution 48-14 Adopted
the SUDAS Program in 2014 and authorized the City Manager to take such actions as
are necessary to implement the SUDAS Program. The most recent Supplemental
Specification was adopted by City Council Resolution 211-23 in July 2023.
DISCUSSION
City staff from the Engineering, Planning Services, Public Works, and Water Departments
are currently in the process of reviewing the 2023 Edition of the SUDAS Design Manual
to identify and document the differences with City policies, ordinances, and best practices
not covered by the standard statewide design manual. In conjunction with this effort, staff
are developing a draft supplemental design manual document. As part of that process,
the City seeks input from developers, local engineers, and construction contractors who
utilize SUDAS regularly. Staff was made aware of a concern with the cost implications of
placing strict requirements as to the location of utilities in the ROW specifically under the
street pavement (within roadway limits). While the SUDAS Design Manual nor the City's
supplemental specifications do not specify where a specific utility must be located within
the ROW, the City was enforcing an unwritten policy regarding the placement of the water
main.
Since being notified of the specific concern regarding watermain locations under street
pavement (within roadway limits), staff have further evaluated the current requirements
within the Standard SUDAS Design Manual, the Standard SUDAS Construction
Specifications, and the City's Supplemental Specifications to the Standard SUDAS
Specifications regarding this concern. Staff has discussed the City's requirements versus
preferences in this matter and offer the following comments:
• Use of imported granular backfill versus native soil materials within utility
trenches:
o Standard SUDAS Specifications Division 3 (Trenched and Trenchless
Construction), Section 3010 (Trench Excavation and Backfill), Part 2
(Products), subsection 2.03 (Backfill Material) provides the standard
requirements for allowable trench backfill materials. The requirement is
the same whether a water main is installed under pavement or not.
The Standard SUDAS Specification does have specific language
regarding the reuse of native soil materials that were excavated from the
trench limits. In 3010.2.03B-2 and C-3 both state "Do not use where water
conditions in the trench may cause instability" and D2 states "When
approved by the Engineer, material may be used as final trench backfill.
(Engineer is the Engineer of record in this case)
o The City's Supplemental Specifications of the same section (3010.2.03)
provides further clarity of the material requirements by providing
references to the pertinent Iowa DOT material tables as well as providing
language to allow for the reuse of native soil materials.
The City's Supplemental Specifications allows for native trench soil
material reuse. Both the Standard Specifications and the City
Supplemental Specifications provide for the technical requirements
(moisture, granularity, etc) that all backfill materials must meet during field
testing to perform as designed for proper support of the utility being
installed.
o While the reuse of native soil materials IS allowable in the City, staff has
observed that the time, additional storage area, testing requirements, and
compaction efforts for the reuse of the native materials typically result in
contractors utilizing imported materials to have a more consistent backfill
product which minimizes soil sampling and testing efforts. No matter the
material being used for backfilling, it is the responsibility of the contractor
to ensure that compaction testing, in accordance with Section 3010.3.06,
is being conducted to minimize premature infrastructure failures.
o In this matter, use of either material is acceptable to the City so long as
the material meets the specification requirements. It is up to the
developer, engineer of record / geotechnical engineer and contractor to
decide which is more cost effective for their projects.
• Location of the utilities must be in accordance with engineering design
standards as described in the Standard SUDAS Design and Specifications
Manuals and the City's Supplemental Specifications.
o Utilities (specifically water and sewer) must maintain the appropriate
slopes, separations, clearances, etc. dictated by the IDNR and Ten States
Standards.
o In particular, gravity sewer systems are heavily dependent on topography
and location of sewer may vary depending on the low points along
corridors (roadway, front yard, backyard, etc).
• Staff identified the following concerns with locating utilities (specifically
water and sewer) behind the curb:
o Larger easement or right of way requirements with encroachment on
"developable" acreage for each lot
■ Required separation between utilities to meet IDNR/Health Dept
standards.
■ Required clear space for utility access, determined by utility depth
as described in the SUDAS Design Manual.
■ Additional easement areas outside of water/sewer for private
utilities.
o Utility access and locating concerns:
■ Private property encroachment in R/W or easement areas.
■ Private property damage/replacements for routine and emergency
utility maintenance and more long-term maintenance costs incurred
by the City.
■ Lack of stable paved/bedded surface for maintenance
equipment/vehicles in the area's utilities are planted.
■ The hydrant will be difficult to locate due to the water main location,
the hydrant lead will probably need more bends and restraint added
for each hydrant.
o Additional roadway clear zone requirements:
■ Can't plant trees in the parkway (space between sidewalks and
curbs).
■ Traffic control cabinets and the wiring could be over the water main.
Currently, SUDAS allows for utilities to be located either within or outside the roadway
limits. City staff has had the preference to locate utilities within the street pavement (within
roadway limits) for the above reasons and has developed a draft typical preferred
roadway/utility cross sections showing the preferred utility locations. City staff has also
received feedback from local engineers and developers regarding utility locations within
the right of way and are taking these under consideration as part of staff efforts to develop
and adopt the 2024 edition of the City's Supplemental Design Manual to coincide with the
upcoming update to the Iowa Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS)
Program, the 2024 edition.
Because it is not specifically addressed in the current 2023 edition of SUDAS, the City
will no longer require that the water main be installed beneath the street pavement (within
roadway limits). Moreover, the 2024 City SUDAS Supplemental Design Standards will not
3
establish any such restriction. The City will continue to follow the location requirements
as outlined in SUDAS.
REQUESTED ACTION
No action requested. This memo is to provide information.
cc: Wally Wernimont, Planning Services
Christopher Lester, Water Department
Darrin Homb, Water Department
Charlie Gau, Water Department
Arielle Swift, Public Works
Paul Davis, Public Works
Bob Schiesl, Engineering
Nate Kieffer, Engineering
Todd Irwin, Engineering
Max O'Brien, Engineering
12