New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 17 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND UTILITY SERVICES › Chapter 4 - UTILITY RIGHTS OF WAY AND EASEMENTS › Part 2 - REQUIREMENTS FOR OCCUPANCY OF STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM RIGHT-OF-WAY BY UTILITY FACILITIES › Section 17.4.2.13 - PHYSICAL LOCATION OF FACILITIES

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
The following requirements apply to the physical location of
				  utility facilities on non access-controlled highways; additional requirements
				  for access-controlled highway facilities are set-out in Paragraph 17 [now
				  17.4.2.17
				  NMAC], "The Accommodation of Utility Facilities Within Freeway or Interstate
				  Right-of-Way."
A.
Aerial
				facilities, parallel:
The proposed installation of aerial utility
				facilities parallel to a state highway shall be located no more than .3048 m (1
				foot) within the right-of-way line on a uniform alignment, wherever practical.
				Down guys and anchors shall not project into the cut or fill slopes. Minor
				variations will be considered on an individual basis upon substantiation
				submitted by the utility.
B.
Aerial facilities crossing:
Proposed installations of aerial facilities
				crossing a highway shall cross the highway at an angle near ninety (900)
				degrees whenever practical. Poles, anchors and other appurtenances shall be
				located at, near, or outside the highway rights-of-way. No crossing components
				shall obtrude upon the roadway prism unless approved by the Department, and all
				vertical clearances shall conform to the National Electric Safety Code as a
				minimum, but shall not be less than twenty feet (20'). Minor variations will be
				considered on an individual basis, or upon substantiation submitted by the
				utility.
C.
Buried
				facilities, parallel:
The proposed installation of buried utility
				facilities parallel to a highway shall be located no more than 1.52 m (5 feet)
				within the right-of-way line, whenever practical. Surface components of buried
				facilities, i.e., valves, manholes, vents, etc., shall be located as close as
				possible to the right-of-way line. The high point of structural elements such
				as manholes, vaults and anchor blocks shall be at or below the grade of the
				right-of-way surface. Minor variations will be considered on an individual
				basis, on substantiation submitted by the utility. All buried facilities shall
				be installed at a minimum depth of .91 m (36 inches) from natural ground
				elevation to the top of the buried facility. All trenches and ditches will be
				backfilled and compacted to the satisfaction of the Engineer. All excavations
				outside the roadway foreslopes shall be compacted to a density equal to the
				surrounding undisturbed soil. All excavations within the toes of the foreslopes
				shall be compacted to 95% maximum dry density (modified Proctor method "C" T-99
				or equivalent) as determined by an approved standard compaction test. Parallel
				trenches shall be backfilled and compacted during the some work period in which
				they are excavated. Excavations on or near the traveled way shall not remain
				open overnight.
D.
Buried
				facilities, crossing:
The proposed installation of buried utility
				facilitiescrossing a highway shall cross the highway at an angle of ninety (900
				) degrees, wherever practical. All Surface components or proposed buried
				facility crossings shall be located within 1.52 m (5 feet) of the right-of-way
				line. All buried facility crossings shall be installed at a minimum depth of
				.91 m (36 inches) or more from the lowest point of the right-of-way surface to
				the top of the facility. Minor variations will be considered on an individual
				basis, on substantiation submitted by the utility.
(1) Unless otherwise permitted, installation
				of buried facilities crossing a state highway shall be performed by boring or
				jacking under the roadway. Installations by open cut of the pavement structure
				may be permitted only where boring or jacking is not feasible due to soil
				conditions, or where the pavement structure is aged, deteriorated or in
				generally poor condition. Open cut installations will be considered on an
				individual basis, on substantiation submitted by the utility.
(2) In cases where the utility owner is
				allowed an open cut installation, the utility shall be responsible for the
				restoration and maintenance of the pavement structure, until such time that the
				Section of roadway is improved by resurfacing, as approved by the
				Department.
(3) All proposed buried
				carrier pipes crossing a state highway shall be constructed of steel, cast
				iron, or reinforced concrete and/or shall be cased (or encased), and shall be
				of such materials and design as may be approved by the Engineer. Each question
				of carrier pipe material and/or casement pipe requirements shall be considered
				on an individual basis, on design data submitted by the utility. As a minimum,
				the casement shall extend at least from just outside the toe of foreslope to
				just outside the toe of the opposite foreslope.
(4) The utility shall be responsible for the
				backfill, compaction and surface restoration of utility trenches outside the
				roadway prism, and for the restoration and protection of the pavement structure
				if open cut trenching across the existing roadway is approved by the Engineer,
				District Engineer or his/her representative. The utility is also responsible
				for the safety and progress of the traveling public. All backfill, compaction,
				materials, and pavement structure restoration shall be performed to the
				satisfaction of Engineer. Backfill in trenches excavated outside the roadway
				prism shall be compacted to a density equal to the surrounding undisturbed
				soil. All excavations within the roadway prism shall be compacted to 95% of
				maximum dry density (Modified Proctor, method "C", T-99 or equivalent) as
				determined by a standard compaction test. Any portion of the pavement structure
				which is broken, disturbed, cut or otherwise damaged in any way, shall be
				removed and replaced to a design equal to or better than the condition that
				existed prior to the damage to the pavement structure, as determined by the
				Department.
(5) Where the party
				making the installation either is not equipped or fails to properly repair any
				damage to the pavement structure, the Department will repair the damage and
				shall bill the utility the actual cost of restorations, plus administrative
				costs incurred.
(6) All buried
				utility facilities crossing Department maintained highways shall be identified
				by the installation of weather proof signs that provide the type of facility,
				the facility owner and a phone number where maintenance personnel may be
				contacted. The signs shall be set over the facility at both right-of-way
				lines.