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Also included is an example of a “learning CASE STUDY #2: The designer talked to City officials and
experience” where SUE was not utilized Cross Park Drive, Knoxville property owners and found there was little
but should have been and why. SCOPE: To relocate a sanitary sewer man- to zero field evidence or record drawings.
CASE STUDY #1: hole from a concrete drainage area while Working with a very narrow right-of-way,
Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville avoiding the existing gas line. the designer decided that the sewer could
SCOPE: To find the true location of a fit on the shoulder opposite of where he
petroleum gas line that conflicts with a Similar to the previous example Cross was told the waterline and gas line were
proposed storm system Park also utilized Level A SUE during the located. After design was completed, the
design phase of the project and proved project progressed to construction. As
Cumberland Avenue, also known as its worth. A rough surface location was excavation started, it was discovered the
“The Strip,” is the main thoroughfare for determined by a utility locator and a small gas line was on the same side of the road
the University of Tennessee and a popular section of concrete was removed. Vacuum as the proposed sewer. The sewer had
route for people commuting downtown. excavation was started in order to expose to be redesigned, the contractor needed
The City of Knoxville contracted an engi- the existing gas line. As soon as the SUE a supplement to his contract to move
neering firm to design a new storm system crew began work, they discovered the gas forward, the proposed sewer alignment
to replace the very outdated and under- line was less than a foot below the surface. then needed to be redesigned. This caused
sized existing system. Near the water It was quickly realized the proposed sewer delays and unexpected traffic issues for
quality unit and outfall, the proposed 36" would be able to go below the conflict- the owners in the area. This all could have
pipe needed to cross Cumberland Avenue ing gas line. The manhole depth was been avoided with fully utilizing SUE
to get to the creek. However, there was established outside of the drainage area. practices to confirm where the existing
an existing petroleum pipeline that also Because of SUE, the minimum coverage utilities were located during the design
crossed Cumberland in the same location above the gas line was discovered and the phase of the project.
perpendicular to the proposed system. imminent risk for the contractor, owner
Quality Level D and C produced very few and client was alleviated. Conclusion
results on the actual accurate depth of the CASE STUDY #3:
conflicting utility. The designer did not Haywood Road, Greenville, SC SUE encompasses every aspect of
know if he could go above the gas line. SCOPE: To put all overhead utilities in utility-related work to give the most ef-
In order to avoid it, he proposed to go a 12-way duct bank in a 6,200 LF urban ficient, risk-free, cost-effective manner
deeper than the typical drawing showed retail corridor while providing mapping of available. With various aspects of a new
to be safe. This would require a complete all existing and new subsurface utilities. and rapidly growing market in SUE, there
closure of the road due to at least a 15' are other perspectives to consider. How
deep trench. After much discussion and This example is a large scale SUE project does SUE benefit the utility owner? It
thought, it was decided to implement that utilized all aspects of SUE to achieve a protects existing assets and the quality of
Level A SUE and vacuum excavate to the common goal. The preliminary SUE work new construction is increased. How may
gas line to acquire survey locations on provided mapping of the existing utilities it benefit the contractor? The contractor
the pipe and determine if the trench and and then during design, conflicts were will have a higher level of project success,
closure were necessary. Once exposed it addressed and vacuum excavation was as well as the increased safety and lowered
was discovered that the gas line was over performed where necessary. The use of all risk of incident. How about designer ben-
9' deep and would allow for the pipe to levels of SUE was the key to the success efits? The designer has more accurate data
go above. This eliminated the need for of this project. All budget and timeline from which to work, allowing an increase
the closure and would only require a lane goals were achieved or exceeded. The in comfort level and quality of work. In
shift. The SUE process reduced the cost clients were happy with the reduced time summation, subsurface investigation in
of construction by eliminating the major and no unexpected outages. The owners the preliminary stages of a utility project
deep trench excavation and shoring that were relieved with the reduction of cost will benefit the client and ensure a higher
was previously proposed. It also increased and time as well an up to date map of all level of success for your utility projects.
safety during construction and protected underground utilities moving forward.
the existing asset which kept the owner CASE STUDY #4: Kingston References: ASCE. 2002 . ‘‘Standard guidelines
and client happy. SCOPE: To install a sanitary sewer and for the collection and depiction of existing sub-
add connections for new clients. surface utility data.’’ ASCE C-I 38-02, New York.
www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/sueindex.cfm
Case Study #2 Case Study #2 Case Study #3
View online at tnpublicworks.com 7
experience” where SUE was not utilized Cross Park Drive, Knoxville property owners and found there was little
but should have been and why. SCOPE: To relocate a sanitary sewer man- to zero field evidence or record drawings.
