Best Practices in Road Works and Street (Utilities) Works

According to a study, the roadworks and street works cause the UK economy around ￡5 billion a year due to traffic delays.

Roadworks include improvements to roads, footways, street lighting and street works involve utilities including laying of new utilities, repairing and diversion of existing utilities, etc. Road work permits and lane rental schemes were launched in the UK to reduce disruption to the traffic flows, but there is still huge room for improvements. In the following, a few best practices in utilities works have been explained briefly.

COORDINATION

A good coordination between roadworks and street works is quite important. The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991(NRSWA) explains duties for the street authorities to coordinate the execution of works of all kinds (including works for road purposes) and for undertakers to cooperate with street authorities and each other.

The key principles of effective coordination are:

• Early consultation between all interested parties, adequate pre-planning and, where circumstances allow, flexibility. These are essential if effective coordination is to be realised for all parties and their respective customers;
• Regular input and attendance of relevant personnel (those who are also authorised to vary programmes) at coordination meetings. Attendance is vital to ensure that all parties understand the need to meet key dates for planned works or risk having projects aborted or delayed. The success of effective coordination depends on co. operation between all parties, the highway authorities, the undertakers and their contractors, and developers;
• Whenever possible, that undertakers should share business development plans and the locations and replacement programmes for ageing apparatus with the authorities. All information should be treated with the strictest confidence;
• To improve cross boundary coordination between neighbouring authorities, undertakers and others for all planned works and planned maintenance on strategic routes;
• When major works are planned in the area of a principal route, it may be advantageous to select an alternative route in the area that, for a known period of time, will be kept clear of planned works to avoid unnecessary inconvenience and to which road users can be diverted;
• In addition, advance notices should be issued to street authority by the undertaker detailing relevant information.

PLANNING AND DESIGN

The following preliminary actions are intended to improve the planning and design of works:

• Liaison between highway authorities, undertakers, transport authorities, police and contractors to review traffic management requirements, e.g. road closures and temporary traffic orders;
• Reference to plant records and, where available, to digital map records using the exchange of plant details electronically via the Internet. This will facilitate the provision of up-to-date information and improve safety and damage prevention;
• Where appropriate, the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR) or three. dimensional mapping systems to locate apparatus and available ground capacity;
• Where appropriate, the use of trial holes to identify potential problems prior to start of works. The results should be made available to all interested parties;
• Calculating the likely duration of works from historic progress rates to develop a preliminary programme of works;
• A review of the variety of techniques available for the installation of apparatus and the maintenance of the highway;
• The use of trench sharing as an effective method of reducing disruption and inconvenience from street works;
• If possible, the use of verges as a location for apparatus. If the verge is outside the highway boundary, permission from the landowner may be needed;
• Special provision at the development stage to landscaped areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), ancient monuments, Countryside Protection programmes, adopted service strips and roundabouts; and
• Where appropriate, reviewing work to determine whether it could be carried out outside normal working hours, to avoid delays and disruption. Remember, however, that environmental factors such as noise levels need to be taken into account.

CONSULTATION

Consultation should be used where practicable to assess the impact of the proposed works, to assist the design process and to encourage improved coordination between the undertakers, highway authorities and other interested parties. Examples are:

• Consultation with landowners, developers and businesses about the potential impact of the proposed works;
• Liaison with other services, town councils, parish councils, Chambers of Commerce, emergency services, local bus, tram, and rail operators, the local community, local business representatives and environmental health bodies as appropriate;
• Notification to local residents in advance about the works and, where appropriate, during the progress of the works. Provision of a dedicated 24 hour contact telephone number;
• Publication of the timing of the works in the media, when appropriate; and
• Public consultations (where appropriate) at open meetings of local residents / businesses by the undertakers' community affairs public relations representative

CO-ORDINATION OF THE WORKS

The Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC) Code of Practice gives practical guidance to:

1. The street authority on the exercise of their powers to give directions as to the timing of street works (NRSWA, section 56);
2. The street authorities and undertakers as to the discharge of their duties with respect to coordination and cooperation (NRSWA, sections 59 and 60); and
3. The street authority on the duration and timing of the works for the purpose of charging for occupation of the highway where works are unreasonably prolonged (NRSWA, section 74).

In carrying out these duties, the following points are important:

• Regular coordination meetings, with recorded actions, should be held between highway and planning authorities' representatives, undertakers, street works personnel, urban centre managers, business representatives and other interested parties to discuss proposed major works on the highway and the speedy resolution of any potential conflict or outstanding matters;
• Street authorities should provide undertakers and relevant highway personnel with a meeting schedule for co. ordination meetings at least 12 months in advance;
• Street authorities and undertakers should jointly produce an electronic list of planned major works (preferably) in advance for each quarter and seek agreement with all parties as to the actions required. The list should readily be available over the Internet to all undertakers and the public; and
• A list of planned major works should be updated regularly between quarterly meetings in order to speed up decisions between all parties at coordination meetings.

SAFE CONSTRUCTION

Like all construction activities, safety of workers and general public is of utmost importance. For this, adequate signing, lighting and guarding of street works and road works need to be ensured.

DO IT RIGHT FIRST TIME

Doing first time right is a golden rule to be followed. The quality execution of work employing quality materials can save lot of time and cost.

USE OF SMART PHONES

Fifty percent of the UK population has got access to smart phone. The street work Apps can be utilised for sharing important information contract-wide.

UTILITIES INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

There are so many innovative products which cannot only prove durable and cost saving but also help reducing the cost, time and environmental implications of street works.

MICRO TRENCHING

Micro trenching is productive for laying cables. It has several advantages, but the use of suitable reinstatement material is necessary.

USE OF MULTI DUCTING

Multi ducting has several advantages in laying cables of different utilities undertakers. They are fast and economical to install, safe, robust, flexible, chemical resistant, and easy to cut. They can be buried much shallower than conventional ducts. No graded backfill or fitting spacers required between the ducts.

TRENCHLESS TECHNIQUE

Trenchless techniques with some precautions could be useful to lay ducts under the running carriageways.

PROPER REINSTATEMENT OF TRENCHES

The trenches should be reinstated adequately using proper material and good workmanship.

STEEL IRONWORK INSTALLATION

In steel ironwork installation, quality and design of casting is important. The bedding material should be of high quality and performance. Stable and robust sub structure should be ensured and reinstatement should be done to recognised standards.