17 AAC 15.211. Underground facilities

(a) Longitudinal underground facilities on a uniform alignment may not be located closer than five feet from a department right-of-way, unless otherwise directed by the department. Longitudinal underground facilities may not be closer than 10 feet from the toe of fill or the top of cut, unless the utility can demonstrate to the department's satisfaction that the 10-foot requirement is not feasible and that a closer location will not adversely affect the design, construction, maintenance, safety, or operation of the highway or other department structure. Surface facilities must comply with the minimum distances requirements of 17 AAC 15.171 (d).

(b) Underground facility crossings must be installed by boring, coring, or jacking through the roadway prism. Wet-boring is not permitted. The department will, in its discretion, allow trenched or open-cut construction where untrenched construction is not practical. Underground facility crossings must be as nearly perpendicular to the highway centerline as practicable. Underground facility crossings in other department rights-of-way must conform to the specifications set out in the special provisions of the utility permit.

(c) Encasement of underground facilities is required for crossings under controlled-access highways or other department rights-of-way unless an alternate proposal by the utility is approved by the department. Underground pipelines carrying flammable, corrosive, or other hazardous materials must be encased if required by the department. The department will, in its discretion, permit a utility bridge, tunnel, utilidor, or other mechanical protection in place of encasement.

(d) The depth of burial for underground facilities constructed or installed under pavement, roadway, or runway surfaces must be at least four feet measured from the surface of the pavement, roadway, or runway to the top of the cable, conduit, pipeline, or encasement. Underground facilities constructed or installed under other surfaces, including unlined ditches, must be buried at least three feet, measured from the surface to the top of the cable, conduit, pipeline, or encasement.

(e) In areas of seasonally frozen soil or permafrost, the depth of burial must be such that any liquid transmitted will not freeze and so that any underground structure will withstand the increased impact loads transmitted through the frozen soil. The department will, in its discretion, allow the depth of burial to be reduced by the use of adequate insulation and protective materials or methods.

(f) The department will, in its discretion, require underground facilities to be rerouted or protected with casing or other mechanical protection when it is impractical to achieve the minimum depth of burial.

(g) When a utility locate service is not available, reference markers must be installed and maintained at both ends of underground facility highway crossings, at angle points in the alignment of the underground facilities, and at designated points along longitudinal alignments as specified in the special provisions of the utility permit.

History: Eff. 5/23/82, Register 82

Authority: AS 02.15.020

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