CASE STUDY #1: hole from a concrete drainage area while Working with a very narrow right-of-way,
Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville avoiding the existing gas line. the designer decided that the sewer could
SCOPE: To find the true location of a fit on the shoulder opposite of where he
petroleum gas line that conflicts with a Similar to the previous example Cross was told the waterline and gas line were
proposed storm system Park also utilized Level A SUE during the located. After design was completed, the
design phase of the project and proved project progressed to construction. As
Cumberland Avenue, also known as its worth. A rough surface location was excavation started, it was discovered the
“The Strip,” is the main thoroughfare for determined by a utility locator and a small gas line was on the same side of the road
the University of Tennessee and a popular section of concrete was removed. Vacuum as the proposed sewer. The sewer had
route for people commuting downtown. excavation was started in order to expose to be redesigned, the contractor needed
The City of Knoxville contracted an engi- the existing gas line. As soon as the SUE a supplement to his contract to move
neering firm to design a new storm system crew began work, they discovered the gas forward, the proposed sewer alignment
to replace the very outdated and under- line was less than a foot below the surface. then needed to be redesigned. This caused
sized existing system. Near the water It was quickly realized the proposed sewer delays and unexpected traffic issues for
quality unit and outfall, the proposed 36" would be able to go below the conflict- the owners in the area. This all could have
pipe needed to cross Cumberland Avenue ing gas line. The manhole depth was been avoided with fully utilizing SUE
to get to the creek. However, there was established outside of the drainage area. practices to confirm where the existing
an existing petroleum pipeline that also Because of SUE, the minimum coverage utilities were located during the design
crossed Cumberland in the same location above the gas line was discovered and the phase of the project.
perpendicular to the proposed system. imminent risk for the contractor, owner
Quality Level D and C produced very few and client was alleviated. Conclusion
results on the actual accurate depth of the CASE STUDY #3:
conflicting utility. The designer did not Haywood Road, Greenville, SC SUE encompasses every aspect of
know if he could go above the gas line. SCOPE: To put all overhead utilities in utility-related work to give the most ef-
In order to avoid it, he proposed to go a 12-way duct bank in a 6,200 LF urban ficient, risk-free, cost-effective manner
deeper than the typical drawing showed retail corridor while providing mapping of available. With various aspects of a new
to be safe. This would require a complete all existing and new subsurface utilities. and rapidly growing market in SUE, there
closure of the road due to at least a 15' are other perspectives to consider. How
deep trench. After much discussion and This example is a large scale SUE project does SUE benefit the utility owner? It
thought, it was decided to implement that utilized all aspects of SUE to achieve a protects existing assets and the quality of
Level A SUE and vacuum excavate to the common goal. The preliminary SUE work new construction is increased. How may
gas line to acquire survey locations on provided mapping of the existing utilities it benefit the contractor? The contractor
the pipe and determine if the trench and and then during design, conflicts were will have a higher level of project success,
closure were necessary. Once exposed it addressed and vacuum excavation was as well as the increased safety and lowered
was discovered that the gas line was over performed where necessary. The use of all risk of incident. How about designer ben-
9' deep and would allow for the pipe to levels of SUE was the key to the success efits? The designer has more accurate data
go above. This eliminated the need for of this project. All budget and timeline from which to work, allowing an increase
the closure and would only require a lane goals were achieved or exceeded. The in comfort level and quality of work. In
shift. The SUE process reduced the cost clients were happy with the reduced time summation, subsurface investigation in
of construction by eliminating the major and no unexpected outages. The owners the preliminary stages of a utility project
deep trench excavation and shoring that were relieved with the reduction of cost will benefit the client and ensure a higher
was previously proposed. It also increased and time as well an up to date map of all level of success for your utility projects.
safety during construction and protected underground utilities moving forward.
the existing asset which kept the owner CASE STUDY #4: Kingston References: ASCE. 2002 . ‘‘Standard guidelines
and client happy. SCOPE: To install a sanitary sewer and for the collection and depiction of existing sub-
add connections for new clients. surface utility data.’’ ASCE C-I 38-02, New York.
www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/sueindex.cfm
Case Study #2 Case Study #2 Case Study #3
View online at tnpublicworks.com 7